18% tax on sugary drinks...

[Pikarya]

WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-NY gov proposes 18% obesity tax on drinks

The American Beverage Association says Governor Paterson's proposed "obesity tax" on soda doesn't make sense -- because sugary drinks are just 1 of many causes of obesity.

Paterson wants an 18% tax on soda and other sweet drinks containing less than 70% real fruit juice.

The idea is to discourage consumption of high-caloric beverages and raise $404 million next year toward the state's multibillion dollar budget gap.

State officials say almost one in four New Yorkers under age 18 are obese, and at higher risk for expensive illnesses like diabetes and heart disease.

The beverage lobby group says it's illogical to single out soda for an obesity tax. The group says the focus should be on promoting balanced diets and exercise.

But the state Health Department says this could be just the first in a series of taxes on unhealthy food products.

[archibaldcrane]

Hmmm.

8 ounces of Coke = 100 calories. 26g of sugar.

8 ounces of Orange Juice = 122 calories. 29.5g of sugar.

What classifies as a "sweet beverage" again?

[Drex]

Where is the 18% tax on fastfood or restaurants that serve oversized portions?

[Pikarya]

Hmmm.

8 ounces of Orange Juice = 122 calories. 29.5g of sugar.

I didn't even think about this, hell even just plain, basic OJ is like 22g of sugar lol.

[Tonko]

OJ isn't near as popular and they wouldn't make money off of it.

[Stumblingdrunk]

OJ isn't near as popular and they wouldn't make money off of it.

also, fruit juice is generally not recommended as a replacement for fruit as it does contain much more sugar than the fruit itself. That being said, unlike soda, fruit juices do provide some positive nutritional benefits and as such do serve a purpose within a healthy diet, whereas soda as an example contains solely empty calories. "Empty calories" defined as calories which contain no beneficial nutritional makeup, nothing but energy without any of the vitamins and nutrients that are required by our bodies to function properly.

[Kiro]

I think this is a good idea actually, lol. Juice may have a lot of sugar in it, but having sugar in moderation isn't a bad thing. It has vitamins and all that good shit in it anyway. Soda on the other hand, on top of the fuckton of sugar in it, has high fructose corn syrup and food coloring and all that shit.

Edit: Beaten.

[alt]

Drink diet! Then all you get is cancer!

Obesity problem solved.

[zoobernut]

And isn't fruit sugar in fruit juice a more complex carbohydrate than the sugar used in sodas and therefore takes longer for your body to absorb so it is not as bad for you as refined sugar used in sodas?

[Kiro]

Soda should just use cane sugar. Like Hansen's!


EDIT: GODDAMNIT YOU MOTHER FUCKERS GOT ME 5000 POSTS NOW I HAVE SOME FAGGOT TITLE

[archibaldcrane]

For diabetuus or things like that, yes high fructose corn syrup is worse.

But from a purely Obesity standpoint, it's calories in vs. calories out, and juice has more calories per ounce than soda does.

Of course, noone drinks a 64-oz big gulp of orange juice, but if they just want to demonize "sugary drinks" that don't have fruit juice...it's kind of silly.

[Guitarman]

Why not just cut the middleman and tax fat people for having to look at em?

[Quixon]

Why not just cut the middleman and tax fat people for having to look at em?

I'd vote for that.

[Pikarya]

Why not just cut the middleman and tax fat people for having to look at em?

This

[Stumblingdrunk]

But from a purely Obesity standpoint, it's calories in vs. calories out,

This is a complete fallacy actually.

[Tristam]

also, fruit juice is generally not recommended as a replacement for fruit as it does contain much more sugar than the fruit itself. That being said, unlike soda, fruit juices do provide some positive nutritional benefits and as such do serve a purpose within a healthy diet, whereas soda as an example contains solely empty calories. "Empty calories" defined as calories which contain no beneficial nutritional makeup, nothing but energy without any of the vitamins and nutrients that are required by our bodies to function properly.

This is all true, I would add that fruit juice also doesn't contain caffeine, which combined with sugar (which also may be mildly addictive) can create a habit that leads to being overweight.

The key is always everything in moderation, if the people who drink cans and cans of soda a day switch to drinking the same amount of juice, they're still just as likely to develop the health problems targeted by the report (obesity/diabetes).

[archibaldcrane]

Also (and I kinda never understood why beverage manufacturers don't do this) Coke should introduce a "Coke-New York Style" with Vitamin C...and hell, B12 or something supplements, so that it not only has less calories than orange juice, but also is more nutritious.

And it could be mexican-style coke with cane sugar instead of HFCS.

I'd lol.

[fantasticdan]

Soda should just use cane sugar. Like Hansen's!


EDIT: GODDAMNIT YOU MOTHER FUCKERS GOT ME 5000 POSTS NOW I HAVE SOME FAGGOT TITLE

Maybe they would if corn syrup wasn't far cheaper, due to subsidies on corn, and tariffs on cane sugar.

[archibaldcrane]

This is a complete fallacy actually.

Defend yourself. Studies I've seen have shown that, for example, "glycemic index" of type of calories consumed had no effect on weight gain or loss. Or are you referring to something else?

[Stumblingdrunk]

if the people who drink cans and cans of soda a day switch to drinking the same amount of juice, they're still just as likely to develop the health problems targeted by the report (obesity/diabetes).

While this is true, it just doesn't happen. People simply do not over indulge on fruit juice in the same manner as they do with soda.

[Stumblingdrunk]

Defend yourself. Studies I've seen have shown that, for example, "glycemic index" of type of calories consumed had no effect on weight gain or loss. Or are you referring to something else?

we're clearly reading different information, if i didn't have a final tonight, i would have defended my statement, but thats going to have to wait until later tonight.

[Olo401]

Hmmm.

8 ounces of Coke = 100 calories. 26g of sugar.

8 ounces of Orange Juice = 122 calories. 29.5g of sugar.

What classifies as a "sweet beverage" again?

It should be a tax on fucking corn syrup-based sugars.

[fantasticdan]

While this is true, it just doesn't happen. People simply do not over indulge on fruit juice in the same manner as they do with soda.

I know a lot of people that drink orange juice that way, I know I used to, lol.

[zoobernut]

The glycemic index of a sugar effects how many steps it takes for your body to break it down. The more steps it takes to break a carbohydrate down into the simple sugar you use in your body the more calories your body spends processing it. This changes the net energy gain from different types of carbohydrates. Even though there is more sugar and calories in fruit juice it is more complex and takes more energy for your body to break it down to a usable form.

[MisterBob]

Orange juice might have a decent amount of sugar, but its also infinitely more healthy than soda.

[Tristam]

While this is true, it just doesn't happen. People simply do not over indulge on fruit juice in the same manner as they do with soda.

exactly, which is why I think it's prudent to tax the caffeine-containing drinks over the fruit juice drinks.

[archibaldcrane]

Now, is the Coke Zero, for example in the photo of the OP, also subject to this tax? It has, um, 0 calories and won't make you obese. Like, at all. Ever.

[Azkarin2]

If I buy a gallon of OJ I'll drink it within a day and a half... sometimes a day. I guzzle that stuff. But I don't ever buy soda and the only time I'll drink it is when it is mixed with alcohol. So some people do go nuts of juice, not cola.

[Tristam]

Now, is the Coke Zero, for example in the photo of the OP, also subject to this tax? It has, um, 0 calories and won't make you obese. Like, at all. Ever.

Exactly, which is why I think the whole combating diabetes and obesity thing is a little bit disingenuous. This is really just a tax on soft drinks.

[archibaldcrane]

we're clearly reading different information, if i didn't have a final tonight, i would have defended my statement, but thats going to have to wait until later tonight.

There's info out there on both sides, but I think that the "low glycemic index is the key to weight loss" side is generally supported by the Atkins/South Beach/low or no-carb diet fads.

I'm referring to studies like this: Weight Loss: Glycemic Load Had No Significant Effect

"Participants in our pilot study achieved and maintained comparable weight loss after one year, regardless of whether they were on a low-glycemic-load or a high-glycemic-load diet," says corresponding author Susan Roberts, PhD, director of the USDA HNRCA's Energy Metabolism Laboratory. "The goal was for both groups to restrict calories by 30 percent and, after one year, both groups had lost an average of 8 percent of their original body weight. We found that the two groups did not differ significantly in their average body fat loss, energy intake, metabolic rate, or reports of hunger and satiety."