Fresh

fresh

MAY 2016

The Rise of Juicing

A glimpse into the world of juicing pg 8

The New Era of Ordering

Click. Click. Here comes your food pg 14

America’s Sweet Problem

The truth about the effects soda has on health pg 20

Table of Letter from the Editor & Contributors

A Day of Healthy Eating

The Rise of Juicing Juicing is trending now and for a good reason. Explore this new world of health and taste!

Best Cuisine in Austin

Photo credit: lentilsandlungs

3 Fresh

Contents The New Era of Ordering

With new apps and speedy online delivery systems, food of any shape and kind can be brought to your doorstep in moments.

What should you drink?

America’s Sweet Problem The shocking health aspects of soda, and how the endless consumption of the beverage takes it’s toll on America.

Photo credit: Popsugar

Fresh 4

Meet the Contributors emily baker Emily’s favorite food is a grilled cheese sandwich; she could eat it every day of the week. She also loves to drink smoothies at her local juice bar, as well as make her own at her house. Her favorite color is blue because it can be both calming and vibrant. Emily’s dream destination is Hawaii, or any other tropical island. She loves traveling to places with beaches because of the carefree atmosphere. Her favorite time of the day is 6:00 p.m. because there is always a beautiful sunset, and it’s the time when one can spend time with family as well as friends.

hannah saquing Hannah’s love for food started at a young age after being exposed to many different cuisines by her parents. Having Tiff’s delivered to her house is a regular activity and has always been interested in the business of delivering through the use of technology. Her dream destination would have to be the Bahamas because it has a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere that encompasses happiness and the simple joys in life.

Her favorite time of the day, she says, would definitely be 11:00 a.m. because by then the sun has already risen, and it is the perfect time to have brunch with the great company of her dear friends and family.

kathryn christian Kathryn’s favorite food is lettuce, she loves it no matter the shape, colo or type. Her favorite color is blue because it reminds her of the ocean and snorkeling, which happens to be one of her favorite activities.

Kathryn’s pet peeves are people chewing loudly and exaggerating their stories. Kathryn has always been enthusiastic about her health. Her dream destination is Thailand because of the food and amazing beaches.

Kathryn’s favorite time of the day is 4:20 p.m., because by that time she is home from school and has plenty of time to relax. Her spirit animal is a lemur because she have long legs and was born in Austin, Texas.

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This edition of

Fresh

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Dear Readers,

is a compilation of hard work and

dedication from our great and supportive team. Taking pictures, writing stories , and designing spreads were all part of the process and I am pleased to say that this copy of Fresh is truly captivating to all of the senses. This edition of Fresh features healthy eating, local Austin food, easy recipes for at home , and more. Juicing has never been more popular before today , from juiced vegetables to nutritious drink.

Online ordering has never been more accessible to the public eye and readily used all over the urban city of Austin. Even though soda is a big problem for America, there are hearty alternatives that are just as tasty and promote your health. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did creating it.

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Sincerely,

Hannah Saquing, Editor of Fresh Magazine

A DAY OF

HEALTHY Here are some easy meals to make that can satisfy your hunger throughout the day By Emily Baker

Avocado egg toast has many beneficial ingredients for your health like eggs and avocados. Eggs are a good source of protein and they lower stroke and heart disease risk. Avocados lower cholesterol levels significantly, and they’re high in potassium and in fiber which have health benefits for weight loss - calories: 229.

Avocado Egg Toast Recipe • 1 slice whole grain bread, toasted • 1 oz mashed avocado • 1 large egg • salt and pepper to taste

Mash avocado in a small bowl and season. Heat a small nonstick skillet over low heat, spray with oil and gently crack the egg into the skillet. Cover and cook to your liking. Place mashed avocado over toast, top with egg, salt and pepper!

The kale in this meal is high in antioxidants that help prevent oxidative damage, lower blood pressure, and have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. It also has a high amount of vitamin C; 4.5 times as much as spinach - calories in one cup of kale: 33.

Kale • • • • • •

Pasta Salad Recipe 1 pound farfalle pasta 1 pint small tomatoes such as grape or cherry 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped 1 16 ounce bottle Ken’s Creamy Caesar Steakhouse Dressing 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta according to package and place in a large bowl. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees.

Place the tomatoes on a small tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season and roast for 8-10 minutes. Chop the kale into small pieces and add to the pasta with tomatoes. Pour about Ken’s Creamy Caesar Dressing onto the salad and gently toss. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

EATING

The peanut butter in this smoothie helps with weight loss becasue it suppresses hunger. Another ingredient in this smoothie, bananas, and peanut butter are high in potassium which lowers risk of stroke and heart disease - calories: 335.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie • 2 bananas • 2 cups milk • ½ cup peanut butter • 2 tablespoons honey • 2 cups ice cubes

Place bananas in blender and blend until smooth. Then add milk, peanut butter, honey, and ice cubes in a blender; blend until smooth.

Not only is chicken one of the highest protein suppliers, it helps with the growth of muscles. Consuming chicken instead of red meat lowers risk of cholesterol and heart disorders, and diets with high levels of protein have been known to be effective in reducing and maintaining weight - calories: 270.

Chicken Breats with Tomatoes and Olives • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves • 1 cup multicolored cherry or grape tomatoes, halved • 3 tablespoons oil and vinegar dressing, divided • 20 olives, halved • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Place chicken on rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 6 minutes on each side. Combine tomatoes, 1 1/2 tablespoons dressing, and olives in a medium skillet over medium heat, and cook for 2 minutes or until tomatoes soften slightly and mixture is thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Brush chicken with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons dressing. Cut each chicken breast half into 3/4-inch slices. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and torn basil leaves, if desired.

THE RISE OF JUICING

BY EMILY BAKER

A glimpse into the world of juicing

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round the country people crave a healthy, fast, and easy alternative to the “go to” snacks we have all been eating for years. According to Stanford Health Care, in just the United States alone, 300,000 deaths are related to obesity; 40,000 deaths due to junk food. Only 4 percent of Americans are having a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables, and these shocking amounts of deaths are the repercussions. To solve the country’s problem of malnourishment, people are starting to drink juice to receive their daily dose of nutrients.

Are you still thinking of grabbing that bag of chips in your cupboard?

In the last few years, the juicing trend has exploded, having recently rebounded from the declining consumption in 2008.

Countless people swear by the drinks, and some even call themselves “juice fanatics”.

Many consumers wanting a fresher substitute to replace the fatty and greasy foods in their diet look to juicing as the fastest way to increase their fruit and vegetable intake.

To follow the growing juice business, juice bars are emerging in every major city. Places such as JuiceLand and Juice Austin, located in Austin, Texas, have been a popular spot for tourists that come into the music capitol. Due to juice bars’ chill and casual atmosphere, the healthiness of juices, and the rapidly growing fan base of fanatics, people shouldn’t be surprised when juice bars pop up at every corner.

Myles James, the owner of Juice, says, “We don’t tell people they should only drink juice or only drink smoothies, but we do feel like they are a complement to other people’s healthy diet.” Many skeptics of the juicing trend say that when juicing, all that is left of the fruits is the sugar content with no other nutritional value, which is the main reason some people stray away from juice. Don’t always listen to what you hear.

The sugar in juice is actually advantageous

because it’s an instant source of energy. As well, the fiber from the juices are better absorbed by the body than fresh fruits, making digestion easier on people’s body. After waking up for an early day of school or after an exhausting day of work, people can drink a glass of juice and will immediately feel refreshed. “[Juices] are a fantastic substitute for a snack or in between meals,” says James.

The more people pick juice over snacks, the less empty calories people get from packaged

their required amount of servings, without having the hassle of planning how much to eat in every meal. According to the Stanford Cancer Center, five cups of nutrients in vegetables is equivalent to about one cup of juice. By drinking an eight-ounce glass of juice, people would have an entire day’s worth of fruits and vegetables!

Some of the first recorded evidence of juicing is from 150 B.C. E. to 70 C.E., and in the 1920s the trend became even more popular with an even bigger increase in consumption 1989.

In 2012, juicing was projected to grow by 4% to 8%, and now is over a $5 billion business. The start of the growth of juice be- Myles James gan with juice cleanses. For dropping the undesirable pounds, snacks in their diet. juice cleanses in the past have been the easy The Harvard School of Public fix, but now healthy eating is following that Health estimates for an average person who popular trend. needs 2,000 calories a day, four and a half Many juice bars implemented juice cups of fruits and vegetables are the favor- cleanses, like JuiceLand and Juice Austin, able amount to eat. “I like to give my clients but the real rise in juicing has been seen tips on ways to incorporate seven servings in the new health-frenzy that people are of veggies in their diets every day,” says Car- obsessing over. In the supermarket, people ly Pollack, a nutritionist located in Austin, will pay almost anything for something with Texas and the owner and founder of Nutri- the words “organic” or “unprocessed”. With tional Wisdom. Juicing can help people get juices being a combination of both, people

[Juices] are a fantastic substitute for a snack or in between meals.

photo credit: Annabelle Breakey

are bouncing off the walls to get their hands on some. James says, “We got interested in the juice business after doing some research about things that were going on in California and New York. The more research we did the more interested we were in the business,” when recalling why he wanted to start his company. His story is similar to that of many other established and developing juice bars.

Health fanatics are going crazy over juices. “These products help give people an alternative to be more healthy if they want to be more careful about what they want to be putting in their bodies,” says James. Some positive attributes to juices are that they are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream, so they are easily digested. Also, according to Nutrition.gov, juicing is

an easy way to get folate, an essential nutrient that most people don’t get enough of in their diet. In Pollack’s case, she says the biggest problems she hears involving the lack of fruits and vegetables are “[People] are not getting the many necessary vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to fight disease and illness”. The inconvenient accessibility of fruits and vegetables is one of the key reasons for people’s absence of them.

“Juice bars make it convenient and simple for everyone to get their hands on fresh wholesome nutrients,” says Jacquelynn St. Pierre, Public Relations Manager of Juice-

Land. With 15 JuiceLand locations alone in Austin, Texas, not including the other juice bars in the city, soon everyone will have a sustainable amount nutrients.

As well as just attracting consumers, the juicing trend is getting the attention of big name companies like Starbucks.

In 2012, Starbucks was introduced to the juice business and bought Evolution Fresh, a line of cold-pressed juices. To decorate the inside of their store and to bring in new customers, electronic art was hung up, including an 11-foot-tall “juice wall”. Many juice bars have a unique atmosphere in their stores, which draws in the carefree customers from the outside world of flashing signs and crowded sidewalks. The stores are filled with relaxing music and the calming hum of the machines, making them a perfect place to work without too much distraction.

Like any other freshman starting high school, Nadia Freeman studies in her local juice joint all the time, but while other students can relax after school, she has to be cautious everywhere she goes. Freeman says, “It’s great to have places like juice bars where I know I can find drinks that are good for me. Having to live with an allergy to MSG has allowed me to become more aware of what I eat, and I think I am a healthier person because of it”. Monosodium glutamate or MSG is a flavor enhancer commonly used in packaged and processed foods. The Food and Drug Administration has classified MSG as “generally recognized as safe,” but its use remains controversial. Freeman’s allergy to MSG developed in middle school when she began to have migraines, nausea, weakness, and blurry vision. These symptoms aren’t unusual for people eating foods with MSG, but researchers haven’t found evidence yet that proves their connection. According to the Mayo Clinic, - Carly Pollack the only way to prevent a reaction is to avoid foods with MSG. “It’s [MSG] a source of anxiety,” says Freeman, “I was skeptical originally, because most of the time when a business claims to have all natural ingredients, it isn’t really true, but then I realized that they [juice bars] really do have all nat-

[People] are not getting the many necessary vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to fight disease

ural ingredients”. Due to juice bars, people with eating allergies can find a tasty snack, while most importantly finding a safe, healthy place to get a bite to eat.

Social media is the new way to advertise companies. According to Statista. com, there are 2 billion social network users worldwide. Through the vast number of users, companies are able to reach out to a diverse pool of consumers. St. Pierre says, “Through social media we are able to educate larger groups on the benefits of our products”. On platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, companies are able to share promotions and events involving their business, profiting from the exposure along the way. To show customers their wide array of products, they post pictures of them and they use incentives like giveaways and discounts to gain more followers. Juice bars are able to apply these methods easily; the brightly colored juices and smoothies make up an aesthetic feed, and the foodies of the world are ideal targets to subscribe to posts.

The snack foods that have dominated the business for so long are lately been pushed over to make room for healthier alternatives. To fill the absences of snack foods in people’s diets, juicing can fill the gap. With all of the benefits of juice, people should plan to see juices in every supermarket and restaurant in the country. The chill vibes of the stores make them a prime place to study, and an even better place to snap a quick photo for Instagram. Tell coffee shops to move over as the rise of juicing takes charge. From heath critics to fanatics, it seems everyone is talking about is juicing.

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best cuisine in austin by hannah saquing

ward winning and restaurants and cuisine can be found all around in the unique and urban city of Austin, Texas.

The iconic food of Austin and Austin Chronicle have given us some of the best of Austin.

ice cream best

best noodles

Amy’s Ice cream voted best cold dairy creation in Austin by Austin Chronicle in 2015. Ice cream is a favorite for anyone. Amy’s has been making their iconic ice cream since the early 2000s and has since then expanded all over Austin and even to San Antonio and Houston.

With so many locations all over, it’s hard to not stop by and grab a cone.

Ramen Tatsu-Ya was named the best Ramen in the country by the New York Times. Ramen Tatsu-Ya’s bowl of perfect is crafted three days in advance to cultivate its rich and explosive flavors. When paired with the century egg, minced green onion, chashu pork, and egg noodles the flavors of Japan are truly transported to the North Austin establishment.

best bakery

best burger

Uppercrust Bakery was voted the best bakery in Austin by the Austin Chronicle in 2015. Uppercrust bakery is a scratch bakery located on Burnet Road. The feature fresh baked goods made every morning right in their kitchen, including cakes, pies, parfaits, brownies and cookies. Their lunch menu is made perfect for a light meal before exploring the urban city of Austin.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar was voted the for best burgers in Austin by the Austin Chronicle in 2014 and 2015 and nominated as Iconic Austin Food by the Austin American Statesman. The line stretching out is all for the favorite burger of Austinites. The stacked burgers paired with their truffle fries and red velvet milkshake is a must and Hopdoddy Burger bar gets it right every time.

best pizza

best tacos

Homeslice pizza was voted the best bakery in Austin by the Austin Chronicle in 2015 and named one of the best in the country by Thrillist. Homeslice pizza serve up some of the largest pizzas in Austin, in both size and flavor. These are no joke to pizza connoisseurs of Austin. Located on South Congress, the cultural hub of all Austin hipsters

Torchy’s Tacos was named best tacos in 2014 and 2015 by the Austin Chronicle, and visited and loved by President, Barack Obama. Torchy’s started as a small food truck that blossomed into many locations. Their unique combination of ingredients in their tacos have even caused President Barack Obama to stop by: more than once.

best coffee

best seafood

Houndstooth Coffee named best coffee in Austin by Austin Chronicle in 2015. Celebrate great coffee with a complex blend originating from the all over the world’s coffee-growing regions.

After gathering the finest arabica beans at their peak of flavor, they harmoniously blend and roast them together as one. With floral, citrus and herbal notes, their coffee is a sip of delightful flavors on a warm, sunny day.

Perla’s was named best seafood in Austin by Austin Chronicle in 2014. Perla’s is not just another restaurant on South Congress. It is the seafood restaurant of Austin. They serve up fresh and locally caught fish that have been delighting taste buds since the spring of 2009. Their lobster shells & cheese is a Perla favorite.

late night ea t best

r best ba becue

Kerbey Lane located and named after its first location, Kerbey Lane. Voted best late night food in 2013, 2014, and 2015 by Austin Chronicle. Kerbey Lane Cafe, the late night dining destination for all ages. Their fluffy pancakes pack in a powerful punch of flavor that delights Austinites all around. A twist on a classic American diner is refreshing and true to the vibe of Austin.

Franklin BBQ was voted the best BBQ in Austin by the Austin Chronicle in 2014, and 2015. Every morning barbecue enthusiasts line up starting at 7 a.m., despite the fact that Franklin’s doesn’t open until at 11 a.m.. They close out after they have sold out all of the meat cooked that morning. The line around the block is a justification for the barbecue craze in this East Austin establishment.

a ne w era of ordering by hannah saquing

Online ordering has taken Austin by storm as more and more local businesses use it to their advantage

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he click of a mouse can translate into a complex series of instructions for the food industry, but for the consumer, hitting the “order now” button at the bottom of the screen can be the best part of their day. The eyes of the starving client gaze across the screen as their fingers press the icons for the delicious food awaiting them. Little do you know the intricacy online and mobile ordering entails for employees, and its massive benefits to an entrepreneur and their upstarting company.

Technology has existed for a long time now, but something is new on its repertoire for making it easier to live in this complex world: food. Online and mobile platforms are now the new way to know about and order food. Kickstarting a business has never been easier with the vast and user-friendly websites to help entrepreneurs and get their name out into the world. In addition to these, social media is widely used to advertise local areas. Without the use of technology, many local eateries’ success would not be where it is today.

Starting a new business can never be easy; the paperwork, advertisements, publicity, and the food product are all things that an entrepreneur has to worry about. Who is going to come to the restaurant? What if our cookies aren’t sold everyday? These are all questions that are coming from the group of people whose humble beginnings were transformed by the availability of online and mobile ordering platforms. Tiff’s Treats Executive Vice President of Marketing, Jeff Sartor says, “We started out of Leon’s crammed college apartment in the Hyde Park area. From there, we moved to a shared kitchen space with a potato place, Spudnik. In 2001, we moved into the house we now occupy at 1806 Nueces St”. The unique and urban

culture of Austin has allowed Tiff’s Treats to expand from their small apartment to six different locations in the Austin area and even more in around central Texas.

The metropolitan city of Austin is home to many eateries that known throughout the nation, such as Salt Lick Barbecue, Ramen Tatsuya, Uchi, Hopdoddy Burgers, and many more. Food trucks are one of many ways that a business can kick-start itself.

Michi Ramen is one of these, manager Jessie Harder says, “Michi Ramen started as a food truck in North Austin as the city’s first stand alone Ramen shop. It was, however, only open for about a month before the founders, Frederick Lee and Chef Chiharu, realized that, due to high demand for Ramen and the enormous amount of production involved, they were going to need more space. The first brick and mortar full service Michi Ramen location opened on North Lamar in early 2013. The location I currently manage is a take-out and delivery only location that opened in July of 2015 and is Michi Ramen second location”. Austin’s unique culture fuels their success showcasing their ability to stay up to date with the new generation of technology.

This would not have been possible with the readily used social media in lieu of traditional advertisements. Today, social media is used as advertisement, and sometimes a career. Models such as Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne, and Kendall Jenner can make

approximately $125,000 to $300,000 for a single Instagram post. Marketers often look to social media to advertise because it reaches a wider audience. Jessie Harder says, “Social media is our only form of advertising. We do maybe one advertising push per week along with semi-frequent Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook posts”. Michi Ramen’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook presence have helped spread the word about the gourmet soup that has been recently made available through their website, michiramen.com.

The extensive benefits of online ordering showcase a technological platform allow customers to interact with the business in a completely different way. For Michi Ramen, ordering can also go through Eat24 and Amazon Prime Order Now. Without these platforms, their sales would substantially decrease. “Thirty-five to forty percent of our business [is] from online services. This is probably because of our use of many third party online ordering services. Unfortunately, online orders cut

into our profits because the 3rd party services take a percentage of the sale”, Jessie Harder says. These third parties take orders and deliver the food to the doorstep of a hungry consumer, all for $12.

Research by Dr. Christopher Holmberg published by the Huffington Post confirms that eating remains a social activity, and has been throughout the history of mankind. This provides logical reasoning as to why social media prevails as an effective form of advertisement.

Jessie Harder says, “Technology has also helped us to reach a wider consumer base and has helped to grow our brand both online and in the city of Austin”.

This demonstrates Michi Ramen using an online and social media presence to cultivate their reputation into what fits their brand and heraldry towards a wide audience. Powerful and influential crowds are teenagers, combined they make up a large part of market consumers and both are the largest combined group of social media users, primarily Twitter and Instagram.

With over 15 locations Tiff’s is, “The first company in the nation to offer warm cookie delivery on demand,” Jeff Sartor says. This ordering platform is made possible through their website, cookiedelivery.com, where fresh baked goods can be ordered and delivered right to a customer’s door.

Previous orders can be saved to a customer’s profile which helps save orders and preferences unique to their taste.

Many successful people are those whose love for food transformed into a small baking hobby.

Rowena Suarez is one of these people, she says, “I do post photos of what I make, or write about my latest cake adventures on my blog, but you will not catch me telling people to order cakes or goodies from me”. Friends and family saw these posts and pictures and immediately fell in love with her cakes and baked goods because they possess the same charisma and jocund that Suarez lives has in her life.

Suarez says, “Almost 100 percent of the projects I’ve done are for friends, and friends of friends”, as she bakes all sorts of goodies including sans rivals, blondies, cupcakes, and Swiss rolls. Friend and client Michele Saquing says, “I love the quality of her cakes, the vanilla buttercream and mocha cake are a match made in heaven. They are perfectly moist and decadent with the best dense but fluffy texture”. With more time her baking and cake decoration skills improved and her delicious cakes appeared on her Facebook, friends and family just couldn’t get enough of her pastries.

The food ordering world wouldn’t be the same if it

weren’t for the machinery and new forms of telecommunications that it has today. From advertising to bridging human connection to mobile convenience, the world has catapulted itself to a tech savvy era of time. It will continue to develop and prosper for as long as it is beneficial to entrepreneurs and business people alike. It helps create a persona for a company and increases profit and overall promotes greater success for a company.

From restaurant fronts to food trucks to home bakers to pastry and cookie deliveries, technology serves its purpose one way or another.

What should A variety of healthy alternatives to soda based on your needs and wants

by Kathryn Christian

WEIGHT LOSS: Grapefruit Juice

HEALTH: Greenjuice

SLEEP: Chamomile Tea

Grapefruit juice contains high amounts of fiber that help satisfy hunger. The fruit stimulates cholecystosis to be released, which regulates digestive juices that act as hunger suppressants. Not only does the grapefruit have these characteristics, but it is also a powerhouse for the heart and contains vitamin C and folic acids. Grapefruit does wonders!

This tasty mixture of fruits and veggies is not trending for no reason. Green juice containing dark green vegetables is proven to be very healthy for your body. Broccoli helps reduce headaches and mental depression. It contains vitamin B9 which increases the flow of bodily functions. Green juice can also help lower cholesterol, and reduce risk of diabetes.

The urban legends are true, tea does help you sleep! The chamomile flower, which has a very similar appearance to the daisy, is a herb that’s been used to treat sleep problems for centuries. The bisabolol oil in the tea has anti irritant, anti inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Drink this if you are experiencing insomnia, anxiety, or other sleep disorders.

you drink?

ENERGY: Berry juice

Not only are red fruits such as cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries delicious, but also some of the healthiest food in the world.

Deep colored fruits are stepped in complex carbohydrates which supply glucose to the blood. The fruits help combat depression and decrease irritability. This combination of glucose and oxygen lead to higher energy and elevated brain power.

RELAXATION: Banana smoothies

Blend a banana and fruit of your choice for the perfect snack! The banana is beneficial to the body is many ways due to it’s high amounts of potassium and vitamins. This fruit contains large amounts of B6, a vitamin that releases serotonin, and trophic levels.

The banana offers a mood regulating relaxant, is good for bowel regulation, and nutrients can resolve heart rhythm.

CLEAR SKIN: Green tea

Green tea can help bring back a healthy glow to your skin! The polyphenols in the tea are anti inflammatory and have DNA repair capabilities.

Antioxidants help improve skin complexion. Green tea also reduces the chance of skin cancer. As well as all the skin benefits, the beverage contains fluoride which strengthens teeth and bones.

America’s Sweet Problem The truth about the effects soda has on health written by Kathryn Christian

B

efore popping open a cola on a sunny day, ask yourself, is it worth your health? In 2013, the Harvard School of Public Health revealed that 25,000 obesity-related American deaths were linked to sugar sweetened drinks. The fact that these substances are still legal, and consumed at a shocking 8.9 billion cases a year, contributing to the 200 million obese Americans, should be a signal to limit the constant consumption of these harmful beverages.

Many soda drinkers across the country are learning new information about what they’re actually putting inside their bodies. Beverages such as Coca Cola are filled with addicting unnatural chemicals, and GMO’s. Soft drinks are counteractive to weight loss efforts, adding an estimation of fifteen pounds to the body every year because of their overwhelming amounts of calories and sugar. Not only do they increase body weight, but they stain and corrode your teeth, as well as causing insomnia and

sleeping disorders. These are just few of the detrimental effects soda has on your body.

You’re probably thinking to yourself right now, “I drink soda all the time, and I’m fine.”

But do you know the long time effects soda consumption has on your body? Do you know what a soda free life would feel like?

Clara Gibbs, a former teenage soda addict, recently gave up soda after watching the movie, “Supersize Me”. This 2004 American documentary follows Morgan Spurlock, on his 30 day journey of just eating McDonalds. Spurlock gained 24 pounds during this expenditure, and his physical and psychological well being was greatly impacted. Spurlock drank multiple large cups of soda a day, negatively affecting his health. “I was thinking to myself, ‘Oh my gosh, I could make my life so much better if I gave up soda.’ It was basically killing me slowly. I wanted to add a few more years to my lifespan,” says Gibbs.

Soda fountains and machines are

upping their technology with more flavours and buttons to increase their range amounts of customers, especially children.

At a young age, children are drawn into the sweet and colorful combinations of soft drinks. Soda companies purposely market to young people by making their beverages cheap and easily accessible. “The carbonation and sugar draws innocent young children in, it’s just disgusting how big companies like Coca Cola take advantage of this, deceiving these kids,” says Gibbs. 98% of high schools in the US have soda in their vending machines. The government and school districts are basically providing students with these sugary drinks. About one in three American kids are obese, and instead of trying to fix this problem, it is increasing.

One of the reasons commercialized sodas are so addicting, according to Mark Seiler, ½ of the owner of Maine Root, a local soft drink business, are the chemicals and glucose going into the drink. “The way corn

syrup is absorbed in your body, the time it takes to get from your digestive system to your brain to tell you you’ve had enough is longer than the time you’d be at the restaurant. If you go in and buy a Coke, you’re gonna go up and hit that fountain three or four times until your brain tells you you’ve had enough. You can have 700 calories of soda in a half hour because your brain is not telling you you’ve had enough,” says Seiler. A large McDonald’s beverage contains 32 oz, adding up to 400 calories for one drink. Now look back to all those times where you’ve gotten a soda, and kept going back for more. Jack Kenney, a high school student at LASA, is known by his peers for his obsessive desire for soda. Everyday Jack brings several cans of soda to his classes, his favorite being Sprite. “I love the way it tastes.

There’s something about it where I can’t drink just one,” says Kenney. This strategy of putting these addictive chemicals in drinks is commonly used by commercialized soda companies so people keep buying more and more until they’re satisfied.

Corn syrup is just a minor problem compared to caffeine. According to a report by John Hopkins University, caffeine is the most consumed mood altering drug in the world. A following study showed soda damages neurons in the brains of developing children. This is not even the worst of the effects. Phosphorus found in the drinks leads to the depletion of bone density, and interferes with the calcium that should be being absorbed by the body. Consumption of soda within children leads to diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

So now the question is, why do people drink soda when they know how bad it is for their health? Nutritionist Melanie Sanders says, “A lot people I talk to drink it because they think soda is boring, and I think that carbonated sweet beverages are exciting to the taste buds. Since it’s cheap and easily available, a lot of people drink it It’s way easier to go out and buy a soda then put some fruits in water.” After surveying a couple of high school teens about why they drink soda, and if they know about the health risks, most of them were shocked about the effects. Freshmen Rajan Topiwala says, “Of course I know soda

is bad for you, but once in awhile doesn’t hurt anyone.” Rajan brings up a valid point.

Maybe the issue with soda is the fast food that accompanies it. Nutritionist and dietician Sanders has a similar opinion to young Topiwala. “Too much of anything is not a good thing, but overall I like to tell my clients to take everything in moderation.

The occasional soda should be fine,” says Sanders. A soda once in awhile may have a

of Cola. You might be asking yourself, what can I drink if I don’t feel like water? Nutritionist Sanders proposes milk. “Milk is a really great beverage, it’s got vitamins, minerals, proteins, and healthy fats,” says Sanders. Emily Baker, a LASA freshmen, expressed her love for smoothies nd fresh juices when asked her favorite alternative to soda. Although nothing will be as healthy as water, herbal teas, milk, juices, and smoothies are by far a better alternative than soft drinks.

America’s problem is the mass ingestion of soft drinks causing us to poison our bodies both physically and mentally. An occasional soda on a sunny day is not a bad thing, but the hundreds of thousands of -Jack Kenney calories consumed by one an individual after a couple trips to the soda fountain few short term effects, but consuming it ev- is. Americans need to realize the poteneryday in mass amounts links to issues such tial danger posed by soda, and cut down as diabetes, obesity, and heart problems. on the guzzling of the refreshment.

Soda should be thought of as a dessert, a rarity, a special occasion. According to Sanders, our bodies need glucose, it’s the brain’s number one source of fuel. Not by any means should this be used as an excuse to drink your body weight in soft drinks. The amount of corn syrup and GMO’s being put into drinks by companies such as Coca Cola poses serious health issues. Seiler, owner of organic soda company, remarks, “It takes really smart marketing people to skirt around the issue of high fructose corn syrup.”

And this is exactly the type of rhetoric technique used by these companies. By promoting exercise, relaxation, and environmental issues, Cola distracts their customers from what they are drinking. Many people are fooled by these advertising tricks, and believe they’re benefiting themselves and others when buying the beverage.

After reading all this information, I’m guessing you’re not in the mood for a cold can

“There’s something about it where I can’t drink just one.”

Fresh juices & cleanses.

Superfood smoothies.

Salads & healthy meals.