Are We About To See An Unprecedented Change To Healthier Drinks & Foods?

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is definitely a controversial figure just as his father and uncle were. Like him or hate him, he is beginning to make an impact on the goal of making America healthy again. Since Kennedy has entered the office of HHS Secretary, interesting things are starting to happen with food: Red food dye No. 3, which many believe causes cancer 12 has been banned (Commencing 2027); and now a push to ban soda from SNAP, starting with Texas U.S. Congressman Keith Self introducing the "FIZZ-NO Act" legislation13, in February and in late March West Virginia's Governor Patrick Morrisey's announcement seeking permission from the Department of Agriculture to initiate this ban. "'Taxpayer dollars should be targeted toward nutritious foods,' Morrisey said." 1 While HHS Secretary Kennedy applauded the move and urged other governors to follow Gov Morrisey. Will our great State of Washington follow?

The Opposition

Nevertheless there is opposition: The Soda industry obviously isn't happy and has been contacting Congress daily. And neither does the Director of the Center for Environment and Society at Washington College, Valerie Imbruce, stating: “'Controlling how the poor eat is a paternalistic response to a problem that is not based in SNAP recipients’ inability to make good decisions about healthy foods, it is a problem of the price differential in choosing healthy or junk foods,' she said."“'Soda and candy are much cheaper and more calorie dense than 100 percent fruit juices or prebiotic non-artificially sweetened carbonated beverages, thanks to price supports and subsidies by the federal government to support a U.S. sugar industry, she added." 1 Imbruce does make a valid point, soda is more affordable for economically challenged people than nutritious fruit drinks. But many think it's worth it. The more junk food is banned from SNAP, the healthier economically challenged people will be, which means less medical visits, and less burden on the taxpayer. And hopefully some of the savings passed on as SNAP cost of living increases. And healthier people are happier people. But this could be the beginning of even better repercussions for everyone, maybe "da world"

The Leader Of The Pack

Let's take a look at one of the most popular sodas in the USA (globally too): Coca Cola. Could you believe that Coca Cola used to be medicine? Yes that's right, and believe it or not rightly so. But they had to screw it up in 1980 by replacing the sugar with the garbage known as corn syrup!

Coca Cola History:
"Confederate Colonel John Pemberton, wounded in the American Civil War and addicted to morphine, also had a medical degree and began a quest to find a substitute" for his addiction... "In 1886, when Atlanta and Fulton County passed prohibition legislation, Pemberton responded by developing Coca-Cola, a non-alcoholic version of Pemberton's French Wine Coca. 11 Some of both Coca Cola and the alcoholic version: Pemberton's French Wine Coca14 ingredients have contained super foods and medicinal oils:

Orange oil: "Research has shown that orange essential oil may have several benefits. Some examples include antimicrobial activity, pain relief, and anticancer properties." 3
Lemon oil: "is an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ingredient that can help you boost your mood, find mental clarity, reduce stress, and more." 4
Nutmeg oil: "improve mood, blood sugar control, and heart health" 5
Coriander oil: "It may help lower your blood sugar, fight infections, and promote heart, brain, skin, and digestive health.6
Neroli oil: "Some evidence suggests that neroli oil has benefits for conditions like: depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, seizures, menopausal symptoms." 7
Cinnamon oil: Good for "boosting heart health, reducing inflammation, aiding digestion, and acting as an antimicrobial agent." 8
Coca leaves: Oh no - cocaine? But only if you snort the leaf. According to NIH, "Coca might be useful as a treatment for gastrointestinal ailments and motion sickness, as a fast-acting antidepressant medication, as a substitute stimulant for coffee in certain cases, and as an adjunct in programs of weight reduction and physical fitness. In leaf form, coca does not produce toxicity or dependence." 2 In 1903, the fresh coca leaves were removed from the formula.. 9

Repentance To Healthy Medicinal Tonic?

So you see the soft drink Coca Cola could easily become nutritious again by replacing the gross corn syrup with a mix of fruit sugars and honey to make it great again and get accepted into the SNAP program. In fact that's exactly what's going to have to happen to maintain it's lucrative market. And that goes for all the other soft drink makers. Afterall according to PEW Research"12.5% of the total U.S. population" is on SNAPS 10 and that's a big loss if they don't change their unhealthy and yucky ways.

Conclusion

I believe this is the beginning of Making America Healthy Again (MAHA) and most likely the world because more and more junk foods are going to get banned from SNAPS and the same will have to follow for the rest of these drink and food producers - change or die.

Sources

(1) https://www.westernjournal.com/rfk-jr-moves-cut-soda-list-approved-food-stamp-purchases-pay-attention-fighting/
(2) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › ... 
(3) https://www.healthline.com/health/orange-essential-oil-uses
(4) https://www.healthline.com/health/lemon-essential-oil?utm_source=ReadNext#takeaway
(5) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nutmeg-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_9
(6) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coriander-benefits#The-bottom-line
(7) https://www.healthline.com/health/neroli-oil#benefits
(8) https://www.healthline.com/health/cinnamon-oil#:~:text=A%20study%20%2C%20which%20used%20bacterial,as%20a%20food%2Dgrade%20oil.
(9) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola#:~:text=Pemberton%20called%20for%20five%20ounces,were%20trucks%20that%20transported%20it.
(10) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/07/19/what-the-data-says-about-food-stamps-in-the-u-s/
(11) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola#:~:text=Pemberton%20called%20for%20five%20ounces,were%20trucks%20that%20transported%20it.
(12) https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additives/fdc-red-no-3#:~:text=FD&C%20Red%20No.-,3,ingredients%20when%20added%20to%20food.
(13) https://keithself.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-keith-self-introduces-fizz-no-act-improve-public-health-and-reduce
(14) (Ended in 1888 upon Pemberton's death)
Image: Thanks to Deepai https://deepai.org

[ ] Brackets are used to correct the spelling of a person's quote or add more descriptive words to avoid English and Literature Teachers from having a heart attack, LoL.

By Chief Editor Angelo-Lk-Whatcom-Rider-Writer, Published: 4-1-25 Updated: 4-5-25
The ugly illustrations are drawn in a feverish hurry of 1-3 minutes by yours truly under his high school pen name Zouk
And of course, when in a hurry, I use AI if it's not too much bull biscuits! Usually takes the liberties of advertising itself on the pic.
About The writer: I've lived in Bellingham since February, 2011, and love the beautiful trees & greenery producing all that oxygen, and of course, the lake, bay, hills and mountains too. I've also been in the lovely Anacortes area for part of that time, going back and forth, since moving here.
Educational/Professional Background: Economics & Political Science Degrees at UCF. Attended Graduate School of Economics at FSU, and have worked for the FL Labor Dept as well as consulted for the FL Labor Dept on behalf of the US Labor Dept. I've been happily working in my own businesses since 1993.


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