[ad_1]
Too much sugar has prompted the Indian industry body to launch a campaign to encourage Indians to eat more.
The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said it wants to dispel myths about sugar and its health effects.
On average, Indians eat around 19 kg a year, well below the world average.
Still, the country is the world’s largest consumer of sweeteners overall.
India’s production is expected to increase 13% this year to 31 million tonnes, but the government has indicated that it could halt export subsidies aimed at eliminating surpluses.
ISMA’s new website features short articles with headlines like “Eat, Drink, and Stay Healthy – A Little Sugar Isn’t That Bad.”
The online campaign also includes posts and workshops on social media, where celebrity chefs and health coaches discuss healthy living.
It features recipes for sweets and points to artificial sweeteners, suggesting they don’t help people lose weight and may have health consequences.
At the website launch, India’s food secretary Sudhanshu Pandey told local media that sugar’s reputation is not deserved.
“There are many myths about sugar and sugar consumption without scientific basis,” he said.
A healthy approach?
The campaign takes a distinctly different approach than campaigns in other countries, which have pushed to reduce sugar consumption.
Sugar is associated with a variety of health problems, such as obesity and diabetes.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is particularly concerned about the “free sugars” that manufacturers often add to food and beverages, but are also found in honey and fruit juices.
Commercial sweetener
Approximately 50 million farmers in India are cultivating sugarcane, and millions more work in mills or transport cane.
The government has taken an interventionist approach, using subsidies to help sell Indian sugar abroad, an approach that other sugar-producing nations have opposed.
Another way to get rid of excess sugar is to use it as fuel, turning it into ethanol.
The Sugar Millers Association of India predicts that ethanol production will increase from 1.9 billion liters this year to 3 billion liters in 2021.
Source: BBC
| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com does not accept any legal or other responsibility for the accuracy of the content. Please inform us of any inappropriate content and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
featured video
