The Food Movement Minute is a news roundup for busy folks who like health food and would like it to be healthier and more food-like.
Coca-Cola
The Story
Coca-Cola, the world’s largest producer of sugary beverages, is funding new research and an educational campaign to address the country’s obesity crisis. Their message to focus on exercise and not worry so much about calories (like those in Coke) has many nutrition and health experts saying, “Oh no you didn’t”.
The Details
Is soda the new tobacco? It seems Coke’s official plan was to reinstate the concept of ‘calories in – calories out = weight’. To do so, they became the principal funder of a new group, the Global Energy Balance Network (GEBN), who is tasked with disseminating research and education to support their agenda. However, a New York Times article published on Sunday proposes the true intention of the campaign is to mute the importance of ‘calories in’ and divert attention to the role of ‘calories out’, thereby reserving space for Coke in everyone’s daily meal plan. As David Katz, MD describes the GEBN message, “Drink all the Coca-Cola you want, but be sure to get your exercise. And since exercising might make you thirsty, drink more Coca-Cola.”
Why it Matters
Nutrition and health experts are peeved because a large body of research demonstrates that exercising without restricting calories isn’t very helpful for weight loss. What we do know is that the majority of Americans eat too many calories and don’t exercise enough. Restricting calories is a critical element to addressing obesity and campaigns that aim to confuse this issue, and then suggest drinking a beverage full of empty calories, is as one expert puts it, “a scandalous betrayal of public health.”
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Trans Fat
The Story
A meta-analysis study published yesterday in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) confirms, yet again, that trans fats are really terrible for you. This information isn’t seeming to phase the Food Industry however, who recently asked the FDA to continue to allow the use of manmade trans fats (PHOs) in hundreds of foods, from tiny amounts in breakfast cereals to larger amounts in shortening and pie crusts.
The Details
After reviewing 41 observational studies, the researchers found that consumption of PHOs, versus the trans fats that occur naturally in some animal products like beef and milk, increase the risk of death overall by 34%, dying from heart disease by 28% and developing heart disease by 28%. Well, that sounds yummy, doesn’t it? The study comes less than a week after the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), a leading group representing the Food and Beverage Industry, petitioned the FDA for the continued use of PHOs.
Why it Matters
If PHOs are so bad, why does the Food Industry want to keep using them? PHOs enhance flavor, extend shelf life and smooth out the operation of food processing equipment. If we want PHOs out of our food supply, we’re also going to have to say goodbye to a whole lot of shelf stable food like substances. So, hand over the Twinkie…here, have a fruit strip.
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PepsiCo
The Story
PepsiCo announced on Monday that its bottled and canned Diet Pepsi products are now aspartame free. The artificial sweetener has been replaced with sucralose, better known as Splenda.
The Details
PepsiCo says the change was a response to consumer demand and the sucralose-containing products are already in market nationwide. “Aspartame is the No. 1 reason consumers are dropping diet soda,” Pepsi vice president Seth Kaufman told The Associated Press in April. Negative perception of aspartame and it’s believed links to a range of health conditions including cancer is likely fueling the demand. A 2012 analysis of social media showed that 91 percent of posts about aspartame are negative.
Why it Matters
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener and derivative of aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Sucralose is also an artificial sweetener created by chlorinating sugar molecules. If you’re looking for a chemically sweetened soda, as Ray Charles sang for their early 90’s ad campaign, “You [still] got the right one, Baby.”
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Factoid of the Day
To exercise off the equivalent amount of calories in a 20 ounce soda, you’ll need to cover three miles. Better reserve a turn on the treadmill.
Image by Lettuce1