We all adore-a Kia Ora, but do we drink too much?
An aunt of mine only drinks Coke. One of my 10 billion nephews refuses to drink anything but “juice”, which is actually just a sugary diluted drink like Kia-Ora, Ribena or Robinson’s.
Like all the tastiest stuff, these are little more than sugar-delivery vehicles. Loaded, overflowing, and fizzing with tooth-melting, waist-expanding, heart-killing sugar. But how many of us factor in our drinks when totting up our RDA/ daily sugar allowance?
A new report from food safety body SafeFood suggests that most parents don’t count sugary drinks as part of their children’s daily food consumption. Eleven focus groups, consisting of parents and guardians of children aged 2-12 and 15-18, were surveyed for their views on sugary drinks. The findings are worth reading, perhaps over a nice sugary drink.
The survey found that most parents did not consider drinks to be liquid food, and so lost sight of their hidden calories. Parents found it difficult to access information on the content of drinks and believed that juices and “juice drinks” were mainly healthy.
I don’t have kids of my own so parents may quite fairly scoff at me, but I’ve always wondered why they don’t simply refuse to buy these sugary drinks for their kids. Give them water or milk: when the thirst starts to cause pains, they’ll give in. Dr. Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director of Human Health and Nutrition at Safefood, agrees:
Many parents said they tried to reduce the number of fizzy drinks being purchased and were quite successful at doing this. When they made positive changes to the types of drinks consumed, despite some initial resistance, their children adapted and got used to it quite easily.”
I love that phrase: “some initial resistance.” A kicking, screaming two-year-old, or a sullen and obnoxious teen may be more than you can bear. But cutting back on fizzy and sugary drinks will, if nothing else, save you a significant amount of money. Water is free. Dentists are not.
Do your kids – or you – consume too much junk drink? Is it an unnecessary expense? Let us know what you think.
Wednesday 26 August, 2009 at 10:57 am
I dont have kids, but I have recently fallen foul of Robinsons’ no added sugar orange drink. Jaysus its great stuff. I cant understand how, at 31 I have become addicted to it, but I reason that a pint of it with dinner cant do me much harm.
Wednesday 26 August, 2009 at 11:16 am
I don’t drink fizzy drinks as a general rule, my teeth are just too crap to cope with them. I drink a fair bit of juice though and while I know a lot of juices are still quite sugary, I noticed recently that one glass (one glass!) of cranberry juice had 30% of your daily recommended sugar intake. No more cranberry juice for me 🙁
Wednesday 26 August, 2009 at 11:25 am
I don’t like the taste of water and have spent years drinking Ribena (no added sugar). I’ve weaned myself off it and am trying to drink plain water to give my child the best start. But yuuuuck, it’s hard. I don’t want to buy bottled water, and I filter the tap water, but the metalic taste is still here
Wednesday 26 August, 2009 at 12:18 pm
The whole juice and smoothie thing has been one of the biggest cons inflicted on this country in recent years. Because the fruit has been processed, the natural fibres have been broken down, releasing the natural fruit sugars into the bloodstream faster (as compared to eating the fruit).
Eat your fruit – don’t drink it.
Wednesday 26 August, 2009 at 2:40 pm
There is a world of difference between Kia Ora and freah orange juice Joanne. Im not even sure Kia Ora and an orange have ever met!
Thursday 27 August, 2009 at 9:45 am
Nanazolie, stick a few slices of lime or lemon in your water and keep it in the fridge – its amazing how much better it tastes. And lots of natural goodness added to your water too.
Thursday 27 August, 2009 at 9:49 am
Thanks Laine, will try that
Thursday 27 August, 2009 at 10:56 am
Add mint too. Its like a mojito, but without the fun.