Liquid Candy

Abstract

In 1942, production in the United States of carbonated soft drinks was approximately sixty 12-oz servings per person. The American Medical Association' s (AMA' s) Council on Foods and Nutrition (1) warned: By 2000, soft-drink production had increased almost 10-fold and provided more than one third of all refined sugars in the diet, but the AMA and other medical organizations now are largely silent. This review discusses the nutritional effect and health consequences of massive consumption of soft drinks,* particularly for teenagers. From the health point of view it is desirable especially to have restriction of such use of sugar as is represented by consumption of sweetened carbonated beverages and forms of candy which are of low nutritional value. The Council believes it would be in the interest of the public health for all practical means to be taken to limit consumption of sugar in any form in which it fails to be combined with significant proportions of other foods of high nutritive quality.