FDA Classifies the Sugar in Breast Milk as Added Sugars

FDA Classifies the Sugar in Breast Milk as Added Sugars

New leadership at the FDA took the world by surprise late Saturday night. The agency classified the sugar in breast milk as added sugars and thus a potential health hazard. Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued strong comments with the ruling:

This is a matter of highest importance to public health. So it goes to the heart of our mission at FDA. We’ve discovered that every serving of breast milk has 17 grams of sugar. And all of that sugar is added by humans who make the milk. That means 40% of the calories in breast milk comes from added sugar.

Affirming Support for Nutrition Facts

Upon reflection, some observers noted that this move fits nicely into food policy from the Trump administration. Last week, the agency reaffirmed its support for the latest Nutrition Facts labeling standards. And in those standards, FDA staked out a policy to recommend specific limits on added sugars.

Added sugars should be no more than 12-25 grams per day for children, says the UCSF Sugar Science website. A single serving of breast milk is 17 grams. Compare the 40% of calories from sugar in breast milk to recommendations that no more than 5-10% of calories should come from added sugar.

Clearly, mothers are adding way too much sugar to the breast milk they make.

No Comment from the White House

Fortunately for all Americans, President Donald Trump has had no tweets to offer on this subject. News reports have suggested that he has some personal issues with breastfeeding. Asked about this, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, “The president has been very clear on this subject and I have nothing further to add.”

Click here for a detailed explanation of the science and the regs behind this surprising decision.

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April 1, 2018

6 Responses to “FDA Classifies the Sugar in Breast Milk as Added Sugars”

April 01, 2018 at 8:19 am, clint hall said:

And that’s why I love April 1st
April 01, 2018 at 8:27 am, Chris Rosenbloom said:

Happy April 1 to you, too, Ted and your wonderful colleagues!
- April 01, 2018 at 8:28 am, Ted said:
  
  Thanks, Chris and Clint!
April 01, 2018 at 11:29 am, Jo Ann Hattner said:

This was the first thing I read this morning and I was thinking of writing a rebuttal when I realized it was your creative writing for April 1st.
April 01, 2018 at 10:37 pm, Shannon Rayburn said:

OMG, just when you think this country’s government and leader can’t get much more absurd in their ignorance!! Breast milk a HEALTH HAZARD?? Next thing they’ll tell us cigarettes are really HEALTHY in fact! Come on.
April 02, 2018 at 12:23 pm, Donna said:

Very funny 🙂 Thanks for this!