Nice examples of the evolution of the diet industry and the role of businesses in trying to market their products as dietary aids (found here and here):
The fine print:
Everyone knows sugar contains calories. So it’s hard to think of sugar as a big help in weight control, yet that’s exactly what sugar can be.
When your blood sugar level is low, your appestat is turned up and you’re hungry. (Probably tired, too.) Just a small amount of sugar, in a soft drink, candy, coffee, or tea, will turn your appestat down. Then you’re not so apt to overeat, and overeating is really what makes you far.
In addition to helping with weight control, sugar does other good things. For one, it gives you quick energy. Sugar is all energy, and is taken into your blood stream faster than any other food. So when sugar turns your appestat ‘off,’ you might say it ‘turns you on.’ Artificial sweeteners don’t affect your appestat and have no energy value. Also, sugar tastes good, and so do foods made with sugar. Stay with sugar. Sugar’s got what it takes!
Only 18 calories per teaspoon…
and it’s all energy.
NEW (Dec. ’09)!
See also our recent post on marketing disguised as news.
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Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
Comments 11
Jillian C. York — September 8, 2009
I'm kind of shocked that sugar needed to market itself. It's SUGAR for goodness' sake.
That said, I'd give anything to have a good ol' bottle of Coca-Cola with real sugar in the States...I miss it (for those unaware, the US and Australia are the only two countries in the world to make Coke with high fructose corn syrup).
Kelle — September 8, 2009
Coca-Cola in Australia is still made with cane sugar. Ingredients from a bottle I have here, bought just yesterday: Carbonated water, sugar, colour (150d), food acid (338), flavour, caffeine
HFCS is listed in Australian ingredients lists as 'glucose-fructose syrup', only cane sugar is allowed to be listed as 'sugar'. The cane sugar industry would probably be completely outraged and lobbying the government if HFCS started to be used in any major way. Currently I've only ever seen it used in a few kinds of sweets. Most confectionary here uses glucose syrup made from wheat.
Jillian — September 8, 2009
I stand corrected! Only in the US then.
rachel — September 8, 2009
wow, that is a dumb ad. I guess they think people will buy into anything...
FOOD makes you fat. Sugar "turns you on..." (insert rolleyes smiley)
Don Kauffman — September 9, 2009
What was the date of this ad?
Village Idiot — September 9, 2009
Less apt to be fat 'cause sugar reset your appestat? Word to dat!
You know, if refined sugar was invented 10 years ago, it would probably be a felony to possess. I mean, cocaine is really bad and all, but at least it doesn't make up a significant percentage of our kids' diet.
Andrew — September 10, 2009
My favorite diet marketing strategy (though it's not what it sounds like): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb9-yVEYS_M
I'm still reeling from the year of dieters eating burgers and hot dogs without the bun.
piile — September 10, 2009
"overeating is really what makes you far"? :)
Lis Riba — September 11, 2009
A few years ago, another vintage ad from the sugar information board made the rounds of the blogs: http://www.osmond-riba.org/lis/journal/2007_10_14_j_archive.htm#823145018746244772
As a Boing Boing commenter pointed out, the tagline is redundant:
"18 calories per spoon, and it's all energy."
Calories measure energy. Imagine that.
"4 grams per spoon, and it's all weight."
"5 milliliters per spoon, and it's all volume."