YumSugar

Would You Eat This Diet?

partysugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:30:15 -0800

Recently I was sent a box of meals by Freshology. Like the Zone, Freshology is a diet delivery program that helps celebrities lose weight and eat healthy. I was given four days worth of packaged meals in containers that resembled airplane food. Although the food was made "fresh," I was disappointed. Iceberg lettuce? Soy chicken? Not the tastiest or most nutritious of ingredients, especially when they were packaged three days earlier. Still, the meal plan could be great for someone who doesn't like or have time to cook. What do you think? Would you want to try Freshology?

Do You Care About Nutrition Information?

partysugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:45:29 -0700

A couple of days ago California passed a law that requires chain restaurants to post nutrition facts. I think this is a great idea, but honestly I rarely check out nutrition information because I avoid processed and fast foods. However, I was wondering about you? How conscious of calories, fat, and sodium are you?

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Meet The Miracle Berry

partysugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:15:00 -0700

Have you ever heard of the miracle berry? This exotic West African fruit, has the astonishing ability to make bitter and sour foods taste sweet. The berry contains an active molecule that binds to the tongue's taste buds causing certain foods - like limes or lemons - to seem sweet. Although the fruit is not a sweetener, it does have the ability to turn non sweet foods into sweet foods without any additives! In the 1970s, an American entrepreneur, realized the potential the miracle berry could have on the food industry and went to great lengths to mass produce the plant. However, his plan was suspiciously and abruptly ended. A recent article from BBC News states:

In 1974, the FDA changed its mind about the Miracle Berry product on the very eve of the product launch in drug stores across the whole of the Eastern seaboard. In the most brutal way, the FDA ordered all the products to be withdrawn at once.

Thus, the sweetening powers of the miracle berry were never fully realized. I find the story incredibly interesting and would love to get my hands on the berries. Have you ever tasted the miracle berry? What would today's world be like if junk food without the junk existed?

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Could You Date Someone with Different Dietary Habits?

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:58:31 -0700

One of my closest friends (hi Juju!) is a vegetarian. Her hubby (hi Wes!) is not. Somehow they don't let this get to them and it all works out. However, I've known couples where this is definitely a deal breaker. So how about you? If you're a vegetarian, could you date a meat eater? And vice versa, if you're a meat eater, could you date a vegetarian? (Or meat eater and vegan, etc...)

Take the Diet 7Up Taste Test Challenge

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:59:32 -0700

Are you up for a challenge? The folks at 7UP think you are. They've recently reinvented Diet 7Up to make it "more refreshing" and with "less diet aftertaste" and are wondering what you'll think. In order for you to taste it for yourself, they're sending out Taste Challenge Kits that contain the new Diet 7UP and two "competing diet lemon lime soft drinks." The kits are free, but the promotion ends May 20, or while supplies last.

I put my order in and will let you know what I think when it arrives.

Source: Slashfood

Diet Coke is 99% Water

YumSugar — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:01:31 -0700

These days we're supposed to drink more water and drink less soda. In fact, the bottle water industry is a bajillion dollar business and growing. Evidently the soda industry is worried about water encroaching on their business, and have decided to market their products a little bit differently. Steven Levitt of Freakonomics recently mentioned a new Diet Coke print ad that shows a picture of a Diet Coke can and the words "99 Percent Water."

The implication is that if Diet Coke and water are almost the same thing, but Diet Coke tastes better, you might as well drink Diet Coke. Which is a pretty sensible point of view, as long as the 1% that is not water isn’t hurting you.

It's interesting to note that this ad follows on the heels of one that shows a Diet Coke can and the words "Sparkling or Sparkling?" Do you think it's healthy to suggest that Diet Coke replace your water intake? Personally I know I'd rather have the water. I mean, 99% water isn't bad, but what exactly is in that other 1%?

Source: Freakonomics
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Diet Coke Turns The Big 2-5

partysugar — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 01:11:25 -0700

In early 1980, with Jane Fonda leading the home video exercise craze, 20% of all American adults preferred diet sodas to regular. Dominated by the then popular diet soda called Tab, Coke saw an opportunity to move towards a new market. On today's date, July 9, in 1982, Diet Coke was introduced in a $100 million ad campaign. The head honchos over at Coke knew what they were doing and with an extravagant New York City gala launch, they had guests instantly hooked on the new diet soda. Diet Coke was a huge sensation and by Christmas time it had grown to be the third most popular soda after only Coke and Pepsi. Today Diet Coke is the most popular low calorie beverage in the world, served in over 61 countries. It has developed a crazed, almost cult like following with addicts drinking up to as many as 12 Diet Cokes a day.

Is a 12-a-Day Diet Coke Habit Bad For You?

YumSugar — Wed, 23 May 2007 06:59:19 -0700

Are you hooked on diet soda? If you're like Amanda Sanchez, a 29-year-old mother of two who drinks 12 cans a day, then you might want to cut back. Health experts think that consumption of diet sodas might lead to health consequences down the road. There have been no major studies stating that diet sodas are bad for you, however Dr. David Katz, a nutrition expert at the Yale School of Medicine believes that it could be damaging to your skeleton.

"There is some evidence that the acid load of soda, regular or diet, has an adverse affect on bone health. I would be very worried that if you are drinking 12 cans a day, diet or regular, it's potentially going to do damage to your skeleton, and eventually that can be a very serious problem.

However, the folks at Coca-Cola don't believe that's the case. Diana Garza, the communications director of Coca-Cola North America stated:

"Great taste. No calories. Wholesome ingredients. How could you drink too much?"

Even if there wasn't an ongoing debate on whether or not aspartame is safe, I don't think I could really consider it "wholesome," and I'm pretty confident that 12 cans of anything a day is probably 10 cans too many.

Source: ABC News

Enjoy a Free 2-Liter Bottle of Diet Dr Pepper

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:15:34 -0800

Guns N' Roses isn't releasing another album, but Dr Pepper fans can get themselves a free bottle of soda yet again.

To promote its "Nothing Diet About It" campaign, Dr Pepper is giving away coupons for free 20-ounce bottles and - get this - two-liter bottles of Diet Dr Pepper. Between now and March 31, go to the promotion website to choose your coupon, good for a free bottle through June 30. Hurry, before this deal falls flat!

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Could You Eat an All McDonald's Diet?

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:45:56 -0700

In what could be the strangest morsel of food news this week, a Virginia man named Chris Coleson has lost 86 pounds since December by eating nothing but McDonald's. Aspiring to be the Mickey D's equivalent of Subway's Jared, Coleson ate a "diet" consisting of McDonald's "salads, wraps, apple-walnut salads, and the occasional cheeseburger."

McDonald's isn't planning to sign Coleson as a spokeperson (oddly, the company has Heidi Klum endorsing its wraps in Germany). If McDonald's paid you, would you go on Coleson's diet?

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