WHAAAAAAT? OKAY, Moments of Lil' Jon: How To Appropriately Express Incredulousness In Today's Modern World. Part 1

A few nights ago while driving to a friends house I was listening to NPR. I find the programming on NPR to be quite enjoyable and tonight was no exception. Two stories in particular caught my attention. 

*This is part one of a two part series.

The first is a discussion about soda in America. One of the guests, Gail Woodward-Lopez (Associate Director, Center for Weight and Health, U.C. Berkeley) really enthralled me. Her basic point is that our large consumption of soda directly links to the rise in obesity because 1) it has increased our caloric intake over all and 2) they are empty calories, meaning they provide little to no nutritional value.

"[People] don't compensate. So, for example, if you drink a soda or other sweetened beverage with your dinner, you dont eat less dinner because of that. Because it just doesnt have the same filling properties that other foods and beverages do."

"[W]hat we find is that when you take in something like a highly processed substance, such as sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, every other nutrient has been stripped. So basically, you're just getting calories."

Ms. Woodward-Lopez also defined drinking soda in moderation as no more than one (1) per week.

My reaction?! 
I WAS FIST PUMPIN' LIKE A CHAMP!!!  I was like, "YES! Gail you are so bril! I stopped drinking soda in high school. Wanna talk about moderation? How about 2-4 times a year! How ya like me now Gail?! I am way above the curve. Who's the best ever? ME. And whose the devil? SODA!"

NPR then brought out Dr. MAUREEN STOREY (Senior Vice President, Science Policy, American Beverage Association) for the rebuttal.

"BOO. HISS."

Maureen came out fighting. First thing she said, "[W]hats going on in America is that people are consuming more of everything and not exercising enough. Soda, she says, is not to blame." 

"What Maureen? Soda is not the devil?? We can't put all the blame on one thing? Our actions and choices as a whole are responsible for our physical and mental well being?"

My champ fist pumpin' quickly reduced itself to an awkward white girl raising the roof who just realized her actions weren't hip.

I agreed with Maureen. I began to question myself. Maybe I wasn't the best in the world as Gail had lead me to believe...

Thankfully Maureen kept talking: "Of nutritional value, there is either high-fructose corn syrup or sucrose, and that does provide energy or carbohydrates. And if we are active and need a refreshing beverage after a nice, long walk or a run, you can have a beverage and quench your thirst and stay hydrated."

WHAAAAAT?! OKAY!! 

Yeah. After my 9 mile run on Monday the first thing I sought was a can of Jolt and oh boy was it refreshing and nourishing. Maureen you crazy.

Gail was right. I am the best in the world.

YEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!