Is soda the new tobacco? That is what I was wondering after I read Mark Bittman’s op-ed piece (Bad Food? Tax It) in yesterday’s New York Times. In his article (which I tweeted several times) Bittman suggested taxing soda and subsidizing vegetables. Not such a bad idea, right?
Wait a minute. There will be loads of people who vehemently object to Bittman’s proposed soda tax. Why? They will claim that we are creating a nanny state. They will argue that the process of determining which foods are healthy and which are not is too complicated and subjective. Bittman however, has sound comebacks for each argument that the critics throw his way.
Bittman’s points are compelling, here are just a couple:
- because of subsidies to industrial agriculture fruit is more expensive than Froot Loops
- one-third of Americans either have diabetes or are pre-diabetic
- a sane diet could save billions of dollars in health care costs
Bittman has plenty of solutions for the spiraling healthcare costs associated with the Standard American Diet (SAD). He talks about spending revenues from a soda tax on local gyms and to pollinate food deserts. He also notes that for the first time in our history, “lifestyle” (preventable) diseases, will kill more people than communicable ones.”
Finally, Bittman drives his point home when discussing the historic ramifications of the implementation of the tobacco tax, noting that since its institution just over three decades ago, smoking has declined by more than half.
What are your thoughts on the soda tax? Leave a comment and let’s discuss this controversial issue.
Free exclusive eBook, plus recipes and health tips, delivered to your inbox.
sarah says
I think you are missing the point, not dictating to- but putting a tax on it. You can still make the choice to spend your money on this item. Which is a luxury item, it is not essential to good health. But if you can afford to buy that instead of or in addition to real food then a tax will not stop you. There are no healthful redeeming qualities for sodas, even people that drink them surely know that!
Cindy Cundiff says
I used to be a cashier growing up in NY and I could’ve sworn soda and chips used to be taxable back then.
Eva says
When our own first lady cannot contain herself from her own junk food binges, who is the government or any other liberal who wants to dictate what we can and cannot eat have this say so? Ridiculous. Sorry, but even the “good foods” can make people fat…right, Elena? After all you post lots of fattening and sugary treats yet claim it healthy. When it boils down to it, it is all about portion control.
Jean says
Regular readers of Elana’s blog know that her recipes are wholesome. She is a great mom who makes wonderful treats that I can feel good about giving my children. Elana, I don’t know what I would do without your wonderful inspiration! I make your recipes daily for my family, and we are all quite fit.
Portion control? Not really. Ever read Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes?
Betsy says
I feel Elana’s website has offered great alternative food choices for people who want to avoid all grains. Most of her recipes are way too sugary for me. As I said in a earlier post, many doctors today feel that the fruit we consume today is too sweet let alone agave, honey, maple syrup etc….We are approaching a slippery slope when the government starts intruding on what we put in our bodies. I personally wish Elana would use her web-site for recipes and not politics. We can all think for ourselves. This has been a real turn off for me.
Jay says
Why we get fat is just another diet book that another “in the know” author, professes to be the *one and only diet you’ll ever need*. In other words, it’s the same old same old, just like the many diet books that proceeded it that claimed they were the one and only.
Its really quite amazing that people let themselves be suckered in by the latest diet craze so easily. Or, rush out to buy the latest “wonder” food/vitamin/drink/tea/juice they’ve heard about and just have to have.
Next year another diet will become all the rage, as will another wonder food and this years will be forgotten, or set aside for later. It doesn’t change. Year after year people pay out hard earned money for diet books and wonder foods, hoping that will take care of thier problem/s but it never does. Heads up that people might need to take control themselves maybe?
You might want to read a review on your why we get fat book.
http://www.weightymatters.ca/2011/01/book-review-gary-taubes-why-we-get-fat.html
audrey says
I have been following all the comments with great interest.
We are all being holier than thou…clearly anyone who is blogging from this link from Eleana’s Pantry is well educated re food/big agra/GMOs, etc, etc. I suspect we all cook most of our food; we might disagree on the details such as dairy vs no dairy, sodas made with organic ingredients, meat no meat, etc, but we understand food vs ‘edible food like substances’. We all can walk into a regular market and not even be tempted to buy Flaming Hot Cheetos or cakes filled with chemicals to provide color and flavor. Most of us would not choose to eat at a fast food place.
But most people have absolutely no clue what they are eating…even well educated folks. And they don’t know to read the ingredients on foods such as ‘whole grain’ bread to notice there is High Fructose Corn Syrup in it and that most of the wheat is processed. Few people cook anymore. They see everyone drinking soda everyday, all day, so it must be ok to drink 40 oz of the stuff. As a physician who preaches good nutrition all the time to well educated families, I see the ignorance every day.
There obviously needs to be a tremendous amount of education along with attempts to change hot lunches at schools so kids know what a healthy meal is, ala Jamie Oliver, more markets in inner cities, etc, etc. just as there was education re smoking. But if we provide the education along with disincentives by hitting the pocketbook with higher prices, we are more likely to get people to start thinking about putting junk in their mouthes.
sandrine says
Oh Elena, I love your blog so much, thank you for sharing your ideas and recipes. My whole family and I are Paleo lovers. Our 3 years old little boy is now asthma free (his condition used to be terribly severe). Your recipes are fantastic ! We do not miss our home-made croissants anymore, thanks to your beautiful pancakes and others delicacy (we are a French family living in Australia).
I believe in evolution.
I believe taxation is doing the exact opposite than making people to evolve. Education is the only proper way.
Any frustration must be completely eliminated. By making a product more expensive, it would just make it less accessible financially but not less coveted (probably more!). Unfortunately.
The example of tobacco in my opinion is far from being objective. I used to smoke for 15 years. What made me quit was not the price (increasing drastically every year) but my education. Reason won ! When you have an addiction, it is not the price which make you change your mind. But your mind in itself. After reading, watching, hearing, witnessing so many stories, medical researches, drama and so on, I decided to stop, for my children, for the sake of my health, by myself. Because I simply realized I was killing myself. I believe that it is the case of the majority of the smokers. So I doubt greatly of the objectivity of these statistics. They are just useful for the state to legitimate their taxations. Do not you think education (TV, radio, school, parents…) and advertising helped a lot more to reduce the tobacco consumption ?
Also I believe ‘uneducated’ people would still buy this kind of products anyway and they probably would put less money in fruits and veggies instead.
Sadly, I actually witness my beautiful country, France, collapsing under the heaviness and absurdity of taxations. People are not sharing anymore. They became very distant to each others. They cannot make it anymore, every month is financially too hard.. But people still use their cars (despite extremely heavy taxation on petrol), still smoke (extremely heavy taxation)… But they do not dream anymore. They do not have an euro left at the end of the month.
I believe that people like you Elena are making the REAL difference. You graciously share your knowledge and your skills with us, the community, with a wonderful generosity. That is all what is about. You have no idea how you help ! Way much better than a man who is seeking an electorate. Thank you so much for that.
Une fidele lectrice !
Jackie says
A “bad food” tax… interesting concept. In theory, sure, it could be fabulous! Parents would buy fruits and vegetables instead of cookies and soda, and the overall health of Americans would improve! Oh wait… nothing happens the way we would hope. “Bad food” is very subjective! To a diabetic, yes, sugar is bad! To a vegetarian, meat is bad! To a vegan, cheese is bad! To me, anything with gluten could cause cancer! Ok, all that aside, it isn’t the government’s responsibility to influence our decision on what we should or should not eat. It being our decision on what we eat, we also should take responsibility of the effects it has on our bodies. So if someone wants to eat fast food and gets fat, it’s that person’s fault, and they shouldn’t sue the fast food business. It’s actually pretty clever to tax soda or anything with sugar actually because people are going to buy what they want, no matter the price! Granted, the article says the tobacco tax has lowered the smoking rate, but really? How many people are willing to pay airport prices on snacks and water, prices which are triple outside of the airport?
Jay says
@Sylvia.
Sorry, but blaming the government and schools for overweight children is utter nonesense. Parents are first and foremost the ones responsible for what goes into their childrens stomaches, as well as portion control & regular exercise. Passing the blame onto the government and schools for parental shortcomings, is a cop-out. Proper nutrition should always start at home. It is our responsibility as parents to try to keep our children as healthy as possible, not the government or schools.
Sylvia says
I blame the goverment for fat kids as that most of our kids time is spent at school. The schools serve the same bad food for years. They say just go by the food pyramid and you will be healthy but what about portion control. The schools have cut down p.e. from every day to one to two times a week. There is almost no recess as they use it as a punishment for the kids talking or misbehaving in class or the teacher just doesn’t want to go outside. Oh by the way you can get fat eating healthy foods because you ate too much.
Theresa says
Taxing soda is NOT the answer. The government has pushed the “low fat” agenda for decades, with the result that more artificial foods are now deemed “healthy” and “heart healthy”, and many nutritious whole foods have been demonized, such as coconut oil, real butter, grass fed meats, and raw milk.
Unfortunately, what it comes down to, is that it is not Government telling us what to eat, it is Industry. What they can make money from, they endorse, therefore, the large increase in artificial foods masquerading as “healthy” foods.
If funds are needed for subsidies for fruits and vegetables, then take those funds from the subsidies on corn, wheat and soy.
Then there will be more than sufficient funds, and a reduced emphasis on grains.
sam says
though i am generally opposed to increased control and political pushing and shoving of the people i have to admit upon first hearing this i loved the idea… education is usually a better answer, all across the board however it’s less likely to actually happen.
yes i think this is a great move, hitting people in the pocket will be more effective than offering nutrition and health classes.