Too much sugar!
Published:Monday | January 9, 2023 | 12:09 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
There is too much sugar in locally produced sodas. In one particular flavour there are 31 grams of sugar for mere 2.5 servings. In another locally produced soft drinks, there is a whopping 86 grams of sugar, in a bottle that contains 2.5 servings.
Local producers of soft drinks, juices, pastries, cake slices, sugar buns, spice buns, cookies, etc, need to drastically reduce the sugar contained in their various products. As such, instead of the minister of health and wellness encouraging food and drink producers to lower the sugar content in their products, a law should be immediately enacted to stipulate how much sugar should be in various soft drinks, juices and baked products, and which covers all product categories and the sugar should be proportionate to the quantity of the product.
The consumption of too much sugar can lead to obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. These risk factors make people far more susceptible to heart diseases.
It is high time that the Government of Jamaica take the ‘bull by the horns’ on this critical issue of national importance. This is crucial to Jamaica’s current and future generations so that they can enjoy healthy lifestyle and a long life.
Finally, a significant reduction in the sugar content in locally produced food and drink will by extension assist in reducing the strain on Jamaica’s traditionally overburdened public-health system.
PATRICK GALLIMORE