Proposed Beverage Tax Is Braindead Upon Arrival

A proposed national tax on soft drinks, juice drinks and flavored milks by some misguided Washington do-gooders is supposed to encourage more healthy choices and supposedly combat obesity. However, not much real intelligent thought went into this proposal. If this proposal is trying to promote more milk use and less fruit juice or soda use it fails to note that up to 50% of all Americans have some problems digesting milk products. Further, products such as whole milk contain up to 11% cholesterol, the potentially deadly artery clogging substance. Heart attacks rate among the leading cause of death in the United States. Is this what this braindead tax proposal is trying to promote, more heart attack deaths?

A further problem is encouraging more milk use may only encourage more milk production and more animal cruelty and more use of hormones to boost milk production. More and more hormones are used to increase milk production. Further, if milk itself wasn't related to weight gain, then how come some many athletes like weightlifter and football players drink so much milk to bulk up? Milk may contain protein and other healthy elements, but with up to 50% of the American population having some problems digesting milk products to some extent compared to few complications for juice drinks or even soda, it seems absurd to promote more milk use.

Another problem is that milk products tend to be the most common food allergy substances of all food products. Milk and egg products always lead the allergen alerts on products, yet this is what this proposal seems to be promoting, The fact of the matter is that juice drinks or soft drinks have few allergy effects, and are certainly a healthy alternative compared to milk products for those with milk product allergies.

Milk products also tend to worsen rheumatoid arthritis as well. On the other hand, some soft drinks such as ginger ale have anti-inflammatory effects by comparison that fight pain and are good for arthritis. Further some juice drinks such as pineapple juice may help arthritis as well. Cranberry juice is good for fighting bladder infections because it is a natural antibiotic. On the other hand milk products are famous for creating or worsening sinus and ear infections or other health complications by comparison.

Another major issue is why raise taxes on families just when the economy is so bad right now? Prices are high enough. And since most drinks contain at least some health value, all except alcohol are allowed to be purchased with food stamps. Retailers and consumers simply don't need a misguided new beverage tax right now.