Category: Food and Drinks

The list of key workers who are helping the UK society deal with this pandemic is long. Some people keep us going, but they have been forgotten.

While supermarket staff and delivery driver have been lauded for their heroic efforts, they are not paying enough attention to the origins of the food that they sell or deliver.

Someone has to produce raw, unprocessed ingredients. Someone else must then turn these ingredients into processed foods that are sold in supermarkets. For months, they’ve been dealing with an unprecedented demand.

There are indeed different levels of human interaction and processing required to produce the food we desire. The primary process is a minimum level of processing that involves cleaning, cutting, storing, and packaging raw foods. Farmer’s produce livestock, for example. This is then sent to abattoirs, where a production team ensures that butchers and manufacturers of ready meals have a constant supply of different cuts.

It was fascinating to note that pasta, canned tomatoes, and sausages were among the foods that were mentioned first in stories of panic-buying and hoarding. All of these are secondary foods. These are raw ingredients that have been transformed into more usable or edible forms. It requires the skills and knowledge of workers who are often overlooked in the refining, purifying, extracting, and combining of minimally processed food products.

These secondary processed foods are the mainstay of many people’s grocery baskets. They include dairy products and flours as well as oils, sweeteners, and flours. It is not surprising that these foods are in high demand. They form the basis of many cheap, quick, and easy meals. As uncertainty increased about transportation and imports, food companies and buyers worked to keep up with the demand.

Home cooking

Lockdown saw an increase in the sales of flour, tinned tomatoes, and recipe websites. The BBC launched a daily cooking show. Before lockdown, we may have become too reliant on fast food, take-out, and prepared meals and less confident about our cooking skills.

The apparent lack of knowledge and skills in food could be attributed to the virtual eradication of what was formerly called the “home economy” but is now referred to as “food technology,” which has become less and less common at British schools and colleges.

In a way, as a nutritionist, I was pleased to see that the supermarkets ran out of primary and secondary processed food. This shows that people are trying to cook healthy food for themselves and their families. There were plenty of ultra-processed food products in every supermarket, including cakes, biscuits, and confectionery. This could be evidence that a nation is changing its unhealthy eating habits and eating healthier meals at home.

When you consider the complexity of the food industry, you can understand why workers in the food industry are included in (the section that is largely ignored) the list of key workers. The industry has dealt with this by speeding up recruitment. Like medics and final year food science and technology students, employers are requiring them much earlier than expected, before graduation, in order to meet demand.

Part of the process. Shutterstock/Vladimir Nenezic

The food technologists have taken up their posts in the graduate scheme early. They are now working in a range of positions, both office-based and factory-based, covering everything from sustainability to safety and processing.

The food industry is a vital part of maintaining a safe supply. The food industry is a dynamic and caring career option.

In 2018, 14.4% of the UK working population was employed in the food and beverage industry, and the British people spent PS226 billion on food, drinks, and catering.

When you queue up to buy your next essentials at the supermarket, remember those heroes who work tirelessly to make sure that your raw carrots, pasta, chicken nuggets, or truffle oil have been delivered safely to your independent retailer or supermarket. Food is essential for our stomachs, but it’s also near and dear to our hearts.

I am concerned about the high rate of low sperm count (one out of six young men) and the research that is being done to try to find the cause. Plastics may be to blame, but it’s not a simple issue.

Plastics play a vital role in our daily lives. Our modern world would not be as functional without their thousands of uses. Many of these are not readily apparent to us. Plastics are used in many everyday products, including toys for children, insulation around electrical wires, food containers and wraps, and medical products such as blood bags, gloves, syringes, and tablets.

Are there any hidden risks of plastics for human health and fertility, particularly in men? It is difficult to answer this question, especially because we are all exposed to plastic-derived chemicals. We don’t have a group of people who are not exposed to chemicals (the “control” group) against which we can compare.

The majority of people don’t know how plastics expose us to chemicals. We don’t chew on the electrical wiring or eat plastic wraps that surround food. Plasticizers (chemicals) are used to bend and strengthen plastic, which is normally hard and brittle. The more flexible the plastic is, the higher the amount of plasticisers it contains. The most commonly used plasticizers, phthalates are available in different forms and have different purposes.

Plasticizers will leach from the plastic with time, contaminating any food or drink that comes into contact. It was for this reason that phthalate plasticizers in water bottles were banned many years ago. They were replaced with polyethylene terephthalate which has different properties. Our main exposure to the most common phthalate still comes from in our diets and food, even though we don’t fully understand how it occurs.

Studies in laboratory rats sparked concern about the effects of phthalates on fertility. The studies showed that certain phthalates were responsible for reproductive problems in male offspring. This included reduced fertility and sperm count. Could the exposure of pregnant women to phthalates (and the male fetuses within their wombs) cause reproductive disorders in men’s offspring?

One is enough. Shutterstock

Evidence that contradicts each other

This question can be answered directly by measuring phthalate exposure in pregnant women and if this is linked to reproductive disorders among their sons. These studies show that some, but not all of them, have found an association between male reproduction disorders and maternal phthalate exposure. This approach is flawed because it can’t prove that exposure led to the disease. Other Evidence Points in the Completely Opposite Direction.

The fetal testes of male rats are less likely to produce testosterone, the male hormone. This effect can only be achieved by exposing pregnant rats to phthalate levels that are 50,000 times greater than those of pregnant women. The testosterone levels of human fetal tests (obtained ethically from legal terminations of pregnancy) are not affected by the same high phthalate concentrations as rats. Male monkeys also do not develop reproductive disorders after being exposed to high levels of phthalate during pregnancy.

It is not uncommon to encounter problems like this in research when different types of data do not agree. What should we do when faced with this uncertainty? The first reaction would be to assume the worst and accept all studies that support the association. The next step is to restrict or ban phthalate usage, which will result in many changes to modern society. Some people argue that this is the safest route.

Although I am 100% for safety, I also know that one cannot ignore scientific evidence when it does not support a certain point of view. This is especially true if the evidence is robust. This is not a science-based approach, and it isn’t very smart by any standard.

It does not mean I am convinced that plastics can be 100% safe. But neither does the evidence available convince me that they play a significant role in male reproductive disorders. I’m convinced that our lifestyles or environment are the cause of low sperm count. I wish I could tell you what it was.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will be the largest free trade agreement in the world. The deal aims to increase trade between the EU and the US through the opening of various markets that are currently closed or restricted by tariffs or regulations. This includes everything from chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and energy to food, drinks and clothing.

Deal

Together, the US and EU trade for EUR22 trillion annually. This is almost half the total in the world. If knock-on effects are taken into account, the opening of trade could increase global GDP by as much as 0.6% per year. The effects will be even greater if permanent trade barriers such as taxes and customs are removed.

Businesses in the EU and US pay tariffs for their products to be sold on each other’s market. TTIP will eliminate these. TTIP would also reduce the costs of duplication when businesses are required to meet US and EU standards that are often similar but different.

It has been debatable how much revenue the deal would bring to certain economies. According to estimates, a TTIP agreement could grow the EU’s economy by up to EUR120 billion (0.5% GDP) and that of the US by EUR95 billion (0.4% GDP). Both sides emphasize the importance of opening up new markets to their domestic manufacturers. The EU would gain access to 300m American customers and vice versa.

What is the potential of the free trade agreement between the USA and the EU? The full potential of a free trade agreement between the USA and the EU will only be revealed after the deal has been concluded.

What’s at stake?

Two of the biggest obstacles to TTIP are the sensitive business areas that border on public policy.

Public Services and Procurement

In both Europe and America, public authorities are the largest consumers. In the EU, they spend about EUR2 trillion per year. This is equivalent to around 19% of GDP in the EU. US Federal spending on procurement is about US$500 billion a year. Both sides want equal access to the market.

There are concerns in the UK that the NHS could be put at risk by US competition. Both UK Ministers and the European Commission have guaranteed that TTIP will not affect NHS services.

Energy Markets and Renewable Sectors

It is estimated that this market exceeds EUR950 billion annually. TTIP is expected to increase competition and liquidity in the energy sector, which will benefit both EU and US consumers. The TTIP talks on renewable energy sources are focusing on shale gas. This could help US companies, who are already a few generations ahead of their EU competitors.

Global Standards

The most ambitious goal of TTIP would be to establish global standards for manufacturing products. Both the EU and the US stand to gain from progress made towards these objectives.

The adoption of common standards and authorization procedures will be beneficial to certain sectors, such as pharmaceuticals and chemicals. EU firms and the EU pharmaceutical sector are expected to gain advantages over their US competitors. However, these advantages can be easily offset by the public expenditures on health and processes that relate to the intellectual rights of specialized medicines.

The US and EU differ in their standards for food safety. Critics claim that EU regulations are stricter on GM crops and pesticides, as well as food additives. Critics say TTIP will allow cheaper but lower-quality foods to enter the EU market.

Protests against the TTIP in different EU countries have not been without controversy. EPA/Wolfgang Kumm

Democracy & Transparency

TTIP talks have been criticized for their lack of transparency. Discussions are held behind closed doors and in the strictest secrecy.

TTIP contains provisions to introduce “investor-state disputes settlement.” It would give companies the right to sue foreign governments over unfair treatment that is harmful to their profit. Critics claim that this undermines the democracy of large companies by giving them power to influence government policies.

TTIP, as a massive trade agreement, is still awaiting many details. The negotiations began in 2013, but at least the US is determined to complete the remaining rounds before the current presidency. The European Council and European Parliament both have to agree on the result of the negotiations in the EU. Separately, the deal must be ratified in each of the 28 EU member countries’ national parliaments.

 

Taxicab drivers, hotel doorkeepers, and hairdressers are all tipped. More and more baristas have a tip jar, and payment screens in more establishments encourage customers to give a little more for their service, sometimes as much as 30%.

This growing list of places where consumers are required to leave a tip adds to the confusion. This creates confusion for customers and adds to the instability of employee earnings. It also leads to a worse level of service in businesses.

We should eliminate the tip.

What is a “standard” tip?

Many customers find tipping confusing because the rules are unclear, and payments are made arbitrarily. Most people agree that the “standard tip” is 15%. However, consumers are increasingly “asked” to give more.

What amount would you tip 15% on? Do you tip 15% on the total bill? Is the total bill without tax? Is the tip based on the full account of food, or is it a separate rate for expensive bottles?

Most people agree that tipping rates for large groups are often higher. But how many people make up a “large group”? Tipping is all about math. This can be a challenge for many people, especially after a few glasses of wine or pints.

Unpredictable earnings

Tipping is not only confusing and difficult for the customer, but it can also be problematic for workers who are being tipped. Other employees know their pay rates before they start work. The opposite is true for waiters, bartenders, and waitresses. They often don’t know how much money they can expect to earn in a single day.

Sometimes, servers get lucky and receive a huge tip. A server in Connecticut earned almost $25,000 for just a few hours’ work after a sports team bought a huge bottle of champagne.

It is more common for servers to receive little or no tips from customers who are unhappy with their dining experience. This also happens when foreigners are served, who are used to tipping without rules in their home country.

The economics of restaurant tipping

The economic nature of bars and restaurants, which are high-risk businesses with high rewards, was a major reason for the creation of tipping. In fact, most fail.

Fair Issac – the company that invented the FICO score – looked at fail rates in 89 industries and ranked bars and restaurants among the ten most risky. Meanwhile, Small Business Administration statistics show that only about half of restaurants and hotels last more than six years.

Restaurants that survive often have the highest gross profit margins in the retail sector. Only a handful of businesses can transform a few dollar’s worth of ingredients into a high-end product using knowledge, skill, and time. My server, for example, convinced me the other day to purchase a beautiful slice of chocolate cake as a dessert for only $5.99. This slice was made for around 25 cents, which is a very high price.

However, the industry is also very high risk. Eating out is an expensive and discretionary activity, which can be done for a cheaper price at home. Therefore, when the economy is in a slump, people tend to cut back on dining out.

There are also few barriers to entry into the restaurant industry, as opening a restaurant does not require a special degree or training. Anyone who has a good idea and is passionate about cooking can open a restaurant. It is not uncommon for highly successful restaurants to find that competitors are opening quickly in the vicinity, stealing away their customers and profits.

In order to reduce the risks, the restaurant managed to convince its customers that it is their responsibility to pay and evaluate the wages of the staff. This facilitates direct labor costs for the business, which lowers their risk of failure.

Instead of tipping as an incentive to pay workers, the business owner should shift this burden from them to the customers. The labor laws have incorporated this shift. As an example, federal regulations permit servers to earn only $2.13 an hour if tips cover the rest of the pay. This ensures that the more restaurant owners tip, the lower their costs.

Tipping is no longer a guarantee of ‘promptness.’

The tipping practice is a waste of money if it does not match the service. Historically, the tip was a token payment designed to encourage “promptness” or promptness.

But today’s tips do not motivate servers as they are only given at the end and not at the start of the meal. When servers don’t know how much incentive money they will be receiving, it isn’t easy to motivate them.

This is confirmed by research, which found that “tipping is not significantly related to the servers’ or third parties’ evaluations of service.”

Benefits of eliminating the tip

What are the alternatives to discretionary tipping? In certain countries, such as Japan, there is No tipping or Service Charge at restaurants. In Japan, for example, there is no tipping or service charge in restaurants. Instead, servers are paid directly by the restaurant, and the food and drinks prices are adjusted to reflect the additional labor costs.

It is beneficial to switch to a system where labor costs are included in the price of food and drinks. It shifts the risk away from employees by eliminating uncertainty, and it provides more stability to a server’s pay.

Restaurants and bars are more likely to hire servers who can tolerate or like the fluctuating compensation. By switching to a stable pay system, restaurants can attract more applicants who require greater income security.

The warm weather is beckoning us into the backyard, but pesky bloodsuckers are waiting. Insect repellents are safe and effective, but many people are reluctant to rub what they perceive to be smelly or sticky on their skin. Wouldn’t it be great if there was something you could eat or drink to protect yourself from mosquito bites?

There are plenty of “mozzie busting” gadgets and gimmicks marketed as alternatives to topical formulations. From wrist bands to smartphone apps, the range of products reflects the demand among the public for these products. Unfortunately, few of these provide effective protection.

We know some people are more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes than others, with the bacteria on our skin playing a crucial role in our attractiveness to mosquitoes. Studies indicate our parents are mostly to blame, not our diets.

Read more: Health Check: why mosquitoes seem to bite some people more

Many myths surround the food and drink that may keep mosquitoes at bay, but when it comes to the science behind these theories, it all becomes a bit too hard to swallow.

Cheers to mosquito-borne disease

Love a gin and tonic? There was once a time you could sip your way out of a malaria-induced fever. It was more about the tonic than the gin. A key ingredient in tonic water is quinine. Derived from the bark of a cinchona tree, quinine had been identified as a treatment for malaria in the 1960s, and although it’s currently not recommended as a first-line treatment, historically, it was critically important in battling the parasites that cause malaria.

It’s important to note that while it’s thought to be toxic to the parasites, there was no evidence it actually stopped mosquito bites. Also, modern tonic water hardly contains any quinine.

Booze and mosquito bites make a good match. Studies in Africa have demonstrated drinking beer can make you more attractive to mosquitoes. After downing a few glasses of beer, volunteers were found to attract more mosquitoes than those drinking just water.

Why? It wasn’t due to body temperature or the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled. Perhaps mosquitoes are evolving to bite drunk people, less able to swat the bloodsuckers away?

The ‘Aussie Backyard Mozzie,’ Aedes notoscriptus, taking a blood meal. Stephen Doggett (NSW Health Pathology)

Read more: The best (and worst) ways to beat mosquito bites.

Snacking your way to a bite-free summer?

One of the most commonly suggested foods to eat to avoid mosquito bites is the humble banana. The problem is, as many people think eating bananas will make you more attractive to mosquitoes than not! There isn’t the science to support either claim, but it’s unlikely eating bananas would substantially change the way mosquitoes pick you out from a crowd.

If garlic can keep mythic blood suckers away, what about those buzzing about in real life? Nope. Our breath may smell a bit after a garlic-rich meal, but a study has shown it does nothing to lessen our attractiveness to mosquitoes. It makes us more attractive to vampires, according to science!

Beating bloodsuckers with vitamin B?

One of the most pervasive home remedies perceived to prevent mosquito bites is taking vitamin B. Anecdotal reports and many personal testimonies of the effectiveness of this approach abound, but few scientific investigations are testing the claim.

Studies dating back to the 1940s failed to provide proof of protection from mosquito bites after taking vitamin B. More recently, a 2005 study showed there was no evidence it influenced the attraction of mosquitoes to human skin-derived chemicals from volunteers taking vitamin B supplements. There is simply no evidence taking vitamin B will offer any significant protection from mosquito bites.

In reality, if there were even moderate scientific evidence that taking a vitamin supplement could prevent mosquito bites, our supermarket shelves would be full of “mosquito repellent pills.” It would be wonderful to be able to pop a pill a day to stop mosquito bites, but we’re unlikely to have that luxury any time soon.

Read more: Chemical or natural: what’s the best way to repel mozzies?

In fact, products marketed as oral insect repellents are not recognized by some government agencies, given the lack of any compelling evidence to support the claims.

Don’t use mosquito bite prevention as an excuse to boost your intake of vegemite, either. It may be a staple in most Australian households, but it won’t make our summer backyard activities any less bite-prone, no matter how much vitamin B it contains (or how much you spread on your toast).

The reality is, if there were great science supporting any of these mosquito bite-blocking claims associated with food and drink, countless companies would be cashing in on selling “mosquito repellent vitamins,” and I have little doubt topical insect repellents would disappear from our supermarket shelves. I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

People tend to focus on a small number of options when they talk about reducing waste. For example, using reusable shopping bags or bottles. Most often, the focus of plastic waste reduction is on what consumers can do. Businesses need in order to stop tonnes of plastic from being produced just to be thrown out. This includes everything from shampoos and eyeliner to ready meals, soft drinks, and even cosmetics.

It would be an alternative to buying new plastic disposable containers. Instead, retailers and manufacturers could collect these and refill them before returning them to the store. This same container could be used hundreds of times for many products. Customers can’t achieve this on their own. Manufacturers, retailers, and health and safety regulators must work together.

Zero-waste stores let customers fill up reusable containers. However, most people still purchase products in disposable packaging. Olesia Bekh/Shutterstock

Reverse supply chains

Businesses currently take raw materials and make a product, then distribute it in packaging for single use that is thrown away. In a circular economy, where plastics are reused, businesses will also need to collect, clean, and store these packaging, as well as refill them. All of these steps are expensive and pose new risks to the business.

Retailers of cosmetics, food, and drinks are most concerned about the safety of their products. Compliance with regulators in a linear supply is relatively easy. Every product package, be it a shampoo or curry tray, must have its own unique label. This is to ensure that a batch of contaminated products or allergens is not overlooked. Packaging can be marked only once when it is filled and thrown away. For a circular economic system, it is necessary to re-label the different batches of products distributed in a container.

Nivea will launch a shower gel refill station in Hamburg, Germany, by 2020. The customer returns the shampoo bottle to the shop and refills it. A machine prints a sticker that identifies the batch. Customers will still be expected to do most of the work, including adding and removing labels in order to make sure their reusable products meet health and safety standards.

Elegant solutions will be needed to ensure that everyone can reuse all products. Businesses can track their packaging using a digital passport. It is a QR code that can be scanned in key stages of the product journey. This includes when the product is returned to the store, when the manufacturer cleans and refills the product at the warehouse, or when the item has been ordered online. Businesses will be able to prove that they comply with health and safety standards by scanning the packaging hundreds of times. Each package can be identified, and any contaminated shampoos or curries can be recalled.

When products are returned, cleaned, refilled, and repurchased, digital passports can be scanned. Reath Author provided

New Business Models

Digital product passports are also a great way for businesses to determine if reusable packaging makes sense. It is easy to calculate the cost of single-use packaging. The cost to manufacture a cardboard takeaway container is 20 pence. This money will be added to the price of your takeaway. Businesses could save money and recover costs by using reusable packaging.

Reusable packaging costs more per unit, as it needs to be more durable. The cost of making reusable takeaway containers can be 25 times higher than disposable ones. This does not mean the business can make a profit after reusing the container 25 times. Additional costs, such as energy and labor, are needed to clean, refill, and store the packaging. These costs can be calculated in order to calculate the cost per usage of reusable packaging. However, businesses will not know the real price until they track the package and learn the return rate. Return rates can vary greatly depending on the product, the ease of returning the box, and even cultural norms. There are few case studies available without tracking.

Reusable packaging poses a variety of new risks to businesses. How can you create packaging that is able to be dropped, frozen, and heated up to 200 and claim it will still meet the specifications it had when first manufactured? How can you create a supply chain that allows at least half of your shampoo bottles to be returned and refilled 400 times?

Digital product passports, which allow businesses to track the number of times packaging can be reused as well as how often customers return it, are a great way to solve both of these problems. These ideas must now be put into action by businesses.

We use global data in our research to describe the ideal functions of a main road. This was achieved by creating a system abstraction hierarchy that allows the main street to function as a complex interdependent system at multiple levels.

To date, the project has described hundreds of Main Street components within one model. The project allows us to examine the impact of various technical or quantitative measures such as “economic diversity,” as well as the influence and results of subjective criteria like “liveability.”

Why is this important? Successful redevelopment is dependent on unlocking the complexity of urban systems and understanding how and why they work. Our research examines this complexity, with a particular focus on the redevelopment of downtown main streets.

Is infill really needed?

According to our global survey, professionals in the built environment agree that these urban centers should be developed into connected, cultural, and economic hubs that are safe and healthy places for people.

Urban renewal is becoming more urgent. Urban sprawl is not enough to accommodate the rapid urbanization that the world’s population will experience.

In 1800, only 2% of global residents lived in urban areas. Today, 54%. By 2050, it is expected to be closer than 65%, with 6.5 billion people in cities around the world.

It is necessary to develop new ways of understanding urban land and infrastructure and the best way to use them. UN-Habitat World Urban Campaign, a recent publication, called for comprehensive system approaches to developing cities. In our research, we are looking at better ways to build infill on main streets.

What is the purpose of a street system?

Few urban design guidelines provide solutions to the problem of ambiance. From a systems point of view, however, we can determine that ambiance is the result of many processes and physical items.

What is the best way to create a subjective atmosphere?

In the diagram below, for example, we are “interested” in ambiance. The data show us “how” to achieve it optimally through many factors, including screening, greenery and illumination, aesthetic appeal, surfaces and surfaces for playing, meeting and waiting places, street food, drinks and entertainment, and human activity.

As we move on to values and measurements, it becomes clear “why” an atmosphere is important for a main road: to reduce light and noise pollution and traffic volume, as well as to improve liveability, air quality, and safety.

Identification of all elements of ambiance within a systems-based approach to city planning. Nick Patorniti is the author.

The data also tells us that the top model is a system where ambience plays a major role in social, perceptional quality, and environmental functional purposes.

We can see at the bottom which physical objects were identified by the data as necessary for creating ambiance. Shade trees, special lighting, seating areas, information signs, and street performers, for example, all contribute to the atmosphere.

Lanjaron is a beautiful town in Granada. The authorities were thoughtful enough to install a sunshade along the main street. Simon Harrod/Flickr, CC BY

This main street system has 142 functional components that are related to its purpose.

This research provides new knowledge about the real happenings in complex urban settings. This research has allowed a holistic understanding of the urban system, bringing together many different knowledge silos, such as architecture and urban design, engineering, transportation planning, and economics.

This model can be used to “health-check” a main street or even guide its redesign. This approach can be used to identify which parts are not needed or require upgrading, as well as what factors need to remain for optimal functionality.

How can we measure the failure of a system without knowing its purpose and what it is we want?

These observations are common sense.

Unfortunately, city design is not currently subjected to this level of scrutiny. The city design process fails to take into account all elements and their subsequent effects, both good and bad.

Systemic approaches allow for targeted interventions to optimize cities and identify potential infill development. It helps to understand the components and how they work together. This new information provides insight into the various elements that go into giving the city an “update.”

Our cities’ future success depends on our ability to understand the complexity of global urbanization.

We have more energy today than we need.

According to the United Nations , we have 13,630 Kilojoules per person per day. Government bodies recommend that we limit our intake to 8,700KJ per.

The role of sugar and its alternatives in our diet has been the subject of much debate. Let’s look at the products on the market to see what they mean for your health.

Sucrose

Sucrose, the most popular form of sugar in Australia, is made from cane stalks. Raw sugar is made from cane stalks that are dried and juiced. Then it is refined to make white sugar.

The light colour of white sugar is due to the absence of molasses, which is present in raw sugar. Brown sugar is mainly white sugar mixed with molasses. This makes the sugar a bit stickier.

Raw sugar is the least refined of the three. It’s nutritionally the same as brown or white sugar.

Sugar and its alternatives have been the subject of much debate. Shutterstock

Sugar is an “empty kilojoule food” because it contains a lot of energy but very little else.

There’s no proof that sugar alone will make you gain weight unless you’re already eating a lot of food. However, if you’re a big person or not, too much sugar is unhealthy.

Sugar consumption is also strongly linked to decay of the teeth and obesity with the intake of sugary drinks.

Fructose

Some suggest that fructose has a greater influence on obesity than any other sweetener.

Flickr/Moya_Brenn

It isn’t true; fructose can be used like any other sweetener.

In Australia, we use more sucrose than the high-fructose Corn Syrup that dominates US food. The fructose in fruit, honey, and refined fructose doesn’t play a major role in weight gain.

If you are watching your weight, it is best to consume this natural sugar in its original form.

It has a lower glycaemic (GI) index than other sugars. This means that it is absorbed more slowly by the body. It is the main source of sweetness for low-GI foods.

Honey and Syrups

Honey is a simple sugar made up of fructose as well as glucose. Our bodies readily absorb this sugar. Honey is sweeter because the sugars are separated.

Flickr/mynameisharsha

It means you can cook with less sugar and more honey. This also means fewer kilojoules are consumed. If you substitute a teaspoon of sugar with a tablespoon of love, it will actually add about 25% more kilojoules.

Honey and other syrups, such as agave from a succulent plant, contain more micronutrients. Some, such as rice bran, contain more calories and have a higher GI rating than sugar.

Syrups may contain nutrients that sugar doesn’t, but this does not make them healthier. You can get the nutrients you need from other foods.

Stevia

Steviol glucosides, which are found in the leaves of a Paraguayan shrub, are incredibly sweet. The powder or liquid that results after purification is 200 times sweeter compared to sucrose.

Stevia is a low-calorie sweetener. A teaspoon of most sweeteners based on stevia contains four kilojoules. The same amount sugar has 67.

Its consumption is not harmful to teeth or blood sugar levels.

Aspartame

Equal, for example, contains aspartame. Flickr/Bukowsky18

Aspartame, a sweetener without sugar, can bind with our taste receptors. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar. This is why you can use such a small amount in food or drinks.

Aspartame consumption in excess has been linked to lymphomas and other cancers. The sweetener is safe to consume for humans, despite the hoax that caused alarm.

The European Food Safety Authority published the draft results earlier this year of a comprehensive report showing that at the current levels of consumption, aspartame, and its metabolites do not pose a toxicity concern to consumers, except for those who have a genetic disorder called phenylketonuria.

Logically, aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener. People who use it instead of sugar or non-sugar sweeteners will lose weight. This is not true.

According to studies, sweeteners like aspartame increase appetite and cause people to prefer sweet food. This increases their calorie intake.

Has also linked the consumption of sweeteners like aspartame to metabolic syndrome and diabetes, but for reasons that are yet to be determined.

Make informed choices

Sugar is not bad for you, but consuming too much can be harmful.

You should not be tempted to eat more calories by substituting sugar for other macronutrients, such as fat or protein. Be careful not to increase your portion size because you are eating “sugar free” foods.

If the label on a food product says that it is “sugar-free”, then its kilojoule count may still be the same if sugar has been substituted with another type of sugar or carbohydrate, such as syrup.

Unprocessed food is the basis of a healthy diet, with the occasional treat planned and discretionary. Stick to smart, healthy eating instead of unthinkingly following the newest fad.

In moderation, healthy cereals can help you maintain a balanced diet. Many breakfast cereals available in the UK are high in sugar. Based on the total weight of a product, some contain over a third.

Breakfast cereals are more than just an early morning meal for children. Kids tend to snack throughout the day on these cereals because they are so quick to make. Cereal products, which are sugars that have been added to foods and drinks, as well as those found in honey or unsweetened juices, are second to cereals as the main source of sugars for children. They make up 8% or more of free sugars consumed by children aged four to ten years and 7% for teenagers aged 11-18.

In the media, it is often said that excess sugar is a risk factor for tooth decay and can lead to cavities, gum disease, and painful abscesses. What is less often discussed in the media is that excessive sugar can also be a risk factor for tooth cavities – which may lead to gum disease, painful abscesses, and even diabetes.

In our newly published study, we looked at the marketing of breakfast cereals high in sugar to children and its impact on oral health. We were interested in the portion sizes on the front of packs and how this affected sugar intake.

Oversized portions

According to recent UK nutritional recommendations, free sugars shouldn’t exceed 5 % of total dietary energy for children over two years old. According to the NHS, this should not exceed 19g per day (approximately five teaspoons) in children aged 4 to 6 years.

Nine out of thirteen cereal boxes were examined. Maria Morgan is the Author.

We used these guidelines to examine the packaging of nine of the most popular breakfast cereals sold in the UK. We decided to investigate Coco Pops more closely, as it was the most popular cereal (according to Mintel’s marketing reports), and include all UK supermarket and branded versions. We had 13 different breakfast cereals: Cheerios (and Asda’s, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s, and Tesco supermarket-branded versions), Coco Pops, Cornflakes, Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, and Frosties.

We found that eight of the thirteen cereals, when consumed at the suggested portion size by the manufacturer, provided more than half the daily recommended sugar intake for children aged between four and six. We also found out that the pictures of the portions on the packaging can be misleading to consumers. The packaging suggested the recommended portion sizes, but the images showed pieces at least two-thirds larger than those recommendations.

Sugar content (g/100g) of leading UK children’s cereals. Author provided

Cartoon characters, royal endorsements, and QR codes were used to promote the breakfast cereals. Many of these appeared to be targeted towards children.

All the cereals we tested had legitimate nutritional claims, including those relating to vitamins (especially iron) and minerals (especially folic), whole grains, and no artificial flavors or colors. Only two cereals, Weetabix & Sugar Puffs, did not include a voluntary nutrition label on the front of their packaging (often color-coded as traffic lights). The problem is that while the images on the packaging do not reflect the manufacturer’s actual recommendation, the legitimate claims made about the other nutritional components of the cereals may lead consumers to believe that they are healthier.

It may not be an intentional attempt to mislead the consumer. Still, dental professionals and other healthcare providers should be aware of how marketing techniques can affect children and parents when they are giving nutritional advice. In addition, consumers should be more informed about the breakfast options they choose.

Breakfast is an important part of starting the day, and it doesn’t have to be boring. Choose breakfast cereals that have less sugar. Porridge, plain wholewheat cereals, and plain shredded cereals are all good choices. Add some fruit (raspberries or bananas work well) and serve with semi-skimmed or natural yogurt. Change4life offers some tips on reducing sugar in breakfast as well as easy and quick recipes.

The UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that Northern Ireland would be the “world’s most exciting economy zone” because of its access to the EU single market as part of the latest post-Brexit trading agreement between the EU and the UK.

Politicians and business leaders in the UK esp, especially those from Northern Ireland, are still examining the details of the Windsor Framework.

The agreement, in principle, is meant to fix some of the flaws of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The agreement came into force in January 2021 to allow goods from Northern Ireland to be checked before they enter the Republic of Ireland, an EU member.

The government claims that it was “a source of acute political and economic difficulties, as well as societal problems, in the two-year period since it began operation.” According to the government, it has been an 

Windsor aims to reduce trading costs through simplified customs checks on goods entering Northern Ireland. This will be achieved by reducing the paperwork and speeding up customs procedures by relaxing certain rules for UK-wide trade. These improvements will be a result of improved IT systems, data-sharing, and enforcement of market surveillance between the EU and the UK.

In 2021, we published a study on the impact Brexit and protocol would have on Northern Ireland’s economic growth. The research showed that the economy of Northern Ireland could contract by as much as 2.6% over time. The same study shows that the new agreement could lead to a smaller contraction.

The protocol would have the greatest impact on industries that trade primarily in goods, such as agriculture, forestry fis, heroes, or food and beverage. Financial services industries, for example, are less vulnerable but still negatively impacted.

80% of the contraction in the UK economy is due to trade barriers between Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the EU. Any efforts made to reduce trade barriers within the UK would help the economy.

Our economic model used 2017 data (pre-Brexit) to simulate the changes that might occur in the economy over time. This was based upon differences in trade costs between what Northern Irish companies buy from Great Britain and sales of Northern Irish products and services to other countries, including the EU.

Our simulation treats Northern Ireland as a separate entity. It assumes the input costs are fixed outside of the region, with the exception of tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Also, it takes the pre-Brexit agreements for trade with non-EU nations are still in place. Our results provide some insight into how the new Windsor Framework compares to the old deal.

The Windsor Framework is intended to address criticisms of the Northern Ireland Protocol. This includes the need for goods that are traded in the UK to be checked if they cross the Irish Sea. Jonathan Porter/Alamy Stock Photo

Great Britain is Northern Ireland’s largest trading partner. It provides about 65% of its goods imports. This includes not only goods consumed directly by households but also intermediate goods that are used by Northern Ireland’s industry to produce goods. The region is, therefore, particularly vulnerable to shocks in the UK’s trade.

It is not surprising that any nontariff barrier affecting inputs (other than charges or quotas) will increase production costs and may result in higher prices for consumers.

Northern Ireland households also buy products from industries dependent on trade with Great Britain. In the wholesale and retail sector, for example, 29% is spent on goods produced in Northern Ireland. This industry is a major importer of goods from Great Britain.

Why these results still hold true today

Windsor focuses on reducing the amount of paperwork required to transport and sell agricultural products. According to the European Commission, the new deal simplifies the movement of goods by requiring “only one general certificate” for trucks, reduced inspections, and “simplified processes for plants and agricultural equipment.”

According to our research, the Northern Ireland Protocol has resulted in the most significant nontariff barrier and the greatest reductions in production for the food, beverage, agriculture, and forestry industries. Any simplifications made in this area will reduce the cost of trade with Great Britain, in particular in these sectors.

Special provisions for these sectors will also help reduce nontariff barriers, like the restrictions on certain goods or the higher rate of customs checks in comparison to other products. We expect that the newly streamlined processes and customs checks will help other industries to face lower nontariff obstacles than under the old arrangement.

The new arrangements will benefit agriculture, food, and retail. Northern Ireland’s economy will still suffer as a result of Brexit, but if you were to repeat the simulation today, it would be less drastic than we predicted.

At this stage, it isn’t easy to estimate the actual economic benefits of the framework over the protocol. The framework doesn’t remove all nontariff obstacles because customs will still check goods that are at risk of being exported to the EU when they enter Northern Ireland.

In order to reduce nontariff restrictions, firms will be required to declare the location of goods to be sold. Northern Ireland will continue to face friction in the services trade with the EU. This cost would be 20% of GDP under the protocol.

Even in the best-case scenario, in which non-tariff trade barriers between the two parts are reduced significantly, the Windsor Agreement will not neutralize all the negative economic effects of Brexit on Northern Ireland. The new agreement between the EU, UK, and Ireland is likely to be better for Northern Irish economic growth than the protocol.