Mayor Bloomberg claims his plan to impose a 16-ounce limit on sugary beverages sold in restaurants and cafes in the city will help in the fight against obesity. If the Health Board approves the ban, it could become effective as early as next spring.
The proposal has been welcomed by health experts concerned that even a regular 12-ounce can of soda contains 9.5 teaspoons of sugar, with the high calories causing weight gain, diabetes, clogged arteries and heart disease.
“Many people are not aware of how much sugar they are taking in from soda and how the high calories lead to being overweight and obesity,” says Brooklyn-based dietitian Lisa Hamilton.
Here are Hamilton’s tips on how to ditch, or at least cut back, on soda:
DO
* Drink plain seltzer water flavored with slices of orange, cucumber, limes or lemons.
* Drink homemade iced tea sweetened with agave nectar (which has a lower glycemic index than sugar), a little bit of honey or sugar substitutes (Truvia, Equal, Splenda, etc.).
* Enhance the taste of water with packaged flavor sweeteners such as 4C, Wyler’s, Crystal Light and Celestial Seasonings.
* Buy the Zero version of Vitamin Water, which contains no calories.
* Replace soda with almond milk, fat-free milk or light soy milk, as they are great sources of protein as well as lower-calorie carbs.
DON’T
* Switch to the diet version of dark sodas such as Coke, Pepsi and root beers because the phosphoric acid they contain is harmful to teeth and bones.
* Feel like you have to go cold turkey on soda like our guinea pigs did. Try it in baby steps. If you drink soda seven days a week, cut back to four days a week, gradually reducing the amount.
* Make up for the lack of sugar in soda by putting more sugar in your coffee or tea.
* Switch soda for undiluted juices such as grape or orange as the carbs in fruit juice contain high calories. Add a dash of orange juice to water or seltzer instead.
* Keep sodas in the house as they may be too tempting to resist.