"The only impossible journey is the one you never begin." - Tony Robbins

Thursday. How does pizza for Thanksgiving sound? Well, for everyone who thinks that sounds good, DiGiorno is selling a limited-edition Thanksgiving Pizza. The toppings? Turkey, gravy, sweet potatoes, onions, green beans, and cranberries, all atop mozzarella and cheddar cheese. I don’t know who thought that was a good idea, but I think I’ll pass. Speaking of good ideas, NYC is taking a stand against added sugars. How will it all pan out? Let’s dive in.

The Big Apple Versus Sugar 

We have some good news coming out of the Big Apple! New York City has taken a bold step against added sugars, and the hope is this will motivate the federal government to do the same.

 Just last Thursday, the city council approved a groundbreaking bill that will require restaurants to flag high-sugar items on their menus. This surprising legislation flew under the radar until the last minute and has since seen little media coverage.

The bill isn’t entirely new but builds upon a 2021 policy that targeted pre-packaged high-sugar products in larger restaurant chains but never went into effect because of the pandemic. With the pandemic officially behind us as of this past summer, the new bill is set to kick into gear, gradually phasing in requirements for different types of food items through a three-tier system starting June 2025.

It will all begin with pre-packaged items such as bottled drinks and packaged snacks, which must display a warning by June 2025. By December of the same year, food with pre-packaged equivalents, like fountain drinks, will be included. Finally, if the FDA updates federal regulations, the city will mandate sugar icons and warnings directly on the menus.

These warnings will appear at the register, on the menu board, and on high-sugar item dispensers, like soda fountains, a move supported by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. They hope these changes in New York, a city of over 8 million, will encourage federal actions by the FDA to reduce sugar consumption nationally.

The foundation for this action stretches back over a decade. During Obama’s presidency, the FDA included added sugars in the Nutrition Facts panel on products—a move spearheaded by former First Lady Michelle Obama and aligned with the U.S. official nutrition guidelines recommending Americans limit their added sugar intake to 10% of daily calories. 

However, despite all this, there’s been a lack of significant federal action on added sugars since then, with school meal standards being a key example of things not moving in the right direction. But change is on the horizon. The FDA has scheduled a major public meeting on added sugars, emphasizing it as a priority. 

An important part of this shift includes updating the FDA’s menu labeling requirements, which currently only highlight calories due to regulations stemming from the Affordable Care Act. Health advocates are urging for added sugars to be included in this disclosure. 

For New York’s new warning law to fully take effect, the FDA must revise these menu labeling rules. Restaurants will then have one year to comply.

The key takeaway? This legislative push in NYC could mark a turning point in how we view and consume added sugars, potentially setting a precedent for other cities and influencing national policies. As the discussion continues to evolve, the implications for health advocacy, the food industry, and consumers will be significant and could finally get us moving in the right direction. 

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