Latest from Food Politics: Weekend reading: Industry influenced opinion of the week

I usually do posts about conflicts of interest on Mondays, but wanted to acknowledge the death of Carlo Petrini right away this week.   So here’s the Monday post. David A Cleveland, Research Professor in the Department of Geography, and Environmental ...

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By Marion Nestle May 29 2026 Weekend reading: Industry influenced opinion of the week I usually do posts about conflicts of interest on Mondays, but wanted to acknowledge the death of Carlo Petrini right away this week.  So here’s the Monday post. David A Cleveland, Research Professor in the Department of Geography, and Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, sent this one: Skimming through this I found an emphasis on ‘nuance’, obscuring key distinctions, and calls for more research, while giving little attention to the fundamental basics that could be the basis for nutrition + env dietary guidelines, e.g. that same nutrients from animal-source foods have much higher climate and environmental impact than those nutrients from plant foods, or imported and off-season produce has higher impact than local in season. The study: Conrad, Z. 2026. Should the Dietary Guidelines for Americans include sustainability? A critical perspective. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:101309. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101309. Its conclusion: “The federal government, which has responsibility for translating the scientific evidence into publicly accessible dietary guidance, is not currently well-positioned to communicate the nuances of nutrition-sustainability science to the general public.” Conflict of interest: “ZC has received research awards for diet sustainability projects from the United States Department of Agriculture (Pulse Crop Health Initiative), the Jeffress Trust Awards Program for Research Advancing Health Equity, American Pistachio Growers, the National Dairy Council, and the National Pork Board.” Comment: The beef industry did not pay for this commentary and neither did the dairy industry, both big contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.  The author reports working on sustainability projects for the dairy and pork industries, and understands the financial connections as posing conflicted interests, which they most certainly do. The study begins with a useful review of attempts to get sustainability into the dietary guidelines, starting with the groundbreaking 1980 paper by Joan Gussow and Kate Clancy, “Dietary Guidelines for Sustainability” [16].  It covers the valiant attempt by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to recommend consideration of sustainability when making recommendations about intake of red meat. (here’s my version of that bizarre saga).  But the author concludes that we just don’t know enough about sustainability to make such recommendations.  I think we do. The post Weekend reading: Industry influenced opinion of the week appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle      Related Posts A rare exception: an industry-funded study with negative results Industry-funded study of the week: Full-fat dairy and body weight HHS issues new guidelines for food served in hospitals   Now Available: What to Eat Now My new book, What to Eat Now, is officially out! It's both a field guide to food shopping in America and a reflection on how to eat well—and deliciously. For more information and to order, click here. You can explore the full archive of this (almost) daily blog at foodpolitics.com, where you'll also find information about my books, articles, media interviews, upcoming lectures, favorite resources, and FAQs. Visit the Site » ​​​​​​​ Marion Nestle Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, Emerita © Marion Nestle. You're receiving this email because you've signed up to receive updates from us. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe. Safely Unsubscribe • Archives • Preferences • Contact • Subscribe • Privacy

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Latest from Food Politics: Artificial sweeteners: risks vs. benefits?

The FDA says artificial sweeteners are safe at current levels of use.   It has established Acceptable Daily Intakes for most of them.   These levels are much, much higher than anyone is likely to consume in a day. But: The benefits and risk of these ...

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By Marion Nestle May 28 2026 Artificial sweeteners: risks vs. benefits? The FDA says artificial sweeteners are safe at current levels of use.  It has established Acceptable Daily Intakes for most of them.  These levels are much, much higher than anyone is likely to consume in a day. But: The benefits and risk of these sweeteners continue to be debated. The Benefits? Rethinking sweetness in an age of sugar skepticism: As shoppers scrutinize labels and headlines, brands are rethinking sweetness strategies to deliver lower sugar, clearer messaging and commercially viable reformulations… Watch now Scientists closer to solving sugar reduction’s taste problem: After years of compromise, sweetness without sacrifice may finally be within reach… Read more Sweet proteins: The future of clean-label sugar reduction:  How are new innovations in the sweet ingredients space challenging the assumption that taste needs to be compromised when formulating clean-label, better-for-you food and beverages?… Read more The Risks? Sweeteners under fire as scientists probe neurological risks;  New research linking popular sweeteners to cognitive decline has again raised concerns over their safety. What does this mean manufacturers?… Read more Sweeteners back in the spotlight as scientists probe liver disease risks:  Once hailed as a reformulation fix, sweeteners are now facing growing scientific scrutiny… Read more  Common Sweetener May Harm Critical Brain Barrier, Risking Stroke: Found in everything from protein bars to energy drinks, erythritol has long been considered a safe alternative to sugar.  But research suggests this widely used sweetener may be quietly undermining one of the body’s most crucial protective barriers – with potentially serious consequences for heart health and stroke risk. Comment I continue to be baffled by artificial sweeteners.  I don’t knowingly eat them.  I don’t eat anything artificial, and I particularly do not like the taste of alternative sweeteners.  If I want to avoid sugar, I can and do.  Substitutes don’t work for me. With that said, how harmful are they?  I wish I knew.  Plenty of studies suggest harm.  But the science is especially hard to do because sweeteners are typically consumed in such small amounts. My advice about artificial sweeteners?  Avoid them if you can; they might be harmful and they are markers of ultra-processed foods.  If you cannot or do not want to avoid them, try to keep intake as low and infrequent as possible.  As with everything else in nutrition, the best way to prevent problems is to eat a wide variety of relatively unprocessed foods in small amounts. The post Artificial sweeteners: risks vs. benefits? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle      Related Posts Industry-influenced studies of the week: artificial sweeteners   Now Available: What to Eat Now My new book, What to Eat Now, is officially out! It's both a field guide to food shopping in America and a reflection on how to eat well—and deliciously. For more information and to order, click here. You can explore the full archive of this (almost) daily blog at foodpolitics.com, where you'll also find information about my books, articles, media interviews, upcoming lectures, favorite resources, and FAQs. Visit the Site » ​​​​​​​ Marion Nestle Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, Emerita © Marion Nestle. You're receiving this email because you've signed up to receive updates from us. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe. Safely Unsubscribe • Archives • Preferences • Contact • Subscribe • Privacy

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