Sugar does not cause diabetes: Indian producers wants you to believe that

Even Pakistanis and Sri Lankans have a sweeter tooth than Indians. What then makes India the diabetes capital of the world?

Business Standard : Can sugar be the sole culprit for making India the diabetes capital of the world? Well, if some experts and sugar industry representatives are to be believed, the sweetener is being unnecessarily dragged into the controversy over rising cases of diabetes in the country, especially as a host of factors, including sedentary lifestyle and growing urbanisation, are causing diabetes.

In a seminar on 'Sugar and Health', organised by the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), the premier association of private sugar factories in the country, industry players said there was an annual increase of 6.25 per cent in diabetes cases in the country between 2000 and 2016. During the same period, per capita sugar consumption grew by only 1.23 per cent.

ISMA’s efforts to highlight the health benefits of sugar come at a time when India is staring at a massive glut in the sugar market, with production in the 2018-19 sugar season (October to November) projected at around 30-31 million tonnes, compared with an estimated consumption of 26 million tonnes.

A high opening stock, along with a low offtake in the domestic and international markets, could leave the country saddled with sugar stocks in excess of 11 million tonnes by the time the 2018-19 season ends. Many experts blame slow growth in domestic retail sugar consumption as one of reasons for surplus stock.

“India’s annual sugar consumption is 18.4 kg, one of lowest in the world. It is lower than even Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and yet we have such high number of diabetes cases. This shows the problem perhaps lies elsewhere, not in sugar consumption,” said Abinash Verma, director general of ISMA.

He said there were two big myths associated with sugar consumption: First that it causes diabetes, and second that it leads to dental caries (medical term for tooth decay or cavities).

Studies and research have shown that dental caries are caused by acid in food. The pH value (a measurement of acidity and alkalinity of water soluble substances) of sugar is seven, which is considered neutral.

A pH value reading below 7 is considered acidic and more than 7 alkaline.

“Citrous fruits like lemons and tomatoes, besides pickles and coffee, have low pH levels, so they are more acidic than sugar. Mere consumption of sugar, therefore, might not lead to dental caries. But yes, when food sticks to your teeth it turns acidic;so regular brushing and flossing are perhaps easier ways to check tooth decay,” Verma said.

Drought, pests set to cut India's sugar output by almost 3 million tons

National yields likely dropped about 10 per cent due to erratic rain across the country.

Persistent dry weather and pest attacks are set to cut India’s sugar output from a record this year even after farmers in the world’s second-largest producer increased plantings.

Production may total 28.9 million metric tons in the year that began Oct. 1, according to SGS SA, a researcher hired by Bloomberg to survey farmers during September and October in the main growing regions. That compares with the reduced estimate of 32 million tons made last month by the Indian Sugar Mills Association. The National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd. forecast production at 32.4 million tons.

“Sugarcane, with its lush vegetative growth, is very susceptible to drought and the Indian crop suffered from this in 2018 along with attacks of white grub in the key producing state of Maharashtra,” Mark Oulton, global agricultural market research manager with SGS, said in an email. “This will more than offset the overall 7 per cent increase in acreage.”

A smaller harvest than expected by the industry bodies may reduce exports from India, giving some support to prices that have fallen about 6 per cent from their recent peak last month. Crop downgrades in India will force the global sugar market into a deficit for the 2018-19 season, according to Marex Spectron. Still, record production last year means the government is planning measures to help mills export as much as 5 million tons in 2018-19.

Sugarcane planting increased in five surveyed states, with only Tamil Nadu reporting a decline, SGS said. National yields likely dropped about 10 per cent due to erratic rain across the country as well as white grub infestation in some areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Cane Production

SGS surveyed 863 farmers between Sept. 27 and Oct. 20 across six states, including top producers Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The results have a 95 per cent “confidence level” with a margin of error of about 4.3 per cent.

Cane production is seen declining 3.8 per cent to 362.5 million tons. About 70 per cent of the crop will be crushed, according to the survey, while the rest will be used for livestock feed, seeding and jaggery, a local sweetener. SGS used a sugar-extraction rate of 11 per cent for each ton milled, it said citing data from Indian Sugar Mills Association.... Read More

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