Coca-Cola or 'bottled poison'? Mexico finds a COVID-19 villain in big soda

[TexasTowelie]

MEXICO CITY — While touring southern Chiapas state last month, Mexico’s coronavirus czar took aim at a local vice he considers culpable for the country’s ongoing pandemic problems: rampant Coca-Cola consumption.

Health undersecretary Hugo López-Gatell connected soda consumption with COVID-19 deaths, blaming sugar for causing comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension – maladies common in Mexico, where almost three-quarters of the population is overweight, according to a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

“Why do we need bottled poison in soft drinks?” López-Gatell asked. “Health in Mexico would be very different if we stopped being deceived by these lifestyles sold on television and heard on radio and which we see on adverts – as if this was happiness.”

As COVID-19 cases mount in Mexico and the death toll soars – Mexico only trails Brazil and the United States in total pandemic fatalities – López-Gatell and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador have increasingly pinned Mexico’s pandemic problems on its poor nutrition habits — soda consumption chief among them.

Read more: https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/health/2020/08/23/mexico-finds-soda-covid-19-coronavirus-villain/3423737001/

[Karadeniz]

1. He's right!

[Chainfire]

2. Coke is bitter compared to some of the Mexican branded sodas

Of course they have access to all of that good cheap Cuban cane sugar while we have to put up with the stuff made from corn or beets.

[cayugafalls]

3. Sugar is poison.

He is right. Why argue with facts.

Good for him, for calling it out.

[Laffy Kat]

7. It is true. It is also incredibly addictive.

I don't think I'll ever to be able to give it up completely, although I have cut my consumption by at least half, I'm sure.

[cayugafalls]

8. Try this stuff.

It's really tasty and measures just like sugar. No aftertaste.

Monk Fruit Sweetener

[Laffy Kat]

9. Thanks for the suggestion but it also contains xylitol which is incredibly toxic to doggos.

Even a touch can kill them and my doggos get into EVERYTHING even though I do my best to keep stuff out of the way. If it wasn't for that I would absolutely try it. Sigh.

[cayugafalls]

10. Sorry about that...

[Laffy Kat]

11. Oh, that's ok. I had to look it up to be sure.

Your heart was in the right place.

[cayugafalls]

13. I went here for my info about Erythritol.

https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/xylitol-sugar-free-gum-is-killing-dogs-erythritol-is-our-chance-to-stop-that

I'm not a salesman for the product, just don't want you worrying to much about some sweeteners.

With love, cayugafalls.

Pet your doggos for me...wish I had one.

[cayugafalls]

12. Mine says it has Erythritol which is not supposed to be toxic to doggos.

But don't take a chance. Doggos are more important.

I love the stuff, but don't have dogs.

Walmart has a 28.8 oz bag for 13$ so not too bad.

[msongs]

4. is soda so high because of bad drinking water? nt

[2naSalit]

16. Most likely.

[tanyev]

5. OK, but getting rid of soda won't get rid of Covid.

[Laffy Kat]

6. The caramel color in colas can contribute to prostate cancer.

This is a relatively old study. I showed it to my boys when it first came out, and neither will drink brown cola's now. Oddly, I bought rootbeer today because I needed it for a Crockpot recipe, the first I have purchased in years. Let me tell you, I still dearly miss my daily Dr. Pepper. I am female but still avoid brown colas because I figure they can't be good for me, either. I do drink a few 7-Ups or Sprites during the week, however.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/289687

[Ferrets are Cool]

14. He's not wrong.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

15. As tanyev says, getting rid of soda will not get rid of Covid-19.

However, I am constantly shocked at how much soda most people drink. I live in the U.S., so I can't really say anything useful about Mexico, but in this country? Wow. And the diet version isn't any better.