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The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

nytimes.com

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Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#181

Post by yazaddaruvala »

hugh4 wrote: post #100

It's amazing how many people seem to think drugs should be legalised but sugar should be banned.

Anyone that wants legalized drugs, wants regulated and taxed drugs. A minority advocate anarchy, but most just want access to these drugs, if they personally deem them appropriate.

Drug advocates still want all nutritional info and negative effects plastered all over the boxes so that they can personally make educated decisions about their lives. For example, look at the Canadian cigarette boxes: http://www.smoke-free.ca/filtertips-5/images/Marlbo4.jpg (I don't know how people still smoke them... /mindblown)

Meanwhile people that do not like sugar, aren't trying to ban sugar (some minority of them may want sugar banned). The majority, just want consumers to be informed and make educated decisions. I'd like to personally add (and I think this opinion is shared): I would like it if we limit the abilities of marketers to hide the negative aspects of these substances. For example, a company shouldn't be allowed to advertise cereal to minors through colorful pictures and cartoons.

Can you imagine if cereal boxes needed 40% of their surface to be covered with pictures of diabetics with amputations/ulcers? Or instead of a toy inside, you get an insulin monitor? How about pictures of cavities and decaying teeth?

I think in that world, very few children would want to eat that product, and even fewer parents would continue to buy them.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#182

Post by bradlys »

Eric_WVGG wrote: post #144

pro-tip for anyone trying to kick a soda (or alcohol) habit: get yourself a seltzer maker, and an assortment of bitters (Fee Bros Cranberry, Walnut, and standard Angostura are a good place to start). This is just my personal experience, but I found that most of the unhealthy drinking I was doing was out of habit and boredom. I’m just as happy with a seltzer + a few dashes of bitters as I was with a beer or a coke.

Even if you don't get something like that, just having a glass of water nearby is a great way to reduce consumption. I drink a lot of diet soda and it's mainly out of compulsion to constantly drink liquids. If I keep a nice cold cup of water near where I am, the soda consumption drops super fast. Once I start drinking water during that day, that's usually what sticks.

For me, it's almost all about the habit of constantly drinking. That said, even though I know how to kick the habit, I still tend to drink a lot of diet soda because it's a nice pick-me-up.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#183

Post by sampo »

frenchy wrote: post #8
lemevi wrote: post #5

Just take some time next time you're in a supermarket and walk down the cereal aisle, it's just incredible. It's all sugar and carbohydrates in colorful cartoony boxes meant to appeal to children. Just a cup of cereal has many calories and people and children eat huge bowls of this stuff. So I think an anti-cereal campaign might also help. I often wonder what would happen to national obesity rates if cereal aisles in…

There some much healthier options in there if you know where to look, but unfortunately its not easy to identify them, and even things like granola which are colloquially thought to be healthy are often jam packed with sugar.

> even things like granola which are colloquially thought to be healthy are often jam packed with sugar.

Also instant oats with added flavor (brown sugar and maple, cinnamon, banana bread, what have you) can contain a lot of added sugar, compared to plain oats version.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#184

Post by sampo »

jobu wrote: post #38
frenchy wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There some much healthier options in there if you know where to look, but unfortunately its not easy to identify them, and even things like granola which are colloquially thought to be healthy are often jam packed with sugar.

Exactly. They put extra sugar/sweeteners in absolutely everything these days. You have to look at the ingredients and calories on anything you buy. Even super healthy-eeming things like granola or dried fruit usually have sugar added. Yogurt is still promoted as a healthy snack, but most of them have as much added sugar as a candy bar.

> Yogurt is still promoted as a healthy snack, but most of them have as much added sugar as a candy bar.

At least plain yogurt is still made only from milk, milk solids and yogurt cultures.

...unless that "nonfat milk solids" means sugar?

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#185

Post by escherize »

chris_wot wrote: post #154
Malician wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe? I mean, have you ever tried to eat dinner after icecream? It's just not happening, even if it's delicious dinner. But soda, well, take a 2000 calorie meal and add soda and you have a 3000 calorie meal.

Maybe? No, not at all.

I think the gp's comment deserves a counter-argument, instead of just saying no.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#186

Post by mbell »

jrockway wrote: post #151
mbell wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> How about real fruit juice? Much healthier. Most fresh squeezed fruit juices have comparable levels of sugar to soda. They may have some extra vitamins but they are not terribly 'healthy'.

Indeed. Fruit is "healthy" because it has fiber in it. Fruit juice removes the fiber, making it basically the same thing as soda.

Also people tend to consume a lot more when in juice form. A 16oz glass of OJ is ~8 oranges worth of juice.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#187

Post by voltagex_ »

grogenaut wrote: post #179
wpietri wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And I expect juice drinks are part of it as well. Same high levels of sugar and low levels of fiber. The calories aren't as empty, but they're still much easier to consume than whole fruit.

I've got a cold/sore throat and when I do I drink a bunch of OJ. I don't normally drink OJ so I get small windows into it. Every time I get it I notice less and less pulp in it. Today there were tons of "NO PULP" oj out there, even tropicana 50, which is watered and filtered oj. These things are essentially natural koolaid.

It's extra work but I just eat oranges or juice them (manually, screw cleaning out a big juicer).

I'll also add that if you drink juice, you can consume a lot more sugar than if you ate the fruit - eating the "whole" fruit you'll feel full quicker.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#188

Post by ars »

dalke wrote: post #137
hisham_hm wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about real fruit juice? Much healthier. Minute Maid is owned by Coca-Cola, anyways.

How is it "much healthier"? 8 ounces of real orange juice has 21 g of sugar and 110 calories. This is about what Minute Maid orange juice has.

Calories is not the only way to measure how healthy something is.

It also matters how it affects the body, and in that regards orange juice and soda are not the same. You feel much fuller after orange juice, so clearly the body recognizes it as food, unlike soda.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#189

Post by ars »

twic wrote: post #19
chrisseaton wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think my local supermarket sells bottled water for as little as 19p (29c) for 2 litres, as as much as about £2 ($3) so I think you are mistaken.

That stuff is probably more or less tap water: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/tesco-and-as... Not that there's anything wrong with that. Actual spring water is uniformly 45p for two litres: http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=258016736 http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/sparkling-wate... http://groceries.asda.com/product/sparkling-water/asda-eden-... https://groceries.morris…

> That stuff is probably more or less tap water

Is that bad? People buy bottled water for the convenience, and because it's filtered tap water which tastes better than regular tap water.

If you want to reduce bottled water purchases you should advocate for a law requiring water fountains to have carbon filters for taste. (Although I kinda like knowing there is chlorine in there when I drink from one.)

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#190

Post by ars »

r00fus wrote: post #90
andhess wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't really mind if "big water" is a thing, but I'd like to see better packaging for it. It's amazing how many people regularly drink bottled water instead of tap water.

We purchase from a locally purified water distributor and use large reusable containers. Makes a big difference. When we got our plumbing replaced I might get a whole house filter as well.

Why do you need a whole house filter? They are expensive, reduce water flow, and don't work very well because they try not to reduce water flow.

They rarely make any sense.

Just water a water filter for drinking water, with an extra faucet in the sink.

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