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The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

nytimes.com

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Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#221

Post by puredemo »

unethical_ban wrote: post #199
hugh4 wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which is precisely why some of us are opposed to socialised healthcare. Once you have it, every little decision you make becomes everyone else's business.

I completely agree. This is why I've been skeptical of socialist healthcare - your business becomes everybody's business. We MUST have a private option; a way to opt-out of public benefits for healthcare, if we are to maintain the option of freedom.

That's why the "public option" was such a decent choice. Before it was killed to sell-out to insurance companies.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#222

Post by gaius »

chipsy wrote: post #210
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.

Saturated fats make carbs digest more quickly. For example, if I have oatmeal I can go to bed immediately because it's low GI. But if I add a spoon of peanut butter then my heart will get a little bit contentuous and keep me awake. As well, adding a new substance introduces the potential of allergens. I have a dairy sensitivity. If I have a grande latte from Starbucks I'll spend the next hour in a haze. I can have it…

Peanut butter in porridge you say, I shall have to try this! Add some honey and a banana too and you could call it "Elvis porridge".

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#223

Post by gaius »

adventured wrote: post #132
caseysoftware wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why we haven't had anyone start smoking in decades.. Soda sales are down but obesity is still up, so the calories are coming from somewhere. If you believe the other common stories, we're drinking the calories. I'd wager they come from the rise of coffee-based beverages - which would not be considered soda - but I don't have data to back that up.

Coffee based beverages don't explain childhood and teen obesity. Those two categories don't drink nearly as much coffee as adults. Besides that, some categories of obesity have plunged: "U.S. Childhood Obesity Rates Fall 40% in Decade" http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB100014240527023048347045794053... Adult obesity rates have leveled off for the last several years. I don't believe it's a coincidence things are moving in…

Coffee based beverages don't explain childhood and teen obesity. Those two categories don't drink nearly as much coffee as adults.

Yes and no; if you go into Pret with a kid they will give you a free "babycino" which is some sort of caffeine-free but presumably fat- and sugar-laden hot drink. Kids are being trained early on to drink this stuff.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#224

Post by chris_wot »

escherize wrote: post #185
chris_wot wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe? No, not at all.

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

I'm sorry there are people out there who think adding a scoop of icecream to their soda would make it in any way healthier.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#225

Post by dalke »

ars wrote: post #188
dalke wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I asked why "real" orange juice was "much healthier" than Minute Maid orange juice, not juice vs. soda. (Quoting text from hisham_hm; they aren't meant as scare quotes.)

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#226

Post by agumonkey »

TulliusCicero wrote: post #211
agumonkey wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Modern westerner lifestyle is really damaging. Since I can drive a car I don't walk anymore. My belly reminds it to me everyday.

Biking could help with this, but there's so much cultural momentum against treating bike infrastructure as a first-class citizen, or heck, even a second-class citizen like walking. And without safe bike lanes, very few people will bike. The amount of subsidies and preferential treatment we give to cars is really astounding, but at this point most people in the US can hardly think of it being any other way.

I tried that, and even if I was in the Netherlands I don't think it would apply. Biking has its constraints, you can't go at your own pace even in dedicated lanes, you have to be very actively focused on others, and you need secure parking lots if you plan to do something else otherwise 50% chances it will get stolen.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#227

Post by bsder »

sundsta wrote: post #145
kuschku wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The largest difference is movement. Which helps keep down obesity in many other nations: If you walk everywhere, or bike, or use transit for 90% of what you do, you will burn a lot more calories (especially grocery shopping and carrying them home via the metro). Compared to driving everywhere, sitting at work, etc...

The study he's referencing took into account exercise as well: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871403X15...

Thanks for hunting the link.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#228

Post by baby »

kw71 wrote: post #118
nitrogen wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's easy to advocate for collectivism when you think you are in the majority. I am a proponent of universal healthcare, but your comment has me reconsidering. Throwing individuals or subgroups under the bus so disdainfully is just as damaging to our social fabric as eating unhealthily, if not moreso. We need to unify and enlighten ourselves, not look for more excuses to feel morally superior. So whatever solution we…

I don't think "nanny state rules" would be throwing anyone under the bus. I certainly believe that the collective poor health of the country in general is a good argument against socialized healthcare. But I want it to work. But I don't think that everyone is ready for the responsibility, so we should guide them with a heavy hand. After all, universal healthcare means that everyone must be included. Just because I ha…

> I certainly believe that the collective poor health of the country in general is a good argument against socialized healthcare

I think that rather it is a good argument for. If american's people health is so low it's because most people avoid doctors and hospital at all cost.

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#229

Post by baby »

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.

I completely replaced these things with the flavored sparkling water

Re: The Decline of ‘Big Soda’

#230

Post by makecheck »

Soda isn't inherently evil. Education on how to track calories and understand the density of some foods is more important. Of course, since sodas don't have really any nutrition, it is hard to drink a lot of them.

You can't single out soda while you still have people eating "healthy" salads that are twice as big as they should be, covered with dressing and cheese and olives and fatty meats.

You can't single out soda while you let people drink "coffee" (which by itself is fine) that includes 1000 calories worth of additives like cream and sweeteners.

And oil is extremely calorie-dense; simply cutting in half the number of fries that you eat would go a long way.

With a proper diet and exercise you can certainly have a couple of sodas a week. There is also a better way to drink soda: don't use a straw. Just try to get through a 32 oz. soda when you sip it a bit at a time; you'll find that you don't really drink it that fast, that it tastes better, and that a small amount is still satisfying. After awhile it'll seem much more natural to order a small soda.

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