cross-posted at annoyedomnivore.wordpress.com
According to the playbook on how to reduce tobacco use in this country, warning labels and taxes work. In 1965, Congress enacted the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, and the Public Cigarette Smoking Act was passed in 1969. These laws required a health warning on packages, banned advertising and called for an annual report on the health consequences of smoking. The result was that tobacco use was greatly reduced and the anti-smoking campaign called a major public health success. And this was brought about despite the addictive nature of tobacco and the massive economic forces promoting its use. These types of bills are now slowly being introduced in order to protect the public from another health scourge, excessive and dangerous sugar consumption.
This year, California State Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) and New York Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx) both proposed labeling bills. Monning’s bill is a reintroduction of the bill that passed the Senate last year but was derailed by the Assembly Health Committee by three votes. The Dinowitz bill is new. Given that the “worldwide prevalence of obesity more than doubled between 1980 and 2014,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO), these bills stand as preliminary efforts to educate people concerning the over-consumption of sugar, as well as addressing the costs of obesity and the subsequent rise of diabetes. The WHO, just last month, issued a recommendation that overall sugar consumption be maximized at 25 grams per day per person, or about 6 teaspoons. To put this amount in perspective, a quick jaunt to the grocery store reveals that a 12 ounce can of Coca Cola contains 39 grams of sugar, and a 16.9 ounce bottle contains 55 grams. A 7.5 ounce can of Coke has 25 grams of sugar, and a similar size can of Diet Coke also has 25 grams. And the so-called healthier drinks, such as the ones produced by Odwalla (a Coca Cola subsidiary), are worse. A 15 ounce bottle of Strawberry Banana drink has 44 grams of sugar, and their Original Superfood Smoothie contains 44 grams. And for those of you who think drinking fruit juice is a more healthy alternative, 12 ounces of orange juice, unsweetened, has 39 grams of sugar; a similarly sized glass of apple juice contains 42 grams, and grape juice tops out at 60 grams.
The two bills introduced by Monning and Doniwitz are modest proposals at best, but represent the start of an education campaign nationwide on the dangers of sweetened drinks. Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, in supporting the labeling law, said that “parents may know that drinking soda is not as healthy as eating broccoli, but they don’t know that sugary drinks, like sports drinks and sweetened teas, may be making their children sick. It’s time to post warnings on the front of the bottle.” The label would read, if this law is passed, “STATE OF CALIFORNIA WARNING: Drinking Beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay.” The executive director of California’s Center for Science in the Public Interest says that “given the federal government’s failure to act, it’s important that states protect their consumers by giving them this information in a clear, inexpensive way so that adults and children alike could make truly informed choices.” Goldstein added that the “average American drinks 45 gallons of soda a year. That’s 39 pounds of sugar.”
The soda industry is of course fighting back. As they spent millions to defeat a soda tax in San Francisco, they will surely spend as much or more to defeat these labeling laws. Despite overwhelming evidence that the consumption of soda causes serious health issues, the America Beverage Association continues to claim that the sugar consumed from soda is no different than the consumption of sugar from other foods. William Dermody, a vice president of the ABA stated that “a misleading warning label that singles out one industry for complex health challenges will not change behaviors or educate people about healthy lifestyles.” But these proposals are not bans. Harold Goldstein rightly points out that this is “really a Libertarian solution: give consumers the information and let them make the choice.”
Added sugar is certainly the predominant characteristic of sweetened drinks, but is also present in all processed foods. The ABA is then correct in crying out that they are being targeted when the food industry is every bit as guilty. But again, these labeling laws are simply the beginnings of a conversation and as a means for educating the public about the foods we eat. If we arm ourselves with solid fact and information, we’ll be better positioned to maintain quality states of health, with the added bonus of reducing health care costs.
Recipe of the Week
Yogurt isn’t cheap, and Greek yogurt costs even more. There’s a simple way to make Greek yogurt, however, and it’s easy. You can take any type of yogurt, from whole milk to non-fat, place an amount of your choosing in a sieve, and let it drain. It usually takes just a couple of hours before enough whey has drained off to produce the consistency of Greek yogurt. If you want to go further, you can produce labneh, which is simply yogurt that has been drained overnight in the refrigerator. This “cheese” can be flavored with olive oil and herbs and spread on pita for a simple appetizer.