The Food Movement Minute is a top story news analysis for busy foodies. I chew up the top industry and consumer publications each day and spit out only the news that matters most in a quick and entertaining read. I have a very discerning palate.
Today’s topics: Watchdog Downgrades Splenda from “Caution” to “Avoid”, M&Ms Says “Bye” to Synthetic Food Dyes, America is on a Sugar Detox, Hanger is Real
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Watchdog Downgrades Splenda from “Caution” to “Avoid”
The Story
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer watchdog group of the food industry, has downgraded sucralose, the artificial sweetener better known as Splenda, from “caution” to “avoid” in their Chemical Cuisine glossary of food additives, citing a newly published study linking the sweetener to leukemia and related blood cancers in mice.
The Details
Enjoy a sweet life without all the calories from added sugar (instead you may get cancer, however). Sucralose is a synthetically-created sweetener that’s 600 times sweetener than natural sucrose and is found in everything from diet sodas to frozen dinners, yogurts and cereals. In fact, the no-calorie sweetener is used in over 4500 products, more than any other artificial sweetener. The study found a dose-related increase in incidence of cancer in the mice studied. Conclusions from the researchers, “These findings do not support previous data that sucralose is biologically inert (inactive). Considering that millions of people are exposed, follow-up studies are urgent.”
Why it Matters
Trying to pull a fast one on nature rarely seems to work out. Sugar is sugar and anything masquerading as such tends to bring with it side effects that just don’t make the sweet taste worth it. Ultimately this points to Americans needing to re-set their taste buds. Sweet doesn’t have to be totally over the top. Have you ever noticed that a carrot is sweet? Promise. Go check it out.
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M&Ms Says “Bye” to Synthetic Food Dyes
The Story
Mars, Inc., makers of iconic brands such as M&Ms, Snickers, Starburst and a personal childhood fav, Hubba Bubba, announced they plan to remove all synthetic food dyes from their human food portfolio. Unless your name is Fido, this should be excellent news.
The Details
Buh-Bye, Yellow #5. The change will impact products across the chocolate, gum, confection, food and drink businesses and will take place incrementally over the next five years. Even with the announcement, the press release from the company is still quick to reiterate a long-held position, “Artificial colors pose no known risks to human health or safety.” A range of consumer advocacy groups would beg to differ, however, most notably the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer watchdog group who has been tracking and pressuring industry about this issue for many years. A recent report released by CSPI summarizes evidence compiled since 2011 that links artificial food dyes to negative impacts on child behavior, including an increase in ADHD symptoms. The report estimates as many as eight percent of children with ADHD may suffer symptoms causes by synthetic food colorings. Many of the artificial food dye offenders have already been making dye-free alternatives for over ten years in Europe, where products containing such ingredients are required to carry a warning label.
Why it Matters
If food manufactures have had recipes in place for over ten years that avoid these ingredients and science suggesting a link between ADHD (one of the most rapidly growing diagnoses in American children) has been expanding for over five years, then the following statement from the Mars, Inc. press release hardly seems authentic, “Our consumers are the boss and we hear them.” I’m happy they’ve finally gotten the message, but maybe they need a hearing aid.
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America is on a Sugar Detox
The Story
Survey says? America is on a sugar detox. Well done, Team! Wanna know how it’s going? Read on…
The Details
Put down the soda can. Turns out most of us are trying to avoid sugar in one way or another. A Reuters poll conducted last month found that 58% of the 1883 people sampled said they tried to limit sugar from their diets in the previous 30 days. That’s higher than the percentage of people who reported trying to reduce their intake of calories, sodium, fat, cholesterol or carbs. Perhaps the reason for our unified commitment to avoiding the sweet stuff is because the newest Dietary Guidelines, also released last month, recommend Americans limit their intake of added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories. That’s means cutting our average intake by one-third. The other reason we may all be hot to trot about avoiding sugar could be because we’re still trying to stick to our New Year’s resolutions. At least we were. 30 days ago. How’s that new gym membership working out by the way?
Why it Matters
In case you didn’t know, health advocates have declared a “war on sugar” and they are taking aim at sodas, candy and a range of packaged foods that are a primary contributor to diseases that have reached epidemic levels in our country like obesity, Diabetes Type II and heart disease. Our consumption of sugar has officially gotten out of control, especially in kids (the average American teenager consumes nearly 20% of their total calories each day from added sugars). Based on this poll at least, it sounds like we’ve been listening. Keep up the good work.
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Factoid of the Day
I suffer from “hanger”. I even have a t-shirt about it (see above pic). Turns out, hanger is a real, physiological phenomenon. When your brain is deprived of sugar as a result of not eating, it can trigger signals to behave aggressively. So, maybe that stash of emergency snacks my husband has been carrying around all these years is more of a defense mechanism than a benefit to me? Thanks, Honey.
Image by Me 