Evidence ‘doesn’t prove low-sugar diet has health benefits’

There is not enough scientific evidence to prove that a low-sugar diet has health benefits, the Sugar Bureau has claimed.

Kellogg’s recently announced that it will reduce the amount of sugar in its Coco Pops cereal by 15 per cent by mid-2011.
This means that each serving of the cereal will include just 1.5 teaspoons of sugar, with starch from grains and glucose syrup being used to make up the additional sweetness.

Dr Mary Harrington, nutrition communications manager at the Sugar Bureau, said that studies have found that the current average intake of sugar is not harmful to health.

She went on to say that very few long-term studies into sugar intake have been conducted.

“Activities aimed at reducing sugar consumption do not have any scientifically proven public health benefits and may in fact have adverse effects, [for example] substitution of sugar with fat,” Ms Harrington explained.

Have you tried reducing the amount of sugar that you consume?