Vacation clubs and restaurants where sodas flow freely are soon history. From this Friday, January 27, 2017, self-service drinks with added sugar orsweetenersis prohibited “in all catering establishments open to the public, schools and establishments intended for the reception, training and accommodation of minors”, specifies a stop published Thursday, January 26 in the Official Journal.
What beverages are covered by this “self-service” ban? The decree lists them: “the carbonated and non-carbonated flavored drinksconcentrates such as fruit syrups, drinks based on water, milk, cereals, vegetables or fruits including sports drinks or energy drinks, fruit nectars, vegetable nectars and products similar, as long as these drinks contain added sugars or synthetic sweeteners”.
Controversial diet drinks
This measure clearly serves a health purpose at a time when overweight, obesity and type 2 diabetes threaten public health, especially young people. Banning soda fountains can be seen as a way to divert or at least limit young people’s attraction to sugar and synthetic sweeteners (aspartame, stevia, etc.). The latter are subject to debate: they are suspected of inciting consume more calories by stimulating the reward circuit in the brain.
American researchers from Johns Hopkins University (USA) even suggested that light drinks would not help lose weight but would push to eat sweeter.
Also read: Diabetes: how to lower sugar levels?
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