It’s easy to be confused by all the news about carbohydrates in food: good carbohydrates versus bad carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates versus simple carbohydrates, and—of course—fad diets that promote drastically cutting or eliminating carbohydrates altogether. In reality, carbohydrates come in many different forms and can be both healthy and unhealthy.
However, an arsenal of evidence shows consumers’ intake of sweet carbohydrates has drastically increased over the past several decades. Research has shown repeatedly that if we consume any one nutrient or total calories in excess of what the body needs, it can lead to poor weight management and chronic diseases. Today, 75% of total sugar consumed is in our commercial food supply. A 1998 USDA Economic Research Service report showed 45% of added sweeteners consumed go into beverages, 18% into cereal and baked goods, and 11% into confectionery goods (Agricultural Economic Report No. 772).
By definition, a carbohydrate is any group of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses and gums, and also serves as a major energy source in the diet of animals. However, carbohydrates vary tremendously in sweetness, texture and rate of digestion.
Saccharide science
Not only does the sweetness differ greatly among these saccharides, but they are further differentiated by their chemical structure and divided into four categories: monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. The sweetest carbohydrates include fructose, sucrose, glucose and lactose (galactose and glucose).
Glucose, or dextrose, (4 kcal per gram) is the most-abundant sugar found in nature, but it is seldom found in its monosaccharide form. It has approximately 75% the sweetness of sucrose. Glucose is typically found in nature as starch or cellulose, but also links with fructose to form sucrose. Fructose is the sweetest of all monosaccharides, about 1.4 times the sweetness of sucrose, providing 4 kcal per gram. It is known as natural fruit sugar; most fruits contain 1% to 7% fructose. The increase in sweetness as a fruit ripens is due to the separation of sucrose into fructose and glucose.
Sucrose, a dissacharide known more commonly as table sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar or even grape sugar―as well as being the main component in “natural” sugars, like turbinado—provides 4 kcal per gram. Sucrose occurs naturally in many foods, but is used abundantly in commercially processed foods.
Invert sugar, also used in many commercial foods, typically in liquid form, is sucrose is inverted by hydrolysis to half glucose and half fructose, although some forms are not completely inverted. Honey is considered a type of invert sugar; it has approximately 38% fructose, 31% glucose, 7% maltose, and a small amount of sucrose and other sugars.
Out of the sweet carbohydrates, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) seems to receive the greatest amount of bad publicity. HFCS, created by changing some of the glucose in corn starch to fructose, is intensely sweet, yet inexpensive. The predominant forms of HFCS are HFCS-55 (55% fructose, 41% glucose, and 4% glucose polymers) and HFCS-42 (42% fructose, 53% glucose, and 5% glucose polymers), the type typically used in beverages.
Metabolism of carbohydrates
Much of the current controversy in carbohydrates pertains to how they are metabolized in the body and, subsequently, affect health and weight management. Carbohydrates are ultimately digested into glucose, fructose and galactose by their enzymatic counterparts. Glucose and galactose are actively absorbed in the gut via the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) sodium-potassium pump, whereas fructose can be absorbed via active transport or facilitated diffusion, leaving unabsorbed fructose free to travel down the intestine. Fructose is an intermediary in the digestion of glucose and, when ingested alone, is poorly absorbed by the GI tract and almost completely eliminated by the liver. This metabolism of fructose favors lipogenesis. Several studies have found significant changes in circulating lipids among those consuming diets high in fructose. Once glucose is digested, it is transferred to the blood for transport to the liver for oxidation and glycogen storage.
That said, existing evidence does not support the claim that diets high in any particular nutritive sweeteners have caused an increase in obesity rates or other chronic conditions. Science has determined that human metabolism does not differentiate between sugars found naturally in food versus those added to food. For example, fructose found naturally in fruit is not metabolized differently than fructose in a fruit drink. Fructose is absorbed and metabolized in a similar manner despite the manner of ingestion (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2004; 104:255-275). Several other factors affect metabolism, such as: the carbohydrates’ availability or resistance to their enzymatic counterpart; the availability of the enzyme itself; or other dietary factors, such as fat content, which slows stomach emptying, or viscous fiber, which dilutes enzyme concentration.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Is Ronald McDonald a bad role model?
Say it's not so...an activist coalition wants Ronald McDonald to hang up his big red shoes.
Corporate Accountability International, which was behind the effort to retire Joe Camel and also has campaigned against bottled water companies, says that a survey it conducted shows that most Americans agree that McDonald's should stop gearing its advertising toward children in light of what they called a "fast-food-industry childhood obesity crisis."
And so, the organization is is planning a "retirement party" for Ronald McDonald outside the McDonald's at State Street and Chicago Avenue at lunchtime Wednesday. The group will also present results of a survey it conducted showing that most Americans agree McDonald's should stop gearing advertising efforts toward children, in light of what they call a "fast-food industry childhood obesity crisis," according to Media Post News.
“For nearly 50 years, Ronald McDonald has hooked kids on unhealthy foods spurring a deadly epidemic of diet-related diseases,” said Deborah Lapidus, the senior organizer at Corporate Accountability International, to CNN.com. “Ultimately the report makes the case that it’s time that McDonald’s stop directing fast food to kids. Really, Ronald deserves a break and so do we.”
A spokeswoman for McDonald's says Ronald's role is to bring out the fun side of having meals with family and to promote an active lifestyle.
"He is the heart and soul of Ronald McDonald House Charities," McDonald's told the Chicago Tribune in a written statement, and he also "helps deliver messages to families on many important subjects such as safety, literacy, and the importance of physical activity and making balanced food choices."
Corporate Accountability International, which was behind the effort to retire Joe Camel and also has campaigned against bottled water companies, says that a survey it conducted shows that most Americans agree that McDonald's should stop gearing its advertising toward children in light of what they called a "fast-food-industry childhood obesity crisis."
And so, the organization is is planning a "retirement party" for Ronald McDonald outside the McDonald's at State Street and Chicago Avenue at lunchtime Wednesday. The group will also present results of a survey it conducted showing that most Americans agree McDonald's should stop gearing advertising efforts toward children, in light of what they call a "fast-food industry childhood obesity crisis," according to Media Post News.
“For nearly 50 years, Ronald McDonald has hooked kids on unhealthy foods spurring a deadly epidemic of diet-related diseases,” said Deborah Lapidus, the senior organizer at Corporate Accountability International, to CNN.com. “Ultimately the report makes the case that it’s time that McDonald’s stop directing fast food to kids. Really, Ronald deserves a break and so do we.”
A spokeswoman for McDonald's says Ronald's role is to bring out the fun side of having meals with family and to promote an active lifestyle.
"He is the heart and soul of Ronald McDonald House Charities," McDonald's told the Chicago Tribune in a written statement, and he also "helps deliver messages to families on many important subjects such as safety, literacy, and the importance of physical activity and making balanced food choices."
More restaurant chains are rolling out tapas-like small plates
Some of the nation's most familiar casual-dining chains are suddenly thinking smaller.
They're rolling out tapas-like small plates of shareable items that typically are cheaper than appetizers by a buck or two — or even three.
With business still in the tank — and customers hard to lure out of the I-can-eat-cheaper-at-home mentality — a cadre of casual-dining icons, including Houlihan's, Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen and BJ's Restaurants, are trying to boost business with value-priced items to be passed around the table.
To draw attention to these trendy plates, most of the chains market them on separate menus. It seems to be working.
The move comes at a time when the $75 billion casual-dining business — and the restaurant industry overall — continues to suffer.
For the most recent month available, 57% of restaurants reported a same-store sales decline in January from a year ago — worse than the 49% in December, says the National Restaurant Association.
Casual-dining chains are trying just about anything. They're particularly eager to attract socially minded Millennials who are just as comfortable sharing a plate of food as they are sharing social media.
"This is how the next generation is eating," says Bob Hartnett, CEO at Houlihan's, which just rolled out 23 small-plate items. "And we're in the business of giving people what they want. If we don't give it to them, they'll find someone else who will."
Small plates at Houlihan's fetch from $3 for Truckstop Fries covered in chipotle cheese sauce to $10 for a grilled 4-ounce filet mignon with Parmesan garlic sauce. The best-selling small plate: $3.50 mini-burgers.
The items are boosting sales. In the key test market of Kansas City, small plates accounted for 28% of items sold, Hartnett says. Others in the mix:
•California Pizza Kitchen. Its "small cravings" menu rolled out last month, and it's driving business and boosting check averages, says Larry Flax, co-founder of the 216-unit chain. Flax says that he watched the success that Cheesecake Factory had with small plates.
While appetizers at the chain go for up to $10, the small cravings items top out at $4.99.
•Cheesecake Factory. The chain introduced "small plates and snacks" one year ago, and they have added incremental sales, says Mark Mears, marketing chief. The items, $3.95 to $6.95, are a "low-risk way for guests to try new tastes," Mears says.
•BJ's. The chain introduced six "snacks and small bites" this month, priced at $2.95 to $3.95. The items, including Gourmet Mac & Cheese and Hawaiian Shrimp Skewers, "are big on flavor and small on price," boasts Matt Hood, BJ's marketing chief.
They're rolling out tapas-like small plates of shareable items that typically are cheaper than appetizers by a buck or two — or even three.
With business still in the tank — and customers hard to lure out of the I-can-eat-cheaper-at-home mentality — a cadre of casual-dining icons, including Houlihan's, Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen and BJ's Restaurants, are trying to boost business with value-priced items to be passed around the table.
To draw attention to these trendy plates, most of the chains market them on separate menus. It seems to be working.
The move comes at a time when the $75 billion casual-dining business — and the restaurant industry overall — continues to suffer.
For the most recent month available, 57% of restaurants reported a same-store sales decline in January from a year ago — worse than the 49% in December, says the National Restaurant Association.
Casual-dining chains are trying just about anything. They're particularly eager to attract socially minded Millennials who are just as comfortable sharing a plate of food as they are sharing social media.
"This is how the next generation is eating," says Bob Hartnett, CEO at Houlihan's, which just rolled out 23 small-plate items. "And we're in the business of giving people what they want. If we don't give it to them, they'll find someone else who will."
Small plates at Houlihan's fetch from $3 for Truckstop Fries covered in chipotle cheese sauce to $10 for a grilled 4-ounce filet mignon with Parmesan garlic sauce. The best-selling small plate: $3.50 mini-burgers.
The items are boosting sales. In the key test market of Kansas City, small plates accounted for 28% of items sold, Hartnett says. Others in the mix:
•California Pizza Kitchen. Its "small cravings" menu rolled out last month, and it's driving business and boosting check averages, says Larry Flax, co-founder of the 216-unit chain. Flax says that he watched the success that Cheesecake Factory had with small plates.
While appetizers at the chain go for up to $10, the small cravings items top out at $4.99.
•Cheesecake Factory. The chain introduced "small plates and snacks" one year ago, and they have added incremental sales, says Mark Mears, marketing chief. The items, $3.95 to $6.95, are a "low-risk way for guests to try new tastes," Mears says.
•BJ's. The chain introduced six "snacks and small bites" this month, priced at $2.95 to $3.95. The items, including Gourmet Mac & Cheese and Hawaiian Shrimp Skewers, "are big on flavor and small on price," boasts Matt Hood, BJ's marketing chief.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Soft-drink volume fell 2.1% in 2009
A drop in U.S. soft-drink sales slowed last year as consumers migrated from pricier juices and teas back to less-expensive soda in the down economy, reported The Wall Street Journal. Soft-drink volume fell 2.1% in 2009, compared with a 3% decline in 2008 and a 2.3% drop in 2007, according to the report, citing Beverage Digest.
And fortified waters and sports drinks saw steep volume declines last year, said a separate report by Ad Age. Overall, the beverage category declined 3.1% in volume in 2009.
Soda sales have fallen for five years in a row, and the cumulative decline has erased gains made by the industry between 1996 and 2004, the peak year for U.S. sales, said the Journal.
The moderation of decline was a spot of good news for the industry, said the report. But John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, told the newspaper that he expects soft-drink volume to continue to decline by about 1.5% to 3% annually over the next five to 10 years.
Sicher said he expects some consumers to move back to more expensive bottled beverages as the economy improves. Others are likely to shy away from soft drinks because of worries about sugar and other nutrition issues.
"The carbonated category faces continued headwinds from the health, wellness and obesity concerns, and also the potential negative impact of soda taxes," he added.
Volume slid to about 9.4 billion cases last year from 10.24 billion cases in 2004, said the report. Coca-Cola remained the No. 1 soft drink in 2009, but its market share fell 0.3 percentage point to 17%. After years as the third most-popular soda, Diet Coke reached a near tie with Pepsi-Cola for the No. 2 spot, with 936.3 million and 936.4 million cases, respectively. Diet Coke and Pepsi-Cola both scored a 9.9% market share last year.
Among the top 10 soda brands, only Diet Mountain Dew, marketed by PepsiCo Inc., and Diet Dr Pepper, marketed by Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., posted volume growth.
Coca-Cola Co. chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent has said that restoring U.S. soft-drink growth in is a key priority of the company's "2020 Vision" growth plan, reported the Journal, and Eric Foss, CEO of PepsiCo's North American beverage operations, told investors earlier this week that he expects the company's broad beverage portfolio to grow, but the soft-drink segment to continue to decline.
Overall, the U.S. market for nonalcoholic beverages—including soda, bottled water, sports drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks and other drinks—fell 3.1% last year, according to the report, citing Beverage Marketing. It was the second year of decline in a row, and more drastic than the 2.1% drop in 2008.
Michael Bellas, Beverage Marketing's chairman and CEO, said "the worst may be over" for the beverage industry after a dismal 2009 marked by high unemployment and broad consumer malaise. But Bellas added that he sees a bright spot in recent months as declines in sales of energy drinks and sports drinks have leveled out. "This is a recovery led by the younger consumer that still has a job," rather than baby boomers who have lost savings and fundamentally changed their buying habits, he told the paper.
Bottled-water sales declined for the second year in a row, after a decade of growth. Nestle Pure Life, a line of water traditionally sold in mass retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., logged a 14.6% increase in volume, an indication of popularity of comparatively inexpensive multipack water.
"The challenged economy is undoubtedly the single greatest factor that's impacted the performance of refreshment beverages in each of the last two years," Gary Hemphill, managing director and chief operating officer at Beverage Marketing, told Ad Age. "It's possible this could continue into 2010. It's a little bit premature to say, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility."
Hemphill said that while his company does not specifically measure tap water, it is safe to say that consumers have been turning to the cheap alternative. Prior to the recession, tap-water consumption had been trending downward for decades, said the report.
According to Beverage Marketing, value-added water and sports drinks were the two hardest hit categories, with volume declines of 12.5% and 12.3%, respectively.
Value-added water was dragged down by Coca-Cola's Vitaminwater brand, which saw a 13% decline. PepsiCo's SoBe Lifewater brand, however, jumped 63% on the strength of the SoBe Lifewater Zero launch, which uses the company's stevia-based PureVia sweetener. Though the SoBe launch is still a small player in the overall category, it does indicate that consumers are willing to pay for products they view as healthier, which bodes well for both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, said Ad Age, as the beverage giants race to introduce products with natural sweeteners.
PepsiCo's Gatorade, which was repositioned as G with a splashy campaign last year, was a major factor in the decline of the sports-drink category, said the report. Volume decline was 15.5% at Gatorade, which is the largest player in the category, compared to a 1% drop at the smaller Powerade label. Gatorade's share of volume fell 0.5% among the leading beverage brands, though it maintained its position as the fifth-largest overall beverage brand.
Carbonated soft drinks, the largest beverage category, declined 2.3% in volume, showing a rebound from last year's 3% decline; 2009 marked the fifth consecutive year of declines in the category. Flavored diet soft drinks, such as Diet Mountain Dew and Diet Dr Pepper, proved most popular with consumers and were the only two brands to see growth in 2009, according to a separate report from Beverage Digest. Dr Pepper and Fanta were the only other brands that did not show declines, with flat volume share, the report said.
Consumers are more likely to trade down to private-label colas from Pepsi and Coke than they are from difficult-to-duplicate flavored soft drinks like Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper. But, Hemphill added, soft drinks in general could be viewed by consumers as an affordable alternative to pricier categories like value-added water.
Coke and Pepsi both saw volume and share declines, according to Beverage Digest. Coke lost 0.3 share points paired with a 4% decline in volume, while Pepsi lost 0.4 share points and volume declined 5.5%. Diet Coke also closed the gap with Pepsi in volume share, with both brands now claiming a 9.9 share of the market. A year ago, the two brands were 0.3 share points apart.
Ready-to-drink tea and energy drinks were the two strongest-performing categories, growing volume by 1.2% and 0.2%, respectively. And, surprisingly, bottled water saw a relatively modest 2.7% volume decline. High penetration of private-label brands and value pricing from Nestle Pure Life helped boost the category, said the report. Nestle Pure Life saw a 14.6% jump in volume, compared to double-digit declines for the pricier Aquafina and Dasani brands.
And fortified waters and sports drinks saw steep volume declines last year, said a separate report by Ad Age. Overall, the beverage category declined 3.1% in volume in 2009.
Soda sales have fallen for five years in a row, and the cumulative decline has erased gains made by the industry between 1996 and 2004, the peak year for U.S. sales, said the Journal.
The moderation of decline was a spot of good news for the industry, said the report. But John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, told the newspaper that he expects soft-drink volume to continue to decline by about 1.5% to 3% annually over the next five to 10 years.
Sicher said he expects some consumers to move back to more expensive bottled beverages as the economy improves. Others are likely to shy away from soft drinks because of worries about sugar and other nutrition issues.
"The carbonated category faces continued headwinds from the health, wellness and obesity concerns, and also the potential negative impact of soda taxes," he added.
Volume slid to about 9.4 billion cases last year from 10.24 billion cases in 2004, said the report. Coca-Cola remained the No. 1 soft drink in 2009, but its market share fell 0.3 percentage point to 17%. After years as the third most-popular soda, Diet Coke reached a near tie with Pepsi-Cola for the No. 2 spot, with 936.3 million and 936.4 million cases, respectively. Diet Coke and Pepsi-Cola both scored a 9.9% market share last year.
Among the top 10 soda brands, only Diet Mountain Dew, marketed by PepsiCo Inc., and Diet Dr Pepper, marketed by Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., posted volume growth.
Coca-Cola Co. chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent has said that restoring U.S. soft-drink growth in is a key priority of the company's "2020 Vision" growth plan, reported the Journal, and Eric Foss, CEO of PepsiCo's North American beverage operations, told investors earlier this week that he expects the company's broad beverage portfolio to grow, but the soft-drink segment to continue to decline.
Overall, the U.S. market for nonalcoholic beverages—including soda, bottled water, sports drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks and other drinks—fell 3.1% last year, according to the report, citing Beverage Marketing. It was the second year of decline in a row, and more drastic than the 2.1% drop in 2008.
Michael Bellas, Beverage Marketing's chairman and CEO, said "the worst may be over" for the beverage industry after a dismal 2009 marked by high unemployment and broad consumer malaise. But Bellas added that he sees a bright spot in recent months as declines in sales of energy drinks and sports drinks have leveled out. "This is a recovery led by the younger consumer that still has a job," rather than baby boomers who have lost savings and fundamentally changed their buying habits, he told the paper.
Bottled-water sales declined for the second year in a row, after a decade of growth. Nestle Pure Life, a line of water traditionally sold in mass retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., logged a 14.6% increase in volume, an indication of popularity of comparatively inexpensive multipack water.
"The challenged economy is undoubtedly the single greatest factor that's impacted the performance of refreshment beverages in each of the last two years," Gary Hemphill, managing director and chief operating officer at Beverage Marketing, told Ad Age. "It's possible this could continue into 2010. It's a little bit premature to say, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility."
Hemphill said that while his company does not specifically measure tap water, it is safe to say that consumers have been turning to the cheap alternative. Prior to the recession, tap-water consumption had been trending downward for decades, said the report.
According to Beverage Marketing, value-added water and sports drinks were the two hardest hit categories, with volume declines of 12.5% and 12.3%, respectively.
Value-added water was dragged down by Coca-Cola's Vitaminwater brand, which saw a 13% decline. PepsiCo's SoBe Lifewater brand, however, jumped 63% on the strength of the SoBe Lifewater Zero launch, which uses the company's stevia-based PureVia sweetener. Though the SoBe launch is still a small player in the overall category, it does indicate that consumers are willing to pay for products they view as healthier, which bodes well for both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, said Ad Age, as the beverage giants race to introduce products with natural sweeteners.
PepsiCo's Gatorade, which was repositioned as G with a splashy campaign last year, was a major factor in the decline of the sports-drink category, said the report. Volume decline was 15.5% at Gatorade, which is the largest player in the category, compared to a 1% drop at the smaller Powerade label. Gatorade's share of volume fell 0.5% among the leading beverage brands, though it maintained its position as the fifth-largest overall beverage brand.
Carbonated soft drinks, the largest beverage category, declined 2.3% in volume, showing a rebound from last year's 3% decline; 2009 marked the fifth consecutive year of declines in the category. Flavored diet soft drinks, such as Diet Mountain Dew and Diet Dr Pepper, proved most popular with consumers and were the only two brands to see growth in 2009, according to a separate report from Beverage Digest. Dr Pepper and Fanta were the only other brands that did not show declines, with flat volume share, the report said.
Consumers are more likely to trade down to private-label colas from Pepsi and Coke than they are from difficult-to-duplicate flavored soft drinks like Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper. But, Hemphill added, soft drinks in general could be viewed by consumers as an affordable alternative to pricier categories like value-added water.
Coke and Pepsi both saw volume and share declines, according to Beverage Digest. Coke lost 0.3 share points paired with a 4% decline in volume, while Pepsi lost 0.4 share points and volume declined 5.5%. Diet Coke also closed the gap with Pepsi in volume share, with both brands now claiming a 9.9 share of the market. A year ago, the two brands were 0.3 share points apart.
Ready-to-drink tea and energy drinks were the two strongest-performing categories, growing volume by 1.2% and 0.2%, respectively. And, surprisingly, bottled water saw a relatively modest 2.7% volume decline. High penetration of private-label brands and value pricing from Nestle Pure Life helped boost the category, said the report. Nestle Pure Life saw a 14.6% jump in volume, compared to double-digit declines for the pricier Aquafina and Dasani brands.
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