Rant of the Week - Soda

A week ago today mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed that my beloved NYC ban all sugared drinks over 16 ounces in an effort to fight the obesity epidemic. It caused a lot of emotion on both sides and when interviewed about it later he did not back down, saying it was a huge problem. While I haven't fully formed my own opinion about the government telling people what to eat (and in this case how much to eat) I did have my own little Bloomberg moment the day after that announcement. I try to be a thrifty shopper. I'd rather spend my money on air fair going somewhere than on a designer bag. Because of that I find the bargain places to shop including the local market where there is everything under the sun for a buck or under - from tube socks to bell peppers. Let me also say, on the side, that I'm not one of "those" trainers. You know, the ones who are going to look down their nose at you if you don't spend eight hours a day at the gym and if you don't eat anything but wheat grass and protein shakes. I have my normal side - I like my wine, I like the four cheese pizza at Trupiano's and I sometimes get a six pack of my favorite full sugared ginger ale from Trader Joe's. But I was in this discount store last week and wanted to pick up a two liter of diet soda; I don't drink diet soda, I just had a craving I couldn't shake. When I turned down the soda aisle (and I do mean the entire aisle was soda) you think that would have been an easy task. But I searched, and searched, and searched. Out of the entire aisle there was one little section with a grand total of two choices. Seriously??? There is a need in people's lives that they must consume massive amounts of flavored sugar water on a daily basis?  I don't blame the store, they're just selling what the people are buying but they are obviously buying sugared soda about twenty to one over diet, at this store anyway. (I'll save the diet soda addiction rant for another time). I get people caving to their junk food cravings. It's food after all and you can rationalize to yourself that "you have to eat". No, it's not healthy but it does fill you up.  But soda is just liquid sugar and we really do need to take a serious look a this as a national health issue. I'm sure I won't be the last person to write something on the subject.