We Don’t Want More Sugar!
SOS Hydration believes in a healthy and effective way of rehydration. However, the Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand is trying to force more sugar into the formula.
There are many studies that prove that Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) such as SOS are a healthier alternative to sports drinks. SOS complies with WHO (World Health Organisation) guidelines and is proven to be an effective way of rehydration.
Despite this, the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand won’t allow this drink to qualify as a sports drink, because they believe it needs more sugar. They base this demand, which contradicts the values of SOS Hydration, on outdated food standards.
In order to recognise SOS as a sports drink, the government wants it to have five times more sugar. This change can only hurt the users of SOS, since there is evidence that sugar can have a negative effect on the body.
SOS Hydration is battling these requirements, since the company wants to make sure that the users of SOS stay healthy and at the top of their game.
The Conflict
SOS is an Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) which many people who live an active lifestyle consider an integral part of their rehydration strategy. It has a high concentration of electrolytes and without any artificial ingredients. It’s safe to say that it’s a good step towards a healthy lifestyle.
However, the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand are standing in the way of this progress. Instead of having 2.5 teaspoons of sugar, the government wants the drink to have 12.5 before it would list it as a sports drink.
The science behind this requirement is rather old, and so are the food standards. Many experts agree that this demand doesn’t make any sense, since high-sugar sports drinks can often do more harm than good. This is why SOS Hydration came up with a low-sugar solution.
To explain why this is important, let’s take a look at the negative effects that sugar has on your body.
The Dangers of Sugar
Today, you can find sugar pretty much everywhere. Food, drinks, and many additives contain it, so it can be rather hard to stay away from it.
If you’re an active person, there’s a big chance that health is your priority. It seems contradictory to take large amounts of sugar if you want to stay healthy and active. An even bigger contradiction is when a government tries to get people to consume less sugar, only to demand a rehydration solution to use more of it.
There are many reasons to stay away from sugar. First of all, it’s highly addictive. A study showed that the intake of sugar leads to the release of dopamine in the same areas in the brain that react to heroin and cocaine.
This addiction can lead to many health issues. Here are some of them:
- Heart issues
- Joint inflammation
- Diabetes
- Kidney failure
- Anxiety
- Depression
This is not to say that you should not consume any sugar. But a prolonged use of high-sugar products can severely damage your health.
The problem with sports drinks is that the concentration of electrolytes is too low for them to be effective without drinking too much of them, and the sugar that comes with them. In contrast, SOS can deliver the same amount of electrolytes with much lower sugar, but not if the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand has its way.
How to Fight This Decision?
In order to stay true to their values, and keep the SOS as it is, SOS Hydration is raising awareness of the dangers of sugar and why the formula shouldn’t be changed. The public seems to support this, since many medical and nutrition experts, athletes, and ordinary people are joining the fight.
You can help as well. SOS Hydration started a petition that highlights everything that’s wrong with the current food standards and emphasises the importance of not having a lot of sugar in your rehydration solution. You can show your support by signing the petition and becoming a part of the movement that supports healthy lifestyle.
Also, if you wish to learn more about the benefits of SOS and the way it works, visit our shop for more information.
