Baking

Animation: The role of sugars in food and the diet

Have you ever wondered what role sugars play in the foods we eat and our overall diet? Find out in WSRO’s short, engaging animation.

 

 

    • Author WSRO
    • Publication Date 10/12/2025
    • Last Updated 10/12/2025
    • Category Science Resource

Discover our new animated learning series — a fresh, engaging way to explore the science of food and nutrition at your own pace. 

In this short animation, you’ll uncover the many roles sugar plays in the foods we eat, the challenges of reducing it, and how it can fit within a healthy, sustainable diet. 

This video delivers clear, evidence-based insights in an engaging, accessible format that makes learning effortless — no nutrition background needed. Start watching now and see how this short animation can change the way you think about food!

The role of sugars in food and the diet

Disclaimer: This resource is for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as medical, clinical or other professional advice. The WSRO is an international, member-based, not-for-profit organisation focused on the science of sugars and health. For more information about its members, please see our Members Directory.

References and further reading:

  1. Bento HBS, Carvalho AKF, Reis CER, De Castro HF. Single cell oil production and modification for fuel and food applications: Assessing the potential of sugarcane molasses as culture medium for filamentous fungus. Ind Crops Prod. 2020 Mar 1;145:112141.
  2. Bernstein J, Christoforou AK, Weippert M, L’Abbe MR. Reformulation of sugar contents in Canadian prepackaged foods and beverages between 2013 and 2017 and resultant changes in nutritional composition of products with sugar reductions. Public Health Nutr. 2020;23(16):2870-78.
  3. Clark M, Springmann M, Rayner M, Scarborough P, Hill J, Tilman D, et al. Estimating the environmental impacts of 57,000 food products. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Aug 16;119(33):e2120584119.
  4. Clemens R et al. Functionality of Sugars in Foods and Health. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 2016. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12194
  5. Cooper JM. Product Reformulation – Can Sugar be replaced in foods? International Sugar Journal. 2012;114:1365
  6. Cooper, JM. The challenges of reformulation for sugars reduction. Food Science and Technology. 2017;31(1):38–41.
  7. Cosun Beet Company. Bright Beet Book. 2021. Available from: https://www.brightbeetbook.com/
  8. Goldfein KR, Slavin JL. Why Sugar Is Added to Food: Food Science 101. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 2015;14(5):644–56.
  9. Poore J, Nemecek T. Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science. 2018 June 1;360(6392):987–92.
  10. Prada M, Saraiva M, Sério A, Coelho S, Godinho CA, Garrido MV. The impact of sugar-related claims on perceived healthfulness, caloric value and expected taste of food products. Food Quality and Preference. 2021 Dec 1;94:104331.
  11. Patterson NJ, Sadler MJ, Cooper JM. Consumer understanding of sugars claims on food and drink products. Nutr Bull. 2012 Jun;37(2):121–30.
  12. Wang YF, Marsden S, DiAngelo C, Clarke A, Chung A, Yu J, Fan Z, Cooper J, Kitts D. Disconnection between sugars reduction and calorie reduction in baked goods and breakfast cereals with sugars-related nutrient content claims in the Canadian marketplace. Front Nutr. 2025 Feb 24;12:1539695. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1539695. 

Please get in touch if you have any questions, contact: admin@wsro.org.

Man at laptop

Sugars & Health Training

Produced in conjunction the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), this course covers a wide range of sugars & health and science policy topics.