Wednesday, November 02, 2016

New Brunswick Says Slush Puppies Provide "Maximum Nutritional Value"

Need proof that 5-10 years is too long to wait for improved nutrition guidelines from Health Canada?

That photo up above is from New Brunswick's George Street Middle School's cafeteria's Facebook page. They're highlighting the fact that they've recently installed this Slush Puppie machine for their students.

Slush Puppies, for those who aren't clear, are non-carbonated, vitamin fortified, juice concentrates, poured over ice.

Each glass of Slush Puppie Plus contains 7 teaspoons of free sugars - more than the World Health Organization and Canada's Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends as a total daily limit for kids.

This led one concerned parent to write to George Street Middle School's cafeteria to express her concern.

The response she received in reply?

It spelled out that the vitamin fortified liquid candy machine that the school installed was not only not cause for concern, but rather was a drink that was defined by New Brunswick's Healthier Foods and Nutrition in Public Schools Policy 711 as being of Maximum Nutritional Value which
"indicates foods that are a good or excellent source of important nutrients and are low in fat, sugar and/or salt. These foods are considered nutrient dense relative to the energy they provide. These foods should be offered on a daily basis and comprise the majority of foods/beverages served in schools."
And it's not just a New Brunswick inanity by the way. When writing this blog post I noticed that Slush Puppie Plus is making the rounds in US schools as well where it is reported to meet the “Alliance for a Healthier Generation” Guidelines for 100% Juice in Elementary, Middle and High Schools.

And no, just in case you were wondering, this isn't The Onion.