Soda Tax: Cutting Off An Arm Because You Scraped Your Elbow

Soda Tax. It was all the rage a month or two ago. The argument was: Sugary sweet stuff causes diabetes, therefore, sugary sweet stuff should be taxed. The argument is seriously flawed. Take a gander at the ingredient of the average bottle of pop:

Pepsi is made with carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, sugar, phosphoric acid, caffeine, citric acid and natural flavors. A can of Pepsi (12 fl ounces) has 41 grams of carbohydrates (all from sugar), 30 mg of sodium, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of protein, 38 mg of caffeine and 150 calories. The caffeine-free Pepsi-Cola contains the same ingredients but without the caffeine. -Wikipedia

Key ingredient: Corn Syrup, not sugar. 95% of your soda makers use this ingredient, and if you read the following article, this is your biggest diabetes contributor:

ScienceDaily (Aug. 23, 2007) — Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. In a laboratory study of commonly consumed carbonated beverages, the scientists found that drinks containing the syrup had high levels of reactive compounds that have been shown by others to have the potential to trigger cell and tissue damage that could cause the disease, which is at epidemic levels.

Recently, PepsiCo unleashed Pepsi Throwback on the public to an overwhelming response. Try and find a case of Throwback and you soon found yourself store-hopping because most shelves were bare. Why? First, the soda did not have the trademark lingering after-burn that corn syrup leaves behind. It was light, clean, refreshing. There was applause from American Sugar Growers, and they asked Pepsi to make it permanent. They also said they could supply the demand the old / new formula would cause.

The Bottom Line is our FDA creates about 80% of our health issues. One could argue doing so ensures higher prescription sales as people get older, therefore creating a long-term need that also in turn creates profit. It's business. After an hour's worth of research regarding the preservatives in American's foods, one soon concludes these preservatives are poisoning us. It appears to be both a deliberate vicious circle and a Pandora's Box.

Is Soda the culprit? In point of fact, no, it is not. The chemicals used to cut corners and preserve the contents are. Fresh Foods that don't sit on a shelf are both better for you, and free of these chemicals. Therefore, technically, the makers of said products are the culprits. In essence, the FDA should ultimately tax itself.