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How Much Sugar is Too Much?

by Fred Hahn on October 15, 2009

Dr. Kelly Brownell, director of Yale University’s Rudd Center for food policy and obesity wants to place a $0.1 cent per ounce tax on all sugar added beverages to help solve the obesity crisis. In this video he discusses his rational and position on the subject.

Whether you agree with him or not, is a not the issue. The issue is the sugar that’s in the beverage. What’s interesting is that, at 4:02 into the video, he states that “Sugared beverages are not necessary for survival…” (a big duh) but then a second later he says “…they have fruit juices to pull from…” meaning, instead of drinking soda, people should drink fruit juice as an alternative.

Pardon moi?

Take a look at this table. Scroll down a bit and you’ll see that any common fruit juice has just as much sugar as a can of soda – some more so. Isn’t someone like Dr. Brownell supposed to know this? Given the chart, he should be proposing a hefty levy on orange juice too and grape juice should be made downright illegal. But according to Dr. Brownell, fruit juice is A.O.K.

It just goes to show you how little some experts really know or how paralyzed they are when it comes to differentiating between like substances. Or, is some food company depositing some mucho dinero in a secret Swedish bank account for the good doc? Oh I kid, Dr, Brownell but…

And, though I hate to say it, Dr. Brownell is not exactly the picture of health or leanness either. No offense intended of course. But if you’re going to be a leader in the field of obesity, you shouldn’t be obese yourself. That’s my opinion at least.

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I've been involved in exercise ever since I became a member of The Charles Atlas Club when I was 10 years old. In 1998, I founded and established Serious Strength on the Upper West Side of NYC. My clients include kids, seniors (and everyone in between), top CEOs, celebrities, bestselling authors, journalists and TV personalities.
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in Nutrition · 7 comments

{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

Ailu October 25, 2009 at 10:15 AM

I posted once before about this, but maybe my post got lost. I would love to see your table, but the table link goes to the same link you posted earlier, and not the table.

Lynn October 31, 2009 at 9:50 AM

The American Academy of Family Physicians has created a “corporate partnership” with Coca-Cola that’s designed to “develop consumer education content related to beverages and sweeteners”, that is “an alliance” with Coca Cola that describes their product as just another snack…… in return for a six-figure fee.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/30/pimping_their_patients/

Paul B. November 4, 2009 at 1:15 PM

I’ve always wondered why anyone listens to what this guy has to say about nutrition. His excuse for being obese was that a few years ago he was writing a book about obesity and gained weight. WTF?

I read an article about Brownell a few years back and he was in a restaurant bemoaning the fact that he could not get his preferred breakfast of oatmeal, skim milk, and fruit. With a breakfast like that, no wonder he is obese. No fat, very little protein–he’s probably starving by 10 AM and binges on whatever food is available.

Fred Hahn November 17, 2009 at 11:50 AM

What table are you referring to Ailu?

Fred Hahn November 17, 2009 at 11:53 AM

Lynn – as always, big business is big business.

Ailu March 16, 2010 at 10:22 AM

Fred, the link in the following sentence in your article, it points to a Youtube video, not a table:

“Take a look at this table. Scroll down a bit and you’ll see that any common fruit juice has just as much sugar as a can of soda – some more so. Isn’t someone like Dr. Brownell supposed to know this?”

Fred Hahn March 16, 2010 at 11:54 AM

OOps I’ll have to fix it thanks!

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