this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2024
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[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 49 points 3 months ago (6 children)

That's not because the sugar tax was enough.

It's because the drink manufacturers mostly just stopped selling the full sugar versions, which kind of sucks for anyone who hates the taste of artificial sweeteners. Even squash like Robinsons became undrinkable. It tastes like battery acid.

There's only really Coca-Cola left that tastes the same as it did before. Lemon and lime drinks like 7-Up or Sprite almost cover the taste of it, so they'll do in a pinch. Otherwise I just drink water and cider. Apparently alcoholic drinks don't need to tell you how many calories are in them either, so I'll assume it's none and carry on looking confused when I get on the scales.

[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 44 points 3 months ago (1 children)

It's because the drink manufacturers mostly just stopped selling the full sugar versions

Which was a result of the sugar tax. They didn't just suddenly drop the sugar content for no reason.

[–] Liz@midwest.social 1 points 3 months ago (2 children)

The sugar tax didn't include artificial sweeteners? That's an oversight. Those things are bad for you in ways that are different from digestable sugars.

[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

They're nowhere near as bad as consuming a huge amount of sugar.

They only cause issues for a vanishingly tiny amount of people that have pre-existing genetic conditions.

[–] EnderMB@lemmy.world 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

That's highly debatable. It's swapping one set of side effects for another, especially when drunk at high volumes.

[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

It's not highly debatable, it's been studied to death. Sweeteners have existed for a long time.

There were rumours they cause cancer, this has been proven false. There were rumours they cause headaches, this has been proven false. There were rumours they cause infertility, this has been proven false. There have been rumours they stimulate your appetite, this likewise has zero scientific backing.

Aspartame, the most common sweetener, does cause issues for people with phenylketonuria, a rare genetic disorder, because it contains stuff they can't metabolise. But so does a long list of foods people eat every day.

Some polyol sweeteners have a mild laxative effect if consumed in very high quantities, but the same is true for stuff like tea, coffee, most fruits, etc.

Sugar is far worse for your health.

[–] uis@lemm.ee 4 points 3 months ago

Artificial sweeteners were created to fight glycation and allow people with diabetes enjoy sweetness.

And glycation is bad thing.

[–] Katana314@lemmy.world 39 points 3 months ago

So now people are avoiding sweet drinks not because they cost too much in taxes, but…because they taste like battery acid.

That’s still achieving the overall goal.

[–] Chewget@lemm.ee 7 points 3 months ago

It's still the manufacturers decision to change the product

[–] chatokun@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 months ago

In fact, the only ones that do tell you seem to be the ones aimed at calorie counters who still want to drink, mostly hard seltzers like WhiteClaw, Truly, etc.

White claw smaller can at 5% is 100-110 calories a can.

[–] EnderMB@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

I said this in another comment, but trying to find drinks that don't use sweeteners is painful nowadays. I can no longer drink most squashes, and my soft drink options are pretty much limited to coca cola (normal pepsi now has sweeteners), sainsbury's high juice, or rose's lime cordial...