Nutrition in the News: Fortified Cocktails, Fat Taxes, and Low Income Eating
I read an interesting series of articles about improving nutritional status in the US and Britain. First, the New York Times reports that trendy Manhattan bars are offering vitamin-fortified cocktails – fresh, organic fruits and/or veggies are muddled with vodka martinis to create a “healthy” alternative to your typical beverages. I’m skeptical – given the volume of fruits and veggies recommended for a healthy diet, you’d have to drink a whole lot of vodka martinis to get the vitamins you need in a day. Probably better to go for a fruit salad.
The British are still debating the utility of a “fat tax” as a way to discourage people from eating food high in refined sugar, flour or unhealthy oils. So far the government’s position is that taxing non-nutritive food is too controlling (creates a “nanny state”), and that people will just find an unhealthy alternative to the taxed foods. Interestingly, some research suggests that if all unhealthy foods were taxed, and healthy foods were made less expensive, thousands of heart attacks and obesity-related conditions might be avoided each year. However, this study has been received with much skepticism.
And a new British study also showed a surprising similarity between middle class and lower income eating habits. Both groups ate equally poorly, though the lower income group was more likely to smoke and engage in less physical activity. The similar eating habits came as a surprise, as it had been incorrectly assumed that the lower income group had a substantially poorer diet.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
I think it would be easier, and healthier, to have a fruit salad too. Can you imagine how much alcohol you would consume just to get a few fruit servings in, lol?