Importance of Sugar Reduction for Hair Health

Image credit: publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk

What is a reducing sugar?

A reducing sugar is any sugar that is capable of acting as a reducing agent. In an alkaline solution, a reducing sugar forms some aldehyde or ketone, which allows it to act as a reducing agent, for example in Benedict's reagent. In such a reaction, the sugar becomes a carboxylic acid .

What is the Sugar Reduction Programme?

The sugar reduction programme, announced in the government’s obesity plan in 2016, challenged all sectors of the food industry to reduce sugar in the foods that contribute most to the intakes of children up to 18 years of age, by 20% by 2020. Guidelines for industry were published in 2017.

Is sugar reduction already being addressed?

It is clear from the calorie reduction pledges already made through the Public Health Responsibility Deal (Appendix 1) that sugar reduction is already being addressed though a range of approaches. Building on this early work, PHE believes that the evidence base and opportunities should be considered in a number of areas including:

What is a sugar reduction programme & how does it work?

The programme, managed by Public Health England (PHE), challenged the food industry to reduce the overall sugar content of the food products that contribute the most sugar to children’s intakes by 20% by 2020, including an initial 5% reduction in the first year of the programme (by August 2017), compared to sugar levels in the foods in 2015.

How can a 20% reduction in sugar content be achieved?

Rather than specifying maximum or average targets for each categories, PHE state that the 20% reduction in sugar content could be achieved by: reformulating products to lower the levels of sugar present reducing the number of calories in, and/or portion size, of products that are likely to be consumed by an individual at one time

How has the food industry responded to sugar reduction?

The food industry response to sugar reduction has, so far, been different – sugar levels in products have been reduced in larger steps, potentially through the aim to make a claim on pack about the change that has been madej,58 – and the sweetness has generally been maintained through the addition of no/low calorie sweeteners.

What Is Sugar Reduction

1. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sugar-reduction
2. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210818-what-happens-when-you-quit-sugar
3. https://www.tateandlyle.com/trends/sugar-reduction
4. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/324043/Sugar_Reduction_Responding_to_the_Challenge_26_June.pdf
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/sugar-reduction
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reducing_sugar
7. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/reducing-sugar-in-your-diet
8. https://www.verywellhealth.com/reduce-sugar-intake-6745134
9. https://chem.libretexts.org/Ancillary_Materials/Reference/Organic_Chemistry_Glossary/Reducing_Sugar

Sugar Reduction Information

1. https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/food-facts/sugar/