Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Rethink Sugary Drink - Tips





Tips and resources

Here are some suggestions to help you, your school or your workplace, go sugar sweetened beverage free.

Tips to help you cut back

  • Find out how much sugar is in your favorite drink.
  • If you're ordering a fast food meal, don't go with the default regular/sugar soft drink, see what other options there are. For kids, see what else is on offer, or just ask for water.
  • Carry a water bottle, so you don't have to buy a drink if you're thirsty.
  • If you're thirsty, have some water first.
  • Be wary of any health or nutrition claims on the drinks you buy. Many producers are now trying to make their sugar sweetened beverages sound healthier than they actually are. Refer to the amount of sugar on the nutrition panel if in doubt and consider the size of the bottle as well.
  • If you consume sugary alcoholic drinks, see if there are lower sugar options. Even alcohol alone is loaded with kilo joules so cutting back on the booze is also good.
  • Try to avoid going down the soft drink aisle at the supermarket and beware of the specials at the checkout and the service station.
  • Try using product that can add vitality and harmony to your mind and body - BIOS LIFE MATCHA
  • Try using a product that can relieve stress, contribute to normal, energy-yielding metabolism - BIOS LIFE MATCHA
  • Put the bounce back in your step and use a product that can contribute to the protection of cell constituents from oxidative damage - BIOS LIFE MATCHA

For schools

  • Review your canteen menu and vending machine contents and remove any high sugar content soft drinks. This includes energy drinks, sports drinks, cordials and flavored mineral waters with high sugar content. Replace them with reduced-fat milk drinks or water.
  • Look at the price of your low-sugar options, could you make them more appealing?
  • Make sure you have plenty of drinking taps and encourage children/students to use them regularly throughout the day, especially during the warmer months.
  • Encourage children/students to bring their own water bottle to school and refill throughout the day.

For workplaces

  • Is there a vending machine in your building? Time to take an audit of its contents. If you can't get rid of the machine altogether, lobby to get it stocked with water or unsweetened drinks.
  • If you have a canteen or cafeteria, place water, reduced-fat or unsweetened drinks at eye level and if you can't get rid of the soft drinks then at least have them moved lower down on tables or benches.
  • Look at your catering, do you provide sugary soft drinks at functions or meetings? It might be time to consider other options.
  • Ensure you provide tap water or a water cooler that employees can easily access.
  • For parents
  • With fruit juices, look on the packaging and make sure there is no added sugar.
  • Don't add anything to milk. If your child is aged over two, serve them low-fat milk.
  • If you are in a fast food outlet ask to replace the default sugar sweetened beverage with water.
  • Give your child a water bottle to take to school that they can refill throughout the day. 
  • Speak to the school if it serves sugar sweetened drinks in vending machines and at the canteen to ask them to remove them.
  • When other people look after your child, such as grandparents or babysitters, ask them to give your children low-fat milk or water rather than other drinks.
  • Try using a product that can relieve stress, contribute to normal, energy-yielding metabolism - BIOS LIFE MATCHA





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Monday, December 2, 2013

Rethink Sugary Drink




Facts

Did you know?

  • Sugary drinks, or sugar sweetened beverages, include all non-alcoholic water based beverages with added sugar such as non-diet soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks and cordial. 
  • Sugar sweetened beverages are high in kilojoules, leading to weight gain and obesity.
  • Obesity is a leading risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers (including endometrial, oesophageal, renal, gallbladder, bowel and postmenopausal breast cancers). 
  • Research has shown that consuming 340ml of sugary drink a day (which equates to less than one can) increases your risk of type-2 diabetes by 22% when compared to drinking one can a month or less.1
  • American estimates show that consuming one can of soft drink per day could lead to a 6.75kg weight gain in one year (if these calories are added to a typical US diet and not offset by reduction in other energy sources).2
  • Young Australians are very high consumers of sugar sweetened beverages, and sugar sweetened soft drinks in particular. The 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey found that 47% of children (2 to 16 years of age) consumed sugar sweetened beverages (including energy drinks) every day.3,4
  • In the 12 months to October 2012, Australians bought 1.28 billion litres of carbonated/still drinks with sugar, with regular cola drinks being the most popular (447 million litres).5
  • Many drinks contain acid that harms your teeth, including regular and diet soft drinks, sports/energy dirnks and fruit juices. Acid weakens tooth enamel which can lead to tooth decay. Tooth decay is the most prevalent disease in Australia.6
  • Sugar sweetened beverages produce more acid when the sugar combines with bacteria in the mouth. Try drinking water instead – it has no acid, no sugar, no kiljoules and if you get it from the tap it's free.



  1. The InterAct Consortium. Consumption of sweet beverages and type 2 diabetes incidence in European adults: results from EPIC-InterAct. Diabetologia PMID, 2013. http://stochasticscientist.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/bad-news-about-sugary-soft-drinks.html#sthash.GJNRNvPI.dpuf
  2. Apovian CM. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Journal of the American Medical Assocation 2004; 292(8): 978–9.
  3. Mortensen A. The role of beverages in the diet of Australian children. Analysis and summary report commissioned by the Australian Beverages Council. Australia, 2010: 1–15.
  4. Clifton PM, Chan L, Moss CL, Miller MD, Cobiac L. Beverage intake and obesity in Australian children. Nutr Metab (Lond) 2011; 8: 87.
  5. Retail World December 2012. 
  6. Walsh LJ. Black Cola drinks, oral health and general health: an evidence-based approach. ADA News Bulletin, 2008.








Unicity International

AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, PHILIPPINES - CLICK BELOW


USA, CANADA, PUERTO RICO - CLICK BELOW