Politics of fat: Watertown soda distributor questions first lady’s visit

Wisconsin Reporter ^ | September 11, 2013 | M.D. Kittle

[moonshinner_09]

MADISON – When you’ve been in business 75 years, you learn to adapt.

So goes the story of the Watertown-based 7-up Bottling Co., a family-owned distributor of carbonated beverages serving a thirsty four-county market in southern Wisconsin.

But these days, as sugary drinks get caught in the fire of the War on Obesity, soda distributors like 7-Up Bottling must feel like it’s got a big red target on its back.

“We are definitely not the industry that is causing obesity but yet we’ve got a product that gets blamed for obesity,” Tim Schultz, sales manager for 7-Up Bottling Co. told Wisconsin Reporter. “We definitely don’t want politics dictating to consumers what they can eat or drink.”

But politics is precisely what it feels like to Schultz and others who can’t help but scratch their heads a bit as to why first lady Michelle Obama is dropping by Watertown on Thursday afternoon to preach the power of water

[sheana]

Have made our bread for yrs. With a bread machine it is just too easy. Bought my bread machine many years ago from Goodwill for $5.

[goodwithagun]

There is certainly research available. To paraphrase another FReeper, if it weren’t for scientists being wrong there would be no such thing as science. As a conservative, I refuse to take the Al Gore “ the science is settled” mentality about anything.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

You have to read the labels on everything. Checkout the label on a can of Starkist tuna for example. I was amazed. There’s soy in the Tuna. Soy? And as of 2005, something like 95% of the US soy crop is genetically modified. Genetically modified soy is cheap — it got me angry — what’s this garbage? Soy flavored tuna? No wonder diabetes is on the rise. Genetically modified foods and additives and sugars are in everything we eat.

[moonshinner_09]

Orange Juice has a high sugar content 20g per 8 oz.Drink two 8oz 2 glasses, this will equal 40g of sugar equal or above soda.Do the tax payers really need to spend $$$$$$$$$$$$ of dollars for Michelle Obama,to jet around the country explaing the power of water? How about Michelle Obama,explain to us how did it reached the point of people buying water from stores ?Also her school lunch programs are complete failure.

[steve86]

It is wonderful that your husband has recovered after you made the dietary changes. Your observations probably are perfectly valid in his case. However, extrapolating from a study with n=1 to an entire population may not be justified. For one thing, individual people have unique sensitivities. If your findings were generalizable you have to ask why I and a lot of people don’t all have Type 1. I eat all the “bad” stuff. P.S. Best wishes to your husband and yourself.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

The US government in 1994 mandated that additives be put in our breads and cereals. These are the synthetic folic acid, synthetic B1 etc you see on the label. These additives were to prevent birth defects as it was thought that women from poor neighborhoods are not getting enough folic acid in their diet. Ok, birth defects are down. BUT pancreatic cancer and diabetes are UP. I believe that messing with the food supply by mandating additives ultimately does more harm than good.

Today I only use pure raw sugar or pure raw honey. I never buy store bought bread. Too many toxins.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

I think our experience with diabetes is simply to hammer home the idea that its a very complicated condition. A “one size fits all” summary is not correct. I’m of the (there’s that word again) “belief” that diabetes is actually a food allergy - hence the difficulties in quantifying it. Some people like my husband may have developed the allergy while eating foods laced with high Fructose Corn Syrup, others, eating genetically modified soy. Much of the diet foods out there do not satiate and actually cause a person to eat more than they need, hence gain weight and at that time the allergy kicks in and diabetes is a result.

[moonshinner_09]

Just asking about too many toxins.Would this not also apply to farmers pesticides,from fruit to veggies ?

[Drawsing]

I respect your right to make these choices and I am glad for your success. However I take issue with the subjective and anecdotal nature of the claims...such as “aspartame is poison that likely causes diabetes.” The world (natural and otherwise) is made of chemicals...some are toxic and some are not.

[Hoosier Catholic Momma]

Shhhh....even some ‘conservatives’ think it’s someone else’s fault.

BTW, we don’t drink much soda in our house because we just can’t afford to with four kids, but we do get it for them as a treat every so often. I am drinking a glass of Coke right now, but since I have been 115 pounds since I was about 18 (now 40 years old), I think my body can deflect the evils that Big Soda are trying to lay upon me. ;)

[jeffc]

Or possibly it's people drinking too much soda who are responsible for their own obesity. Like your own example, we are responsible for what we consume.

Exactly my thought when I read the comment. It's not the business that's responsible, it's the one who drinks the stuff to excess. Take responsibility for yourself, don't blame it one someone or something that didn't make you buy it and drink it.

[jeffc]

...as sugary drinks get caught in the fire of the War on Obesity...

BTW, I was unaware that HFCS was "sugar".....

I actually prefer sugar to HFCS, but I drink tea, not soda. Gold Peak tea to be specific.

[moonshinner_09]

Too late Obama’s NSA will be watching you closely..J/k

[Hoosier Catholic Momma]

But I did eat a large salad for lunch to go with the Coke, so it balances out.

Then again, we are having bacon, eggs, and biscuits for dinner. Does the fact that the eggs come from our free-range chickens count?

Life in Obama’s world is just too complex for me...

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Absolutely. The problem with pesticides and genetically modified foods and synthetic vitamins and synthetic sugar, there’s no telling which ones are totally benign in long term use, and which ones will trigger an allergic episode. Mr. Peel was a kid of the 50s, and the additives in the foods back then was pretty tame. These days its everywhere. And the rate of the disease is exploding.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Took my 90 year old mother to her new doctor the other day for a check up. He was on a "no artificial additives" bandwagon. And handed out nutritional pamphlets which he wrote. His biggest beef: Aspartame. I told him he was preaching to the choir.

Just because a substance is approved by the FDA, does not mean it is safe. High Fructose Corn Syrup anyone?

[moonshinner_09]

I agree 100% A while back I read a story about veggies and fruits with pesticides in them that really implied eat pesticides food at your own risk..I also check every label to confrim what is in this food.When you read labels,it is amazing what you find out about is in foods, otherwise you would of never known about it.Processed foods are big risk to anyone whom eats them and these sure enough lead to heath problems.thank you for you answer.

[SovereignVA]

I don’t suppose the first lady drinks the lead-contaminated water that runs through the pipes in DC?

Campaign promoting DC tap water: http://www.dcwater.com/news/listings/press_release610.cfm

Google search for “DC tap water”: https://www.google.com/search?q=dc+free+tap+water&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=dc+tap+water&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial

Wikipeda on “Lead contamination in Washington, D.C. drinking water”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_contamination_in_Washington,_D.C._drinking_water

From wikipedia’s article on Lead poisoning: “...interferes with the development of the nervous system and is therefore particularly toxic to children, causing potentially permanent learning and behavior disorders.” And, “Evidence also suggests that age-related mental decline and psychiatric symptoms are correlated with lead exposure.”