GOOD for the economy - but perhaps not so good for the dentist bills?
Citizens of India are being urged to increase their consumption of sugar, with the country currently experiencing a glut of the sweet stuff.
The Indian Sugar Mills Association said Indians consume about 19kg of sugar each year - well below the global average - and production is expected to rise 13% this year.
The Association has launched a new website aiming to "bust myths" about sugar and its health effects, featuring a range of recipes for sweets and tips from celebrity chefs under the theme "Eat, Drink & Be Healthy: a little sugar is not all that bad".
The site also takes aim at artificial sweeteners, suggesting they do not help people lose weight and can also have other adverse health consequences.
The push is being backed by the country's Food Secretary, Sudhanshu Pandey, who said sugar's negative reputation was undeserved.
"There are a lot of myths going around about sugar and sugar consumption without scientific basis," he insisted.
The campaign is a stark contrast to public health initiatives in other nations, where there have been significant campaigns to reduce sugar consumption particularly in soft drinks and juices.
Currently about 50 million farmers in India are engaged in sugarcane cultivation, alongside millions more in sugar mills.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 12 Nov 20
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