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Sugar

President Donald Trump alongside a bottle of Coca-Cola, and a field of sugarcane with tape across it that says "TARIFFS." | Illustration: Eddie Marshall | Viktorfischer | Ittipon | Dreamstime.com | Midjourney

Sugar

Trump Says Coke Will Be Made With Real Sugar. His Policies Make That More Difficult.

Government policy bears much of the blame for the use of high-fructose corn syrup, and Trump's policies will not change that.

Joe Lancaster | 7.17.2025 3:00 PM

Dried fruit in bowls | ID 184414061 © Kostyantine Pankin | Dreamstime.com

Nanny State

Cherries Are 'Unhealthy,' Says the Same Government That Once Pushed Low-Fat Pop-Tarts

The FDA’s latest nutrition rules target dried cherries and cranberries, putting small farmers at risk while offering zero benefits to consumers.

C. Jarrett Dieterle | 9.14.2024 7:00 AM

An illustration showing several consumer goods, including meat, gasoline, liquor, and televisions | Photos: iStock

The Sindex

The Sindex: Cigarette Prices Outpacing Inflation

The Reason Sindex tracks the price of vice: smoking, drinking, snacking, traveling, and more.

Jason Russell | 2.18.2024 6:00 AM

The Florida Everglades | Photo: Jametlene Reskp/Unsplash

Florida

Everglades Restoration Complicated by Florida Agricultural Interests

Tariffs and sugar subsidies have propped up overvalued land needed to fix the environmental damage.

Vittorio Nastasi | 12.9.2023 7:00 AM

John Stossel is seen at a grocery store | Stossel TV

Food

He Wants To Label Food 'Low FODMAP.' The Government Won't Let Him.

Lots of Americans have an intolerance to FODMAPs—the sugars prevalent in garlic, onion, and many other foods.

John Stossel | 11.22.2023 1:05 PM

A lit Jack-o-lantern sits next to a candle and some Halloween candy | Photo 77780884 © Roman Baiadin | Dreamstime.com

Halloween

Why Is Halloween Candy So Expensive? Sugar Protectionism.

A new report from the GAO highlights how America's system of sugar subsidies and tariffs costs consumers about $3.5 billion every year.

Eric Boehm | 10.31.2023 2:55 PM

A woman with blonde hair opening a plastic bottle of Diet Coke. | Photo 46304455 © Seanlockephotography | Dreamstime.com

Health

Diet Coke Isn't Going To Give You Cancer

Despite a World Health Organization report that says artificial sweetener aspartame is maybe, possibly, carcinogenic.

Guy Bentley | 7.14.2023 2:30 PM

Two men are seen shaking hands in front of a backdrop showing several industries that benefit from subsidies and political favors | Illustration: Lex Villena; Kaphoto

Economics

America Needs a Better Kind of Capitalism

Big corporations and entire industries constantly use their connections in Congress to get favors, no matter which party is in power.

Veronique de Rugy | 3.9.2023 3:30 PM

Large image on homepages

Sugar Subsidies

Stossel: Sugar's Sweetheart Deal

Sugar subsidies are welfare for the rich. They cost consumers billions a year.

John Stossel and Tanvir Toy | 2.26.2019 9:45 AM

Large image on homepages | BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS/Newscom

FDA

The FDA's 'Added Sugar' Labeling Rule Is Sugar-Coated Nonsense

What exactly does an "added sugar" label tell us that the existing total sugar label does not? Nothing worthwhile.

Baylen Linnekin | 9.15.2018 6:30 AM

Large image on homepages | MAVRIXONLINE.COM/DIETPEPSI DIETPEPSI.COM

Artificial Sweeteners

Don't Worry About That Diet Soda Habit: Artificial Sweeteners Are Harmless, Say Scientists

After years of being blamed for weight gain and metabolic issues, zero-calorie sweeteners and the drinks they flavor are being absolved.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 5.25.2018 11:12 AM

Large image for longform feature pages. | Cody Pickens

Research

Meet the Man Who Hated Carbs Before It Was Cool

Gary Taubes on how big sugar and big government wrecked the American diet

Nick Gillespie | 4.14.2018 6:00 AM

Large image on homepages

Reasontv

Gary Taubes on How Big Government Made Us Fat

The attack on fatty foods, in favor of carbohydrates, contributed to rising rates of obesity and diabetes.

Zach Weissmueller and Nick Gillespie | 3.15.2018 1:00 PM

Large image on homepages

Reasontv

Stossel: The Philly Soda Tax Scam

John Stossel fights with a Philadelphia City Councilman about the city's new soda tax.

John Stossel and Maxim Lott | 3.13.2018 11:15 AM

Large image on homepages

Reasontv

How Sugar Subsidies Ruin Halloween

Crony capitalists are getting rich off your candy.

Andrew Heaton and Sarah Siskind | 10.30.2017 1:00 PM

Large image on homepages | Fabio Formaggio / Dreamstime

Nanny State

California Demands Money from Gatorade to Protect Water from Slander

Silly mobile game pisses off nannies, costs company $300,000.

Scott Shackford | 9.22.2017 12:45 PM

Large image on homepages | Luckydoor / Dreamstime.com

Brickbats

Brickbat: All You Can Drink

Charles Oliver | 2.1.2017 4:00 AM

Large image on homepages

Sugar

Is Sugar an Addictive Killer? New at Reason

Ronald Bailey reviews The Case Against Sugar.

Ronald Bailey | 1.6.2017 1:30 PM

Large image on homepages

Sugar

Is Sugar an Addictive Poison?

Hypothesis: More sugar causes both more diabetes and more obesity

Ronald Bailey | 1.6.2017 1:30 PM

Large image on homepages

Sugar

Sugar Wars: Junk Food, Junk Science, or Both?

Big Sugar and the politicization of science

Ronald Bailey | 12.20.2016 5:00 PM

Large image on homepages | Lhe3460

Policy

Why the FDA's Updated Nutrition Facts Label Is a Stinker

The mandatory 'added sugar' disclosure is a misleading loser.

Baylen Linnekin | 6.4.2016 7:45 AM

Large image on homepages | nffcnnr / photo on flickr

Food Labeling

Judge Won't Halt San Francisco's Forced Nanny State Soda Warnings

Did you know sugar helps make you fat? Of course you did.

Scott Shackford | 5.18.2016 1:45 PM

Large image on homepages | poolie / photo on flickr

Brickbats

Brickbat: Sugar, Sugar

Charles Oliver | 3.24.2016 4:00 AM

Large image on homepages | Waldo Jaquith / photo on flickr

Policy

Is Mexico's Soda Tax Really Working?

Can we really say taxes that reduce consumption but aren't reducing obesity are effective?

Baylen Linnekin | 2.13.2016 8:00 AM

Large image on homepages

Policy

Marco Rubio's Sweet Protectionism

The 2016 hopeful gives the feds cover to keep propping up Big Sugar.

Veronique de Rugy | 1.15.2016 6:00 AM

Large image on homepages

Sugar

Big Sugar Versus Big Corn: Bitter Fight Over Sweeteners in California Court

Real scandal is the amount of subsidies both Sugar Daddies are pulling down from Uncle Sugar.

Ronald Bailey | 11.3.2015 3:43 PM

Large image on homepages | Dreamstime

Policy

Socially Engineering Food Choices Doesn't Work

To say that Los Angeles merely failed would be putting it mildly.

Baylen Linnekin | 3.21.2015 8:00 AM

Large image on homepages | jayangel/flickr

Policy

Big Sugar Leaves a Bitter Aftertaste

It's time to end the sugar industry's corrupt sweetheart deals.

Greg Beato | 1.6.2015 10:00 AM

Large image on homepages | fimoculous/Flickr

Nanny State

Taxing Away Sweet Drinks: Plenty of Baptists, But No Bootleggers

Soda tax moralizers are easy to find, but where are our sweetened-beverage bootleggers?

Adam Smith and Bruce Yandle | 11.27.2014 4:30 PM

Politics

Sugar Subsidies Make Halloween Candy Much More Expensive, Leave Sour After-Taste

Veronique de Rugy | 10.29.2014 2:03 PM

Sugar

Are Artificial Sweeteners Responsible for the Diabetes and Obesity Epidemics?

Ronald Bailey | 9.18.2014 11:31 AM

Large image on homepages | Amanda Lucidon / White House

Policy

The FDA's Idiotic Attack on 'Added' Ingredients

The FDA's growing crackdown on added food ingredients just doesn't add up.

Baylen Linnekin | 8.9.2014 8:00 AM

Large image on homepages | bradleypjohnson/Flickr

Policy

Soda Tax Proposal Falls Flat in Illinois

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 5.27.2014 3:38 PM

Large image on homepages | deanaia/Flickr

Policy

Soda Warning Labels Could Soon Be a Thing in California

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 4.11.2014 10:05 AM

Culture

California Considers Mandatory Warning Labels for Sugary Drinks

Because people just don't know.

Reason Staff | 2.14.2014 2:45 PM

Large image on homepages | Spencer Ayers-Hale

Policy

Farm Bill Sugar Supports Cost Consumers and Business

Government price supports for sugar drive candy production out of the country and hike prices for American consumers.

Steve Chapman | 2.13.2014 12:00 PM

Science & Technology

European Regulators Say Aspartame Sugar Substitute Is Safe

Now if they can just get EU to gasp GMO foods better

Reason Staff | 12.10.2013 2:00 PM

Science & Technology

Higher Blood Sugar Tied to Dementia

Even among those without diabetes

Reason Staff | 8.8.2013 3:20 PM

Imports

In the Annals of Chutzpah Big Sugar Takes the Cake

Ronald Bailey | 5.17.2013 11:15 AM

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