Soft drinks steal the thunder from green coconut, watermelon, and sugarcane juices

It is summertime and people go in for cold drinks to fight off the heat and, even though the markets are flooded with natural drinks like green coconut and watermelon, sugarcane and cucumber juices, many go in for cheaper and sugary soft drinks.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 31 March 2016.

The comparatively high cost of natural drinks compared to soft drinks acts as a deterrent and the customers prefer soft drinks even though the experts believe that consumption of natural drinks is a healthier option. The reason is that natural drinks and fruits help to not only control dehydration but watermelon and green coconut water provides carbohydrate to the body apart from controlling body temperature during summer.
Moreover, the fruits are particularly good for gastric patients and provide calories and fulfill the nutritive requirements of the body. But the market of traditional drinks has been affected with the invasion of various soft drinks. An example is the Masala soda with different flavors that one can get at Rs 5 for a glass.
Against this, watermelon sells for Rs 30 to Rs 40 a kg, the price of green coconut varies from Rs 20 to Rs 25 a piece depending on size and a glass of sugarcane juice costs Rs 10. Last year, green coconut was available at Rs 15 to 20 a piece.
The high cost is attributed to decrease in the production of green coconut in Ganjam district. To add to the problems, extensive green coconut belts of Gopalpur and Chamakhandi have been destroyed by industrialization - a company had acquired over 3,500 acres about two decades ago to set up a steel plant.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Fizzy drinks are the latest health scare – kills 184000 every year

Fizzy drinks that include fizzy soft drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks and sweetened iced teas possess no health benefits and have been declared as a Health Scare – these kill as many as 184,000 adults each year as reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 30 June 2015.

The experts from the campaign group Action on Sugar, who have carried out the research believes that sugary drinks were involved in 133,000 diabetes deaths worldwide in one year. Another 45,000 died from cardiovascular disease and 6,450 from cancer. All three diseases have been linked to high sugar consumption and the researchers have warned that global community should make it a priority to eliminate such harmful drinks from people’s diets.
During the year under review, there were 1,316 deaths in the UK – the reason was drinking sweetened drinks. Mexico topped the list, with 30 per cent of adult deaths under 45 attributed to sugary drink consumption, and Japan at the other extreme was lowest with 1 per cent.
The study covered sodas, fruit drinks, sports or energy drinks, sweetened iced teas and homemade sugary drinks that contained at least 50 calories per 240ml.. Against this norm, a can of Coca-Cola contains 101 calories per 240ml or 139 overall.
Therefore, in your own interest, ignore those ads of screen heroes and heroines who dance to feet tapping jingles and promote all types of soft fizzy drinks. If you fall for their charms, you will have to pay the price.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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