The Calorie Control Council, an international association representing the low-calorie food and beverage industry, supports utilizing nutrition science to help consumers lead healthy and balanced lifestyles. Low- and no- calorie sweeteners (LNCS) are a proven tool that, along with diet and exercise, can help achieve that goal. The Sugar Association position related to LNCS labeling is not supported by science and could lead to negative implications for public health.
Public health organizations continue to recommend managing sugar consumption as part of a multi-pronged approach to reduce risk of obesity, diabetes, and associated chronic diseases. LNCS are a proven safe and effective alternative to added sugars, as recognized by health authorities all over the world. Including LNCS in the diet helps consumers reduce added sugar intake, reduce calories, and manage weight and blood sugar.
Similar to other ingredients, it is a regulatory requirement for LNCS to be disclosed in the ingredient list of all food and beverage labels, providing full transparency to consumers on sweeteners used in a particular product. The recently updated Nutrition Facts Label requires communication of important product composition information, such as added sugars and % daily value, and consumers should continue to utilize FDA’s educational tools to help make the best decisions for themselves and their loved ones.
A healthy and balanced lifestyle is one that can include LNCS as well as caloric sweeteners, such as sugar, at appropriate levels. The Calorie Control Council is conducting a thorough review of the Sugar Association’s petition filed on June 3, 2020 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and looks forward to submitting science based comments to the agency in the near future.
Do you have questions about low-calorie sweeteners? Want to learn more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle? You asked and we listened. Our resident Registered Dietitians answered the most popular questions about low-calorie sweeteners.
