The LibDems have, on the face of it, a rather good idea when they say they want to encourage the consumption of fruit juice. They want to cut VAT on fruit juice from 17.5% to 5%. Full story HERE. The trouble is, fruit juice is not quite as healthy as you might think. Most fruit juices you buy in the supermarket or in a pub contain absolutely enormous amounts of sugar. I don't drink tea, coffee, or alcohol. My staple diet consisted of copious amounts of fruit juice (along with, I must admit, fizzy drinks). Since being diagnosed with diabetes I have had to give up these pleasures and now make my own fruit juice in a juicer. As someone commented earlier: "Without the bulk contained in fruit, the sugar in fruit juice is quickly ingested causing glycaemic shock and increasing the risk of diabetes." Some fruit juices contain more sugar than Coca Cola - and that's saying something. So this polocy is not quite all that it seems. If they wish to encourage the eating of fruit, which would be a very good thing, there must surely be better ways of doing it.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
LibDems on Fruit: Worthy but Misguided
The LibDems have, on the face of it, a rather good idea when they say they want to encourage the consumption of fruit juice. They want to cut VAT on fruit juice from 17.5% to 5%. Full story HERE. The trouble is, fruit juice is not quite as healthy as you might think. Most fruit juices you buy in the supermarket or in a pub contain absolutely enormous amounts of sugar. I don't drink tea, coffee, or alcohol. My staple diet consisted of copious amounts of fruit juice (along with, I must admit, fizzy drinks). Since being diagnosed with diabetes I have had to give up these pleasures and now make my own fruit juice in a juicer. As someone commented earlier: "Without the bulk contained in fruit, the sugar in fruit juice is quickly ingested causing glycaemic shock and increasing the risk of diabetes." Some fruit juices contain more sugar than Coca Cola - and that's saying something. So this polocy is not quite all that it seems. If they wish to encourage the eating of fruit, which would be a very good thing, there must surely be better ways of doing it.
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Almost as silly has hiking the taxes on alco-pops by a few pence really.
The very idea you can make people drink less, eat healthy, etc by adding or subtracting a few pence is frankly insulting.
Here's an idea why not just offer people greatly subsidised membership to Local council pools and gyms (if you're lucky enough have one) and scrap taxing private health care and other health 'perks' employers give?
I have a private health check every year and when I put some weight on had some sessions with a nutritionist - all of which I was taxed on. So it costs me money to have preventative health care.
I couldn't agree more with you - smoothies, even those marketed as being "super" or especially good for you like Innocent or PJ, are even higher in sugar than fruit juices.
All things in moderation!
Cllr David Sammels
If there is a better way, suggest it!
The vast majority of fruit juice sold has no added sugar, although obviously the fruit itself has sugar in it.
Tim Leunig
A fairly extensive piece of research in the US recently revealed that the fructus contained in 'pure' fruit juices massively increased the possibilities of gout in middle-aged men... so I think I'll stick to the ale.
Can they reduce VAT just like that?
I think they need a special dispensation from the masters in Brussels (something in the fairly recent past about church repairs? and VAT rings faint bells).
Will they get it?
The news reports suggest that this only applies to 100% fruit juices, so the added sugar line is a myth. The sugar from fruit that you get in fruit juice is easier to digest in juice form than in fruit form, but most smoothies are made of whole fruit pureed, like your home made ones, thats how they are so think. Finally it seems sensible to incentivise fruit juice over other crap since even if its not perfect it is a lot better for you than fizzy drinks or 'juice drinks' with added sugar and preservatives.
You'd do well to get some high quality pomegranate juice for your diabetes.
The sugars in PJ are handled differently.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2006/Aug/pomegranate-juice-to-help-diabetes.html
http://www.hwize.com/pomegranate/pomegranate.html
Do I have to tell you people everything? If your orange juice tastes too sweet, add more Champagne. Duh.
This is probably the most inane policy announcement in the history of inane policy announcements.
Fruit juice? That's the best they could come up with? It even trumped Cable's "I'm gonna tax wealthy people 'til they bleed dry" pledge.
George Orwell used to preserve a particular venom for "fruit juice drinkers" in his writings.
Good point Iain. This is what the Food Standards Agency say about fruit juices for diabetics:
(http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthissues/diabetes/)
"Fruit juice is high in fructose (fruit sugar) so it can cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly. Because of this, it's best for people with diabetes to drink juice with a meal and avoid having more than one small glass a day."
It isn't a question of whether or not sugare has been added. All fruit contains sugars because that is the whole point of fruit (they are sources of nutrition for seeds), but because there is no buldk the sugar goes straight into the blood system which is bad news. Nothing wrong with lots of raw fruit and vegetables instead.
Hmm. Listen to the nannys argue. Who cares whether it contains x per cent of sugar, or whether it's good for you? That's not the role of the state. There is but one sensible response to this policy. Condemn the proposed offsetting rises on 'unhealthy' drinks, welcome the proposal for a tax cut on fruit juices. It's a TAX CUT for god's sake, even if a small one. You know, one of those things the Tories used to be in favour of before trying to mimic Labour. (And as for the EU, just tell them to sod off)
Yes, but Dave Cameron wants to tax cyder and alchopops- the last bastion of home manufactured licensed products. What a willy!
I like Asda's own grapefruit juice, among others, which I recall has no added sugar. I shall check when it comes back into season at our local store.
Meanwhile, I shall adopt Verity's suggestion, and am disappointed in myself in not having already thought of it!
Verity - do we have to tell you Statesiders everything?
Like, adding champagne to orange juice is a terrible waste - of perfectly good OJ?
Duh.
BTW, why you you need to import your fizz from cheese-eating surrender monkey France when you've got plenty of reasonably potable Californian sparkling wine on your own continent? Especially if all you're going to do is use it to dilute your orange juice. Beats me.
BTW, is the ad for 'Fruit Baskets delivered in the UK' on your site a recruitment 'front' for the LibDums? Is Vince 'Smoothie' Cable weaving the wicker baskets for the tasteful selection of assorted fruits? Can one be sure they are organic, low in natural sugars and fairtrade, sourced from suartainable fruit-growing areas? And subject to only 5% VAT ? - if our Lords and Masters in Brussels approve, of course.
Only a hopeless hapless invertebrate LibDum would be unable to select their own fruit at the greengrocer or supermarket! Fruitcakes all!
"The very idea you can make people drink less, eat healthy, etc by adding or subtracting a few pence is frankly insulting."
I broadly agree. There is, however, a good point in that if fruit is 0% VAT as an essential food item then why should 17.5% be applied to a product that contains fruit and only fruit - like a smoothie.
I agree with your point, Iain, about fruit juices and have also had to cut those delicious little devils out of my diet, but smoothies are alright - as long as it's just fruit and nothing added. The process of bottling alone should not be justification for 17.5%, particularly if it counts towards your "five a day"
Words fail me!
They broke their promise on the EU Constitution referendum, and then they spout-off about reducing the VAT by 12.5% on smoothies - how pathetic.
Anon 08/03/08 8:49 PM already highlighted the fact that they would need permission from Brussels.
The government can’t even remove VAT on solar heating panels, despite all the Climate Change rhetoric, because Brussels will not allow it.
The Lib Dems should first clear this with Brussels before spouting it off in public.
In response to an earlier point by the only person (sadly an Anonymous) who managed to get away from the discussion of whether frutit juice is healthy or not: no, the British government cannot reduce VAT from normal to minimal rate on anything without the European Commission's permission. Think Gordon Brown and fuel, think church restoration etc etc. Once a VAT rate has been set, it cannot be reduced, even if it is higher than the minimum advised by the Directive. To change a category to zero rated or minimum rated is not possible for our elected government. Live with it or think of changing it.
Colin - I'm not a Statesider.
If I'm not wrong, Buck's Fizz is an ancient and much loved English tradition? As in, centuries old?
Here, it's called a mariposa - a butterfly. The beauty of this drink is, you cannot make it wrong. For Sunday breakfast, you may go a little heavier on the orange juice, but if you're drinking at brunch or lunch, you might want half and half. Or you are free to leave the orange juice out completely if you feel like it!
I don't refer to the French as cheese-eating surrender monkeys as that is, as you know, an American usage. I happen to like the French, and France but their Champagne is much too expensive.
I favour Chilean wines myself, with my all time favourite being their Merlots, but CA and Ozzie champagne are perfectly splendid.
Frankly, both your posts read as though you've been nipping at the mariposas yourself.
Ah Verity, a little bit of humour on a Sunday morning obviously doesn't travel well. Yes, of course I know about'Bucks Fizz' (the drink not the pop combo from the 80s) and I stick to my opinion that it's a terrible waste of good OJ - though I do think the name 'mariposo' makes it sound much more palatable! Here you mostly get it with cheapo sparkling wine from some godforsaken spot drowned in processed OJ that takes its taste more from the inside of the plastic carton than the fruit from which it is supposed to be derived. Often to be found as part of the offering at a pale imitation of the great American brunch - at which we try so hard but most often fail.
BTW, the French would be terribly upset with you for calling sparkling wines from California and Australia 'champagne' - they guard their 'appellation' very jealously. Even if the aforementioned sparklers can often wipe the floor with the French efforts for quality and value.
I lived in France and don't need you to tell me the French get un petit peu derangé that other people don't respect Champagne's sovereignty over the nomenclature. But there you are.
Ozzie champers is a very fine product indeed. California's also good. I don't even mind that Spanish stuff if you're making mariposas.
Just a cautionary word.
Beware the juicer. Most fruits are acidic and that acidity concentrated in the product of the juicer can be detrimental to the old toofypegs.
After drinking concentrated juices the mouth should be well washed out with water.
Try green tea, it's quite nice.
verity said...
"If I'm not wrong, Buck's Fizz is an ancient and much loved English tradition? As in, centuries old?"
You are wrong. It was invented in London in 1921.
Verity said "I don't refer to the French as cheese-eating surrender monkeys as that is, as you know, an American usage."
But we thought you loved all things American.
10:29 - No. I just don't like ignorant, spiteful criticism of the United States by people who don't know what they're talking about.
10:24 - I've tried to figure out why I thought it had been invented in Regency times - perhaps because they had "young bucks" and Prinnie's mistress was Mrs Fitzherbert. There was some weird association in my mind anyway.
Anyway, where was it invented in 1921? The Savoy?
Also, given how wonderful French cheese is - in contrast say, with Kraft American Cheese slices - why would eating cheese be regarded as an aberration? It's the people who eat American cheese who need their heads seeing to.
"Anyway, where was it invented in 1921? The Savoy?"
Buck's Club in Mayfair.
Personally I'd like to see VAT removed on ALL food and drink. It was supposed to be a 'luxury' tax. Well it's on all pet products, and let me tell you cat food is not a luxury if you are a cat!!
As has previously been pointed out VAT is not under the control of 'our' government, its controlled by the EU so we could not change this even if we wanted to, and let's be honest, talk of cutting tax is pie in the sky all the time old Brown trousers is in charge of the Economy. (Don't mention Darling to me, a mere sock-puppet).
Zorro
Thank you, 11:00. That's a nice little fact.
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