Sugar consumption negatively affects health and should be minimized. This was stated by EFSA’s Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) in its scientific opinion published on 28.2.22. (1)
EFSA’s opinion on sugars
The EFSA assessment stems from a request made in 2016 by five northern EU countries-Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. In fact, the health authorities of the 5 countries had asked the European Food SafetyAuthority to define a tolerable level to sugar intake based on existing data in the scientific literature on the correlation between sugar consumption and chronic metabolic diseases, pregnancy-related diseases, and dental caries.
The analysis of hundreds of scientific studies led the NDA committee to the conclusion that ”in a nutritionally sound diet, the intake of added sugars and free sugars should be as low as possible, which is already in line with current recommendations‘, as stated by Professor Dominique Turck, chair of the EFSA Human Nutrition Panel, which conducted the evaluation. Nevertheless, ‘scientific evidence has not allowed us to establish the maximum tolerable intake level for sugars in the human diet.’
From sugary drinks to fruit juices.
The sugars referred to by EFSA are all food sugars, both natural and added, found in the diet (total sugars). These are the main types of sugars (mono- and disaccharides) found in diets (such as glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, and trehalose).
TheAuthority recalls the classification into three strands.
1) Added sugars, that is, refined sugars used in food preparation and as table sugar.
2) Free sugars, which include both those naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit and vegetable juices and concentrated juices and “added sugars.”
The foods that contribute most to added and free sugars intake are table sugar, honey, syrups, confectionery and sweet desserts, beverages and baked goods (with high variability among EU countries).
3) Sugars naturally present in foods, such as milk, fruits and vegetables.
Consumption for adults and children
The main source of sugar in the diet of Europeans are sugary drinks. Juices, baked goods and sweets also contribute to the excesses. Among children and young people up to age 18, sweetened milk and milk products are added.
Without a doubt, sugars are a useful source of energy. And some types, such as glucose, are essential for the proper functioning of the heart and brain. Carbohydrates in starchy foods can also be used by the body as a source of glucose. But the dose must come well-tuned, on pain of even serious disorders and diseases.
The harmful role of sugars
Following the requests of the 5 Nordic countries, EFSA reviewed the scientific evidence (post-2010) on the correlation between sugar consumption and health damage. The conclusions are uncertain, except for dental caries and the premise that excessive sugar consumption generates accumulation in the body, for example in the form of fat to be used as a reserve. If this reserve is not used by the body, it can accumulate over time and cause health problems.
In detail, EFSA reminds us, sugar consumption is related to.
tooth decay. Dietary sugars are metabolized by plaque microorganisms into organic acids that demineralize enamel and dentin, subsequently causing caries. Sucrose is also known to contribute to dental plaque formation,
chronic metabolic diseases. Excessive energy intake (not consumed) and the resulting increase in body weight appears to be the main mechanism by which dietary sugar intake may contribute to the development of chronic metabolic diseases.
Pathologies by sugar type
In an infographic, EFSA points to the correlation between sugar consumption and disease occurrence (other than tooth decay, which is always present):
– added and free sugars (from added sugar in coffee, drinks and home preparations to industrial products): obesity, hepatic steatosis, type 2 diabetes, excess ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL), hypertension,
– Fructose: cardiovascular disease, gout,
– Sugary drinks: obesity, hepatic steatosis, type 2 diabetes, excess ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL), cardiovascular disease, gout, hypertension. Consumption of sugary drinks is also related to gestational diabetes and underweight baby syndrome,
– Fruit juices and nectars: obesity, type 2 diabetes, gout,
– sweets, cakes and desserts, other sweetened beverages, including sweetened milk and milkshakes, yogurt. All sources of added and free sugars, already mentioned.
The EFSA opinion can help EU member states set effective national targets/recommendations, such as the measures taken in Britain, which was chosen by WHO as a model for tackling sugar and calorie excess.
Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA),Dominique Turck, Torsten Bohn et al. Tolerable upper intake level for dietary sugars. 28.2.22. EFSA Journal https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7074
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
