No More Soda at School

Some of you may think I sound extreme, but I honestly don't see why any school has soda-diet or regular! What is the deal? Why do middle school and teenage kids need to drink soda during the day? I don't think it should be offered. If they want to drink soda, they can bring it from home. Why encourage it? Do schools around here offer soda to kids? Mine oldest doesn't eat lunch in the cafeteria yet so I don't know.

FROM NBC: Chances are you won't find a regular Coke or Pepsi in the cafeteria -- a new report shows progress is being made on an initiative to cut the number of full-calorie soft drinks in schools. The initiative began in 2004 -- since then shipments of full-calorie drinks are down 95 percent. Calories shipped are down 88 percent.

Now fruit juice, low-fat milk and bottled water are provided to elementary and middle schools. High school students have the same drink options, as well as diet sodas, sports drinks, flavored water and tea. Former president Bill Clinton is involved in the project through his foundation. He says a benefit of the program is schools haven't experienced long-term revenue loss.

"We have a win-win scenario. Schools can offer healthier beverages, and maintain revenues that support important extracurricular activities." The goal is to curb the childhood obesity epidemic -- although the report was *not* able to determine if the students actually consumed fewer calories. The initiative is the work of the American Beverage Association, the American Heart Association, and the William J Clinton foundation.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Ewe! Dirty Soda

I don't know about you, but as a sleep deprived mom, I need a jolt of caffeine here and there. I have been depriving myself of the treat because I am breastfeeding. However, I am anxious to get a fountain soda as soon as the baby is done nursing. (not that you can't have caffeine while nursing. This baby just really seems to react to it.) After reading this story, I have no desire for fountain soda anytime soon! And why is it acceptable to have any poop in your soda? There has got to be something wrong with that law!

FROM NBC: Next time you use a fountain soda machine you may get more than you bargained for. A study of soda taken from thirty fountain machines in Roanoke, Virginia found nearly half of all beverages had coliform bacteria -- a group of bacteria indicative of fecal contamination.

Only 20 percent of the samples had higher than recommended levels of the bacteria, but experts say it could still be enough to cause an upset stomach. They tested the water and ice used in the machines and did not find bacteria. Experts suspect the plastic tubing inside the machines may be to blame -- they say it takes just one dirty hand to infect a nozzle, and the bacteria can spread throughout the soda fountain.

Restaurant owners are encouraged to flush the tubes once a month. Microbiologists say they are not surprised with the results, they say fecal matter contamination is more common than we think.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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