sugar | The Adobo Chronicles

SAN FRANCISCO, California (The Adobo Chronicles) — San Francisco Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve health warnings on ads for sugary sodas and some other drinks, saying such beverages contribute to obesity, diabetes and other health problems.

It is believed that San Francisco would be the first place in the country to require such a warning on ads if it receives a second approval from the Board of Supervisors next week and the mayor signs it into law.

The ordinance defines sugar-sweetened beverages as drinks with more than 25 calories from sweeteners per 12 ounces.

That puts the popular Filipino beverage/snack, halo-halo, way above that category.

Halo-halo, is shaved ice served in a tall glass (certainly more than 12 ounces), mixed with ingredients like beans, coconut, sweet fruits, nuts, milk, flan and lots of sugar — not including the scoop of ice cream topping. A full version of halo-halo with ice cream could easily contain as much as 100 calories of sweeteners.

San Francisco Filipino restaurants serving halo-halo opposed the ordinance, claiming that it will not only cost them extra money to include the health warning in their ads, but could potentially discourage customers from ordering the delicious snack.

The FilAm community had mixed (halo) reactions to the ordinance, with some saying that it is good for the health of the community, and others arguing that it was about time to elect a Filipino supervisor so that their concerns and issues are sufficiently represented in San Francisco’s liberal politics.

Well, well.

San Francisco, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – Buoyed by an earlier approval to include in November’s ballot a proposed two-cent tax per ounce of sodas, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed another measure in its war against sugar.

The new measure, which passed 6-4, will ask San Francisco voters to approve a new city law that would ban Starbucks and other coffee outlets from serving or offering sugar or whipped cream with their coffee. Tall, grande or venti, only black coffee will be be sold at these outlets, and no sugary enhancements, according to the proposed regulations.

“We want San Francisco to take the lead in the fight against obesity and diabetes,” said board president David Chiu.

Asked by The Adobo Chronicles how far the city is willing to go in this healthy obsession, Chiu said: “This is just the beginning. If the two measures are approved by voters in November, we will go after cake shops and ice cream parlors next. We are very confident that with voter support, San Francisco can go totally sugar-free by 2020.”