North Texans Sweet And Sour On Sweet Drink Ban Idea
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - There's new evidence that the nation may be souring on sweets—especially sugary drinks. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed a ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 oz. The first-of-its-kind ban in the US would include drinks served at restaurants, movie theaters and sports venues. But, convenience and grocery stores would be exempted. The goal is to combat soaring obesity rates.
"People are just going to get them where they're available," says Sasha Burrowes, a North Texas personal trainer. "A lot of clients come in and they work really hard at the gym, but they don't see results. and I'm like 'have you cut back on the Cokes? Are you watching your sugar intake? And they're like 'ah, I have to have my Dr Pepper in the morning'. They can't get away from stuff like that." So Burrowes remains skeptical of the ban's impact.
Friend and fellow trainer Sean Harris agrees—saying the sugary, caffeinated sodas are a vicious cycle of empty calories. Both say that many a work out plan has become pointless because clients just won't put down the sodas. One problem, they say, is labeling.
"They should probably tell you how many spoonfuls of sugar it is, because grams means really nothing. I think if they actually showed you how many spoonfuls of sugar it takes to get 36 or 70 grams of sugar, people would be less likely to drink it."
To get an idea of sugar content in terms you can understand, try this: One teaspoon of granulated white sugar is close to four grams. So, if you buy a bottle of soda with 65 grams of sugar, divide the 65 by 4, which is equal to a little more than 16 teaspoons of sugar. In one soda.
"Which is just ridiculous!" says Burrowes. "They're empty calories. They're not even good for you and your body's not going to process it properly."
Some retailers are responding to the call for lower calorie drinks. Dallas based 7-11 this summer is introducing a line of sugar-free Slurpees. Something to consider when you see just how much sugar is found in your favorite treats. According to Sugarstacks.com there's 12 teaspoons of sugar in your Mocha Frappuccino and 28 in a medium milkshake, or super-sized soda.
"I love Dr Pepper and soda—Coca Cola, so that's hard to resist, sometimes," says Omar Akhtar.
When asked if he ever stopped to calculate the sugar in his favorite drinks, Akhtar responded this way: "I do at times, but it just makes me feel a little bad, so, I try not to get to that level. Try not to think about it—just do it and don't think about it too much."
