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In hundreds of news stories and articles published in the last 12 months, all-natural sugar is misidentified as a prominent soda sweetener. Terms like "sugary sodas" and "sugar-sweetened beverages" are consistently misused in press reports, leading the public to believe that it is granulated sugar sweetening their beverages.
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The Facts
Until more manufacturers choose to use all-natural sugar, which has been used safely for more than 2,000 years, it is more accurate to use the term "HFCS-sweetened beverages" when reporting about beverages consumed in the United States. Your help in correcting this common mistake is appreciated.
-- Americans consumed more than 5 million tons of HFCS in drinks in 2008, according to the USDA-Economic Research Service. That's nearly 15 times more HFCS than sugar used in beverages. -- Less than 5 percent of all U.S. sugar deliveries go to the beverage industry. -- The United States has not used sugar to sweeten most of its soft drinks since Jimmy Carter sat in the Oval Office. -- HFCS was invented in 1957, mass produced in the 1970s, and has had the majority of the beverage market ever since. -- Sugar still sweetens beverages in Europe, Canada, Mexico, and most areas outside of the United States. -- According to the Food and Drug Administration, the term "sugar" only applies to sucrose when listed as an ingredient. HFCS is a different ingredient.
SOURCE The Sugar Association
