Video: Is it time to cut out sugary drinks?

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The sugar being poured into the packet represents Ladeira's daily sugar intake - from sugary drinks alone. — The sugar being poured into the packet represents Ladeira’s daily sugar intake – from sugary drinks alone.

Lindie Mosehuus, a Dietician at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, consults between twenty to forty patients daily. She sees first hand the destruction that over-consumption of sugar can wreak in people’s bodies.

“It’s a vicious cycle from the sugar that they put into their mouth to the patient I’m seeing in front of me…Every single time I go back and do a diet history and see what their lifestyle is like, sugar-sweetened beverages is a main part of their daily consumption,” explained Mosehuus.

One of her patients is 60-year old James Ladeira who has lived a life riddled with health complications. He suffers from gout, hypertension and has experienced multiple strokes. While recovering in a hospital bed in the aftermath of his third stroke, Ladeira received dietary consultations from Mosehuus. She explained to Ladeira that unless he drastically reduces his sugar intake soon, he will likely develop Diabetes – a disease he is on the brink of developing.

Mosehuus recommended that Ladeira cut out sugary drinks from his diet entirely.

“Sugar sweetened beverages contain a large amount of empty calories – this means it is high in energy without having any nutrients in terms of vitamins and minerals that contribute to our overall wellbeing,” said Mosehuus.

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