Walking out the door, grabbing a quick lunch in the office break, and rushing back to the tiny cubicle again. This is what a typical day of corporate employees looks like; and in such hurry, choosing a drink from the vast array of options is more of a ‘what you saw first’ decision rather than waiting and contemplating ‘which has lesser sugar’. In various nations, individuals are now consuming a higher number of sweet drinks than before.
This paradigm shift can be attributed to a few reasons. In today’s modern era, with the surge in supply of carbonated, high sugar content drinks such as Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper etc., people are choosing the easiest options available. the rationale behind it may be as simple as convenience. However, that is not the only factor at play. Sugar can be addictive in nature, providing an almost instantaneous dopamine and energy hit. This energy is though quick to crash as well, as a consequence making people reach for yet another drink. There has also been a general consensus among the public that the increasing availability of sugar-based drinks is a result of the lapse in checking by regulatory bodies for food and beverages.
Several actions must be taken immediately to remedy this issue. Firstly, the govenmental bodies must carry out appropriate checks and set a ceiling limit for the sugar content in drinks. The companies unwilling to comply must face legal consequences for neglecting food safety and health standards. There should be increased marketing of healthier alternatives available in the market; subsidised advertisement costs for such drinks can be a great incentive to encourage companies to shift their strategies towards more health conscious products. Additionally, awareness must be raised regarding the health benefits of such alternatives with lesser sugar content.
In conclusion, while sugar-based drinks taste good, it must be kept in mind that too high consumption may become addictive and lead to adverse health effects. The regulatory bodies must carry out necessary measures to maintain the health standards of the beverages and the government must raise awareness regarding the health benefits of less sugary alternatives.