Principle 21: Reduce Added Sugar

Consumers crave sugar, and the foodservice industry responds by selling processed foods and sweets that are loaded with it. But sugar’s role in spiking blood-sugar levels and increasing rates of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases means that professional kitchens should substantially restrict its use.

Various strategies include: choosing processed foods with little or no added sugar; favoring healthy oils over sugar in products such as salad dressings; featuring smaller portions of dessert augmented with fruit; and substituting whole, cut, and dried fruit for sugar in recipes. There is nothing wrong with an occasional dessert; but pastry chefs and dessert specialists need to take up the challenge to create sweets centered on whole grains, nuts, dark chocolate, coffee, fruit, healthy oils, yogurt, small amounts of other low-fat dairy and eggs, and, as appropriate, small amounts of beverage alcohol— with the addition of only small to minimal amounts of sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Fresh thinking about dessert menu language and positioning is also needed, as illustrated by such concepts as the Three Pleasures: a challenge to restaurants to create a delicious dessert using only dark chocolate, nuts, and fresh-cut or dried fruit.