Sugars are polluting school lunches

As sugar decreases in cost, it’s becoming increasingly apparent in school lunches. Many schools serve junk food everyday, like pizza, hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and unhealthy salad dressings. Now, what are the effects of sugar?

Sugar is addicting: 94 percent of cocaine-addicted rats (yes, rats) preferred sugar. Sugar in drinks and normal everyday foods don’t compare sugar in the product to sugar needed daily. An adult is supposed to have 6-8 teaspoons of sugar a day. In Sprite, there are 15 teaspoons of sugar, twice what is recommended. In breakfast foods, like cereals, there is as much as 3 teaspoons of sugar, and an equal amount in flavored yogurt. Many Americans get all the necessary sugar per day from breakfast. It’s especially hard now to find low sugar foods, when sugar is hidden with names like “evaporated cane juice” and “fructose sweetener.”

I believe schools should promote school gardens. Students like the idea that they can help the school if they garden, and the idea of eating something they helped make. These foods can help diversify their salad choices. Many schools nationwide have few options for fruit and vegetables, which some kids don’t like.

The sugar epidemic is hard to notice. People don’t check how much sugar is in any random product on the shelf. Many think that fat-free foods are healthier, but they contain even more sugar. But in the end, it’s probably healthier if students bring their own lunches.

This story was originally published December 27, 2016 at 6:15 PM with the headline "Sugars are polluting school lunches."