Charged Lemonade - Energy Drink, or Public Health Menace?

[Brooklyn Bridge]

Panera has a new charged lemonade on its menu, which the company claims is plant-based" and "clean" and has no more caffeine than regular dark coffee. Lo and behold, the drink contains 390 milligrams of caffeine, another stimulant in guarana extract, and 30 teaspoons of sugar.

Now, two people have died, the company is being sued and is promising to "thoroughly review this matter."

A lawsuit was filed on behalf of a 21-year-old Penn student.

Family sues Panera Bread after college student who drank Charged Lemonade dies

A second lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Florida man who died after drinking a charged lemonade and ordering a refill.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/12/06/panera-caffeine-lawsuits-deaths-risks/

It seems both victims had underlying health conditions, which could have played a role. But damn, 390 milligrams of caffeine, I don't think Butters even had that much.

 

[Twirling Time]

I need to visit Panera more often!

Regular dark coffee usually comes in a smaller serving, though, which is kind of misleading.

 

[Slacker]

Lo and behold, the drink contains 390 milligrams of caffeine,
another stimulant in guarana extract, and 30 teaspoons of sugar.

I won't – can't, actually – have sugar anymore, unless I'm a big fan of diabetes, which I'm not.

So fork any and of all these corporate food providers who keep, literally, shoving sugar down our throats.*

Refined sugar is one of our body's major enemies. But we can wean ourselves off of it. So quit jamming it into our foods, dammit.

* 30 teaspoons of sugar translates to 120 grams of sugar, unless I'm mistaken. That's about FIVE DAYS of sugar in ONE SERVING of this drink.

 

[Twirling Time]

Sugar typically gets grouped into carbohydrates, which are everywhere. My doc told me there are simple sugars and complex sugars. Anything white (like bread and rice) is a simple sugar and should be avoided. French fries and potatoes in general are the same and I try to avoid those too. Those foods are starches which get broken down by the body into simple sugars.

 

[I Should Coco]

Sugar typically gets grouped into carbohydrates, which are everywhere. My doc told me there are simple sugars and complex sugars. Anything white (like bread and rice) is a simple sugar and should be avoided. French fries and potatoes in general are the same and I try to avoid those too. Those foods are starches which get broken down by the body into simple sugars.

One of the surprising things to me upon joining the Type II club in 2019 was how much sugar/carbs are in fruits I previously considered healthy. Especially citrus.

However, you are correct when you say the sugar present in, say, an apple or berries is much better for your body than the simple sugars in candy or other processed foods.

 

[Slacker]

Also, from what I read, nothing converts to sugar faster than potato sources. And, after that, bread sources.

Sucks to give up french fries and baked potatos and french toast and all that good stuff when you're older, but that's what you do ... or else.

 

[Twirling Time]

My grandma lived to 95 on a nightly diet of fried chicken and fried potatoes. She passed a month before covid became a thing and I suspect I caught covid at her funeral in February 2020. I had the same symptoms a year later. I'm good on my meds and haven't slacked up, but I have cut back on alcohol. (a little)

 

[Hermes]

One of the surprising things to me upon joining the Type II club in 2019 was how much sugar/carbs are in fruits I previously considered healthy. Especially citrus.

However, you are correct when you say the sugar present in, say, an apple or berries is much better for your body than the simple sugars in candy or other processed foods.

When I dropped 120 pounds, everyone inevitably asked how I did it. When you start explaining just how much trouble even most fruits cause in a human diet, people refuse to believe you. Something about the way they were taught nutrition in school will not allow them to accept that regularly eating an orange is not healthy for you.

 

[BartonK]

Panera has a new charged lemonade on its menu, which the company claims is plant-based" and "clean" and has no more caffeine than regular dark coffee. Lo and behold, the drink contains 390 milligrams of caffeine, another stimulant in guarana extract, and 30 teaspoons of sugar.

Now, two people have died, the company is being sued and is promising to "thoroughly review this matter."

A lawsuit was filed on behalf of a 21-year-old Penn student.

Family sues Panera Bread after college student who drank Charged Lemonade dies

A second lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Florida man who died after drinking a charged lemonade and ordering a refill.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/12/06/panera-caffeine-lawsuits-deaths-risks/

It seems both victims had underlying health conditions, which could have played a role. But damn, 390 milligrams of caffeine, I don't think Butters even had that much.

Last time I was at Panera, the charged lemonade dispenser was next to the soda and regular lemonade dispensers, where anybody could have some (and get unlimited refills). At a minimum, I'd have to think that ends.

 

[Neutral Corner]

When I dropped 120 pounds, everyone inevitably asked how I did it. When you start explaining just how much trouble even most fruits cause in a human diet, people refuse to believe you. Something about the way they were taught nutrition in school will not allow them to accept that regularly eating an orange is not healthy for you.

For what its worth to anyone who needs some dietary help, Noom is really good if you work the program. It's a combination of nutrition facts and psychological reinforcement. They survey the heck out of you, getting your motives, weight loss goals, dietary habits, etc. and then you make the effort to list everything you actually eat accurately. There is no reproach for going off the reservation, simply advice to control your portions, things that might substitute while being better for you. There is nothing that is forbidden, simply feedback that this one item was 54% of your carb goal for the day, something on that order.

I don't use it as it costs a little money and I'm not that overweight, but my wife has had great success with it. They don't sell you anything but the advice and guidance in the program. The advice you get is based on what you tell them you are trying to do - "I'd like to lose twenty pounds by July" or "I want to get down to 165", whatever.

 

[britwrit]

When I dropped 120 pounds, everyone inevitably asked how I did it. When you start explaining just how much trouble even most fruits cause in a human diet, people refuse to believe you. Something about the way they were taught nutrition in school will not allow them to accept that regularly eating an orange is not healthy for you.

I found being on a long-term diet turned me deeply suspicious of pretty much of any type of food. Everything has calories and most of it more than you think.

Avocadoes are relatively healthy for you but loaded with calories. And a 100 grams of dry roasted peanuts has 595 calories, 47 grams of fat, etc. etc.

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

For what its worth to anyone who needs some dietary help, Noom is really good if you work the program. It's a combination of nutrition facts and psychological reinforcement. They survey the heck out of you, getting your motives, weight loss goals, dietary habits, etc. and then you make the effort to list everything you actually eat accurately. There is no reproach for going off the reservation, simply advice to control your portions, things that might substitute while being better for you. There is nothing that is forbidden, simply feedback that this one item was 54% of your carb goal for the day, something on that order.

I don't use it as it costs a little money and I'm not that overweight, but my wife has had great success with it. They don't sell you anything but the advice and guidance in the program. The advice you get is based on what you tell them you are trying to do - "I'd like to lose twenty pounds by July" or "I want to get down to 165", whatever.

My neighbor had great luck with Noom, using it to lose more than 20 pounds. I'd like to lose some weight, about 8-9 pounds, but I'm generally pretty healthy and don't want to use Noom just yet.