How can the ill effects of sugary drinks be minimised?
With
the festive season coming, everyone will get indulged in various delicacies in
which sweets and sugary drinks will be on the menu. Whether visiting relatives
or hanging out with friends, a glass of sugary fizzy drinks is necessary to
quench the thirst.
Components in sugary drinks
Sugar-sweetened
beverages have various forms of added sugar: brown sugar, corn sweetener,
fructose, lactose, sucrose, malt syrup, raw sugar, molasses, etc. We usually
ignore going through the ingredient list mentioned on the beverage bottle;
however, on keeping a close look, we will come across several ingredients in
some form or other. A recent Twitter post by an Indian doctor mentioned that
the sugar contents in brands sold in India are high, and one can of Coke has
139 calories in 330 ml.
Affecting children
Very
recently, social media had disturbing news on malt-based drinks for children. A
social media influencer cried out loud regarding the high sugar content in
health drinks that the manufacturer rejected, and it was mentioned that the
news was distorted.
Adults
and children are also facing health hazards due to the intake of sugary drinks.
Consuming extra sugar in the form of aerated and healthy drinks above the
recommended level leads to obesity and other health hazards. One has to keep in
mind that to avoid diseases like diabetes, liver diseases leading to cancer,
heart diseases, etc., we need to maintain control of the intake of sugar and
its form.
Way out and initiatives
Going
in for fruits, honey, and jaggery, which have natural sugar content, will help
substitute sugar, eventually minimizing the intake. A glass full of fruit
juice, whole fruits, and skipping a can of aerated sugary drink is more likely
to keep diseases at bay in the long run. Consumption of coconut water can be
the other substitute for the sugary drinks. Food and drinks can be enhanced
with spices/condiments instead of sugar, and ginger, cinnamon, etc., can be
added.
Being
super busy these days, we have to take time to look at the contents of the
sugary drinks we consume. It sounds absurd; however, it will only help us judge
whether a specific drink is beneficial for our health or not. Cutting back on
sugary beverages will bring in a lot of health benefits.
The
government and various stakeholders must come on board to tackle the issue of
sugary drinks leading to multiple diseases. Labeling the drinks with particular
colours will make the consumers more aware of the ill effects. Apart from the
non-availability of drinks outside the school premises, taxing the drinks so
that the prices go up will deter many from avoiding the drinks, and community
campaigns are some of the measures that can help in the long run.
