Blowing on the air conditioning and drinking beverages is the correct way to turn it on in summer. Many people who have a weight loss need will choose sugar free drinks to make drinking without burden. Can sugar free drinks really help with weight loss? Does it have any impact on health? Chen Junshi, academician of the CAE Member, Zhong Kai, director of the Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center, and Wang Huali, associate researcher of the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center, talked about this topic, and used several common questions about sugar to help everyone achieve "drink freedom" while maintaining health. Why do we love to eat candy? Scientific experiments have shown that giving newborn babies sweet food can make them happy. It can be said that humans have an innate love for sugar. As people increasingly value health, the relationship between sugar and health is also receiving attention. In response, Chen Junshi, an academician of the CAE Member, said that sugar is not the enemy of health. Sugar plays an important role in the process of life activities, and it is the main source of energy required for living organisms to maintain their life activities. The key to the relationship between sugar and health lies in quantity, and excessive intake can have an impact on physical health. Zhong Kai, Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center, introduced that China is one of the top five sugar producing countries in the world. Sugar is not only food, but also an important strategic material. The self-sufficiency rate of sugar is a part of the comprehensive strength of a country. For the sake of health, it is important to consume sugar in moderation, but there is no need to demonize sugar. Who needs to control their sugar intake? The World Health Organization and the Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommend that the daily intake of added sugar for adults should not exceed 50 grams, and it is best to control it below 25 grams. According to the "Sugar Intake Level and Risk Assessment of Chinese Urban Residents", the average daily intake of 9.1 grams of sugar by urban residents aged three and above in China is not very high overall, but it still needs to be taken seriously. Academician Chen Junshi reminded that people with diabetes and those with high blood sugar for a long time should not eat sugar at will; Obese and overweight individuals need to pay attention to reducing their sugar intake. Is sugar free drinks really sugar free? Director Zhong Kai stated that beverages with a sugar content of less than or equal to 0.5g/100ml can be called sugar free beverages. Common sugar free beverages use sweeteners instead of sugar to provide sweetness. Sweeteners have the characteristics of high sweetness and low energy, such as aspartame, which is about 200 times sweeter than sucrose. But "no sucrose" only means no sucrose, it may contain other types of sugars, the two concepts are different, do not confuse. As for hydration, plain water is the preferred choice. If you want to drink something sweet but don't want to increase your sugar intake, you can choose products such as sugar free soda, sugar free coffee drinks, and sugar free tea drinks. Is it safe to replace sugar with sweeteners? Academician Chen Junshi pointed out that sweeteners have a history of over 100 years of use, and their safety has been confirmed by numerous food safety agencies in over 100 countries and internationally. The sweeteners approved for use in our country have undergone a systematic evaluation by the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center, and their safety has been rigorously demonstrated, which is beyond doubt. The Healthy China Action (2019-2030) also advocates for urban high sugar intake populations to choose natural sweeteners and sweeteners instead of beverages and foods produced from sucrose. China is the world's largest producer and exporter of sweeteners, accounting for 75% of global sweetener production. Sweeteners such as momordica grosvenorii glycoside and ammonium glycyrrhizinate, which are made from food substances, are also unique in China. Can sweeteners help with weight loss? Director Zhong Kai stated that replacing sugar with sweeteners can reduce the intake of sugar and energy while maintaining the same total dietary intake, which is beneficial for weight management. But sweeteners are not weight loss pills, and their effects should not be exaggerated. Weight management depends on total energy balance, rather than relying on sweeteners for hope. If you consume other high calorie foods while drinking sugar free beverages, it can still lead to excessive total energy intake and increase the risk of obesity. Can sweeteners cause diabetes? Director Zhong Kai said that diabetes was not caused by eating sweets, let alone sweeteners. Sweeteners hardly affect blood sugar, so they can be used for diet intervention of diabetic patients. Sugar free drinks usually do not contain other carbohydrates, so it is OK for diabetics to drink them. But some sugar free foods, such as sugar free pastries and biscuits, contain starchy carbohydrates, which can increase blood sugar levels and require controlled intake. Is pure natural and zero additives healthier? Wang Huali, Deputy Researcher of the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center, pointed out that the safety and health of food and beverages are not necessarily related to whether food additives are added. The concept of "zero additives, pure nature" is a common commercial hype and cannot explain that it is safer and healthier. As for "artificial" and "natural" food additives, they both need to stand on the same starting line and undergo scientific and rigorous risk assessments. From the perspective of professional risk assessment standards, there is no essential difference between the two. Beverages are delicious, but don't drink too much, especially don't use drinks instead of plain water. I hope everyone can maintain a healthy lifestyle, intelligently choose the right food and drinks for themselves, scientifically achieve "beverage freedom", and spend a refreshing and healthy summer! (Lai Xin She)