• Question: How bad do you believe coke is for the human body?

    Asked by Jess to Christie, Dan, David, Dawn, Sian on 15 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Dawn Lau

      Dawn Lau answered on 15 Jun 2016:

      I think the occasional Coke is fine, but it’s a bit worrying how many people I know drink at least one can a day. I don’t think people realise how much sugar is hidden in soft drinks. One can of Coke contains 7 teaspoons (35g) of sugar! Add that to the sugar you get from other food, such as fruit or snacks, or even salad dressing, and that’s a LOT of sugar people are consuming every day. Current recommendations say we should be having no more than 30g of sugar a day. There is a very clear link between sugar consumption and risk of obesity, which in turn increases risk of a whole host of other diseases. I try to stay away from soft drinks and stick to tea or water!

    • Photo: Sian Thomas

      Sian Thomas answered on 15 Jun 2016:

      Ha – did you ask me this because you knew that I would be answering having just consumed! Diet of course.
      I think too much is bad – be it coke or a whole range of other foods – someone once warned me off eating too many plums because after all this is where prunes come from and they can seriously affect your digestive system (although I did not eat enough to try this out first hand!).
      But some of what you enjoy in moderation. I did switch a number of years ago to diet – thankfully I am still not obese. But I do love my food and counterbalance this with exercise.
      So I guess in moderation it is OK – the Food Standards Agency has a role in making sure that foods that are dangerous are not available to buy. And decisions, of course, are on the best available evidence and made openly (look at http://www.food.gov.uk)

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