Kendall Moffett | Contributing Writer
Coca Cola is our official beverage partner and the warning signs could not be louder. With unhealthy sugary drinks all over campus students’ health are under attack.
This new partnership would last five years with the option of a renewal. This means we’re going to see Coca Cola products — majority of which are extremely unhealthy— filling our vending machines all over campus.
This is clearly an issue as the many healthy beverage options in our vending machines have been drastically limited. Healthy choices should not be replaced with sodas that don’t rehydrate the body after a workout or when going from class to class.
It’s no secret that Coca Cola is potentially addictive because of the immense caffeine and sugar. Medical News Today found that Coca Cola has 10 teaspoons more sugar than the recommended sugar intake, with the main sugar ingredient being high fructose corn syrup.
No wonder we don’t do a double take when we grab a second can.
And with vending machines stocked with an abundance of Coca Cola flavors, students are likely to consume dangerously more than usual.
This leaves students vulnerable to many concerning health impacts as WebMD mentions that drinking only one or two cans a day can increase the chance of type 2 diabetes by 20%.
It’s alarming for a university that claims to promote students’ health and wellness to partner with such a harmful drink.
This is about more than taste. It’s about the narrow range of healthy beverage options students are left with and it should not be that way. Students deserve healthy beverage options around campus, not just a vending machine filled with eleven flavors of the same soft drink.
Instead of doubling down on more sugary drinks, FIU should partner with healthier alternatives like cold pressed juices that promote wellness. While we can’t erase soda entirely, encouraging students to enjoy soft drinks in moderation is a better choice to avoid serious health issues.
When it comes down to it, students should not be confined to Coca Cola’s unhealthy beverages because of this partnership. Embracing nutritious choices for the sake of students’ wellness will always matter more than the flavor of a soft drink.
DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect the perspectives of contributing writers and/or university community members.
About Post Author
