Sugar Tax

So they were saying on the news that thems thinking about a sugar tax to reduce obesity.

Now I use sugar for brewing, so if I can show that i'm not a fatty, can I get a rebate???

Signed,

Mr Angry of Hambridge.

 

Good grief! It sounds as though things are going full circle....only the stinking rich will be able to afford luxuries like sugar, imported fruit like oranges, spices......ah well, it was good while it lasted......

 

Sounds like we'll be queuing with ration books before long.

 

If they tax sugar they'll also have to tax apples (12% sugar) or even carrots (6% sugar).

This sugar tax suggestion keeps coming up and going away. Whatever next, a sugar tax on Sungold tomato seeds or grape vines?

 

Don't mind a Sherbet

Can't eat porridge with golden syrup without being reminded of eating it whilst watching Nielson's "Without You" on top of the pops. Guess that was about 1972?

Funny how things remind you of stuff.

 

2011 http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/dec/21/sugary-soft-drinks-obesity-tax

2012 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...ges-prevent-obesity-study-says_n_1197801.html

2013 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24759517

2014 http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...esity-says-chief-medical-officer-9169310.html

 

This is ridiculous. Carbohydrates are turned into sugars within the body. Taxing, or even banning, destroying, eradicating for ever, sugar will make no difference whatsoever.

 

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/sugar-beet-seeds (I reckon the hens would eat the tops).


http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/2012/12/how-to-make-your-own-sugar.html

 

I don't think this can be true. Eating simple carbs in the form of, say, a Mars bar, has a very different effect on overall body chemistry to eating, for example, a plate of brown rice tomato risotto. The concentration of nutritionally empty, easily assimilated calories in very sweet foods causes problems both in the short and long term.

So whack on the tax, I'd say. £2 plus a health warning on the packet would be about right for a Mars bar.

The ready availability of cheap ultra-sweet foodstuffs is one of the reasons why Britain is rapidly turning into a nation of diabetes-ridden porkers. I'd respect any government that had the guts to take on the food industry who make massive profits from selling sugar-based rubbish.

 

As a diabetic I have to count the carbs in everything and match my insulin accordingly. When I have wanted to lose a bit of weight it was carbs that had to be cut not sugar. Still, it used to be fats that were blamed for obesity.....................................

 

The government will also have to tax low fat and 'healthy eating' foods.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-126977/Secret-sugar-shock.html

 

Sugar is a type of carbohydrate.

I agree it is confusing that the government/medical profession keeps switching message regarding diet advice, and makes people less inclined to take the advice seriously. However, there is clearly an overall national health problem and doing nothing is unlikely to sort it out.

As high refined sugar foods, such as chocolate and cake, are also high in undesirable fats, and the incidence of certain diseases have become epidemic in line with the nation's increasing consumption of such foodstuffs, I don't think it's unreasonable to point the finger of blame at either fat or sugar.

But I agree, diet issues are complicated, and it's going to be hard to stop people wanting to eat toxic but palatable foods, and even harder to stop big business encouraging us to do so.....

Unlike smoking/cancer, it has been harder to establish direct and incontrovertible causal links between aspects of diet and disease because there are so many variables but it's only a matter of time.

The contents and labelling of these foods (and the profits to be made) are another disgrace that the government should be dealing with.

 

Announced yesterday:

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/mar/04/animal-protein-diets-smoking-meat-eggs-dairy

So put a big tax on meat?