Chocolate crisis? Unwrapping the sweet science of sugar pricing

If you’re like me, the past few days of social media have featured a handful of friends and followers who are positively aghast at a threat to our very way of life. I’m not talking about Ebola-carrying ISIS warriors infiltrating America’s porous borders to deliver dastardly deaths. Instead, I speak of the impending chocolate crisis.

OK, so maybe it’s not as much a crisis as an overwrought reading of the basics of supply and demand. In debunking the fear that the world will run out of chocolate by 2020, Snopes.com pointed out that we are really experiencing a chocolate deficit, which just means the world is eating more chocolate than it is making. “Historically, such circumstances don’t lead to a complete dearth of a product or foodstuff; rather, scarcity simply tends to drive prices skyward and reduce consumption of any given newly-scarce commodity,” Snopes wrote.

And if you weren’t soured enough by the prospect of prohibitive chocolate prices, a look at domestic sugar will seem like a trip to the dentist. As this Reuters graphic shows, the disparity in prices between what the US and the rest of the world pay has grown this year, with American companies currently forking over about 50 percent more for raw sugar futures.

NAFTA is to blame, Quartz’s Svati Kirsten Narula explains. In the 1990s, the US never imagined that Mexico would become a player in the sugar game, so Mexico was excluded from the tariffs and quotas that other sugar-producing nations faced over the years. As this Reuters graphic shows, since the final trade barriers came down in 2008, production of sugar from non-US processors and refiners has nearly quintupled.

US food manufacturers were facing an additional $2.4 billion in sugar costs before the two countries reached an agreement in October. It should be interesting to see how prices react to a newly-leveled playing field; for now, the commodities that supply your sweet tooth seem stable. Though truth be told, you’d be better off having an apple, or maybe some baby carrots. And a little exercise wouldn’t hurt.

source: interaksyon.com

US allows Philippines to export 3rd biggest volume of sugar with low tariff

MANILA - The Philippines will enjoy the third-largest volume of sugar that can enter the US with lower duties for the 2014 fiscal year (FY) starting next month, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said.

On its website, the USTR said the Philippines has been allocated 142,160 metric tons raw value (MTRV) under the US’ tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on raw cane sugar for FY 2014 covering October 1 this year until September 30 next year.

According to the USTR, TRQs allow countries to export specified quantities of a product to the US at a relatively low tariff, "but subject all imports of the product above a pre-determined threshold to a higher tariff.”

In terms of volume, the allocation for the Philippines is just behind those for Dominican Republic (185,335 MTRV) and Brazil (152,691 MTRV).

Forty countries in all may export a combined 1,117,195 MTRV of raw cane sugar to the US, the volume committed by the US under the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The USTR said the allocations were based on each country’s historical shipments to the US.

“The allocations of the raw cane sugar TRQ to countries that are net importers of sugar are conditioned on receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin, and certificates for quota eligibility must accompany imports from any country to which an allocation is provided,” the USTR said.

The FY 2014 in-quota volume for refined sugar shipments to the US meanwhile amounts 122,000 MTRV, of which 101,656 MTRV are for specialty sugar, which include organic sugar and other specialty sugars not being produced commercially in the US or "reasonably available from domestic sources.”

For sugar-containing products, the in-quota volume is 64,709 metric tons.

Exports of refined and specialty sugar, as well as sugar-containing products to the US under the TRQ can be availed by trading partners on a “first-come, first-served basis.”

source: interaksyon.com

The good and evil truths about your food addictions

It’s hard to resist the simple addiction of sipping a hot cup of coffee or frappe, or perhaps the tingling sensation that sweet foods could give, or munching on those bags of chips while watching sappy movies late in the afternoon. But does your body appreciate them the way your taste buds do?

Dieticians and nutritionists from Manila Doctors Hospital’s (MDH) PROHEALTH Research and Education Center give you the truth about your addictions.







Coffee
• It’s known as a mental stimulant, which keeps us alert after some time.
• It boosts energy levels and prevents sleepiness, as the body releases adrenaline when we take it in.
• It may also help burn calories as it increases the body’s metabolism.

BUT: If you drink more than two cups a day, you may face the following:

PMS. While caffeine can decrease discomfort and that bloated feeling, it can cause a drop in blood sugar, which in effect aggravates PMS.

Cancer. Though there is no concrete evidence that caffeine alone may cause cancer, but if you love to drink coffee and smoke at the same time, then beware. Studies show that doing so may lead to cancer, particularly breast cancer.

Too much caffeine may lead to headaches, sleep problems and anxiety attack and bladder conditions as it acts as a diuretic to the body.

How to deal: If you can’t get rid of your frappes and espressos right away, try lessening your intake each day until you’re used to drinking small amounts or none at all. Substitute coffee for something healthier —nothing could be better than water.

Sugar
Sugar is a carbohydrate. It boosts your energy, helps sharpen memory, as glucose is the main sugar that feeds our brain cells. If taken moderately, it will help you gain weight.
BUT: This wickedly yummy treat may bring about these negative effects:
Hyperglycemia. A blood-sugar problem caused by too much sugar and improper diet.
Tooth decay. The bacteria in plaque depend on sugars to produce acids, which break down the enamel and start tooth decay.

Headaches and dizziness. Low glucose levels resulting from the severe dip after a high sugar intake tax the brain and cause headaches.

Other symptoms of too much sugar intake are great stress and fatigue, depression, anxiety, lack of mental alertness, and rapid mood swings. It may also delay wound healing, particularly for people with cancer or other disease conditions, as bacteria thrives on sugar as their immediate food source.

How to deal: Always eat your meals on time to prevent craving for sweets. Satisfy your sweet tooth by eating fruits instead.



Junk Food
Chips, packs of salted goodies, are the most convenient food-on-the-go. It is handy to eat or take anywhere, but junk food is precisely that—junk! It’s tasty (especially when it’s in your favorite flavor) but gives us nothing but empty calories (meaning we gain weight but we don’t get any nutrients from it).

BUT Junk food will never give us nutrition that our body needs. Some of its harmful effects are:
• Lack of energy
• Poor concentration
• Heart diseases
• High cholesterol

How to deal: Self-discipline is what you need to be able to swerve away from your junkie-addiction. If you’re really craving for something to munch on, the least you can do is substitute the flavored varieties with the plain-flavored ones, or better yet opt for a bag of popcorn (but not the microwaveable kind). A healthier option? Try crunching on dried or roasted unsalted nuts instead. It gives you the same comfort of chips without causing harm to your body.

Want to know more? Manila Doctors Hospital’s resident nutritionists and dieticians at the PROHEALTH Center offer diet counseling services that are tailor-fit to your lifestyle. They also offer nutrition and disease education on common medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

• PROHEALTH is open from Mondays through Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm and is located at the ground floor of Manila Doctors Hospital, 667 United Nations Ave., Ermita, Manila. You may reach them at these numbers (02) 524-3011 local 4718. For more information, you may visit http://www.maniladoctors.com.ph.

source: interaksyon.com