America’s Drinking Problem
We’ve got a national drinking problem, and it has nothing to do with alcohol. It’s our obsession with sugar that’s killing us.
The “Science”
I recently watched a video from Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology. He shows the biochemical pathways of sugar metabolism in our bodies, and argues that it’s sugar, not fat, that is fueling our country’s obesity epidemic. He points to the fact that our nutritional obsession with “low-fat” and “lite” foods has still allowed us to gain 25 lbs, on average, over what we weighed 25 years ago when the low-fat paradigm first gained popularity.
Perhaps more alarming than the weight gain is sugar’s effects on our liver function, on the surge in Type II diabetes, and the fact that in his practice, Dr. Lustig treats obese 6 month old babies. Somethings is very wrong.
The Challenge
Taking his message to heart, I have recently tried to limit my sugar intake by eliminating soda and reading labels on the foods I eat every day. Reducing my sugar intake has been anything but easy.
On a recent vacation, my wife and I stopped at a gas station to fuel up, and we decided to grab drinks from the cooler. I was craving a Coke, but I decided to look for something tasty without a lot of sugar.
Scanning the case, I decided on a Starbucks Frappauccino for a caffeinated pick-me-up. 45 grams of sugar. Okay, how about some fruit juice? 32 grams. Hmmm…. Vitamin water? 13 grams!
There was almost nothing in the case below 25 grams of sugar, and even “water” contains 13 grams! What gives?
Sugar in Context
The problem with nutrition labels is the same problem we see in most data presentations – a lack of context. What does 32 grams of sugar really mean?
I was pleased this week to see the Men’s Health list of 20 Worst Drinks in America 2010. The authors include a photo with each “award” winner showing the equivalent calorie or sugar content in another type of food. For example, the sugar you consume from drinking a bottle of Sobe Green Tea is equivalent to eating 4 slices of Sara Lee Cherry Pie! That frappuccino I wanted was the same as eating 32 Nilla Wafer cookies! Do you occasionally enjoy a Sunkist 20 oz. bottle of orange soda? At 84 grams of sugar, you could’ve eaten 6 Breyer’s Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches.
In the end, I think I’d probably be full after snacking on ONE ice cream sandwich, and a glass of water. Eating that ice cream sandwich would actually be a diet compared to the bottle of soda. And that’s the insidious nature of sugary drinks – you can consume a lot of calories without ever feeling full.
Do me a favor – grab the nearest beverage container and leave a comment listing the name of the drink and the total sugar in the bottle. Yes, I know a 20 oz. soda contains 2.5 servings, but I personally have never gotten more than one out of it. I’m curious to know just how high the sweeteners go.
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