Nutrition in the News: Chocolate and Coffee

Who doesn’t like chocolate?  Well a new   One hears “less sugar” and you think they either cut out some sugar or reduced the taste.  Or, they reduced the sugar by adding an artificial sweetener. But Nestle has actually changed the structure of the sugar molecule to let them reduce the amount of sugar they are putting in chocolate candy.  So is this a good thing?  

What is this “new sugar” that Nestle has developed?

Nestle researchers have been trying to reduce the amount of sugar in chocolate.  The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend we reduce our intake of “added sugars”.  So it would be a good thing if chocolate candy has less “added sugar”.  What Nestle is doing is changing the actual structure of the sugar molecule.  Basically, it will be hollowed-out sugar molecule so you taste the sugar on your tongue but it will be hollow inside, and thus reducing the sugar content by 30%.  In their press release , Nestle introduced their new Milkybar, their first candy with the reduced sugar content.  Not yet available here in the U.S.A., but will be appearing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.  Nestle describes the new sugar as, an aerated, porous sugar that dissolves more quickly in the mouth. This allows someone to perceive the same sweetness as before while consuming less sugar.
Hopefully, we will be seeing some Nestle reduced sugar chocolate in the U.S. soon.

Reduced Sugar Milkybar

 Coffee- what is the fuss about coffee and cancer risk? 

The news this week talks about a judge in California who wants coffee sellers to post warnings about coffee and cancer risk.  Why is the judge making this ruling and should we be concerned about the coffee we drink?  Like chocolate, who doesn’t like coffee?  I enjoy some coffee every morning.

Why do they want coffee sellers in California to post warnings about coffee and cancer risk?  When they roast coffee beans, acrylamide, a chemical is produced.   It is the acrylamide that the judge wants to warn consumers about.

So what are the facts?  Is acrylamide really bad for us?  NPR  wrote a Fact Check article on this topic.  They noted not only is the judge’s decision at odds with science, there is a large body of evidence that drinking coffee is safe and benefits may have health such as reducing the risk for some cancers.  Harvard Medical School in the Harvard Health Letter stated,  "Past studies have suggested that drinking coffee is associated with many health benefits, such as added longevity, lower blood pressure, less weight gain with aging, and a reduced risk of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, several degenerative neurological diseases (like Parkinson's disease), and cancer."

There is a lot of scientific evidence about the health benefits of drinking coffee, both regular and decaf.  If you are concerned about coffee, then keep your intake to 4 cups or less a day.  Apparently, drinking more than 4 cups a day doesn’t add any health benefits.

Look for the new reduced sugar Nestle candy coming soon.  And don’t give up your morning cup of coffee just yet.  I know I will be enjoying some coffee every morning this week.

Sources:  press release, Nestle,  cancer risk, NPR, Harvard Health Letter, health benefits  Images:  coffee. Milkybar, morning coffee