Sweetener Wars: How do Americans really feel about sugar?
Why do they tend to avoid it and how can companies combat negative perceptions?
Sugar and sweetened products play a complex role in American culture and diet: For generations, sugar has been an integral part of personal and social occasions centering on indulgence, celebration, and reward, with patterns established early in life at home (e.g., making cookies with Mom) and socially (e.g., raising money with school bake sales).
Starting in the 1970s, however, a rising sentiment portraying sugar as a “demon” gained momentum, culminating with the rise in popularity of the Atkins and South Beach Diets, both of which “taught” consumers to avoid refined white sugar and high fructose corn syrup.