28 March, 2024

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World Diabetes Day: President Unethically Targets Milo

President Maithripala Sirisena’s unprecedented attack on a single product which included a threat to campaign across the country with the particular drink (Milo) in hand has raised serious questions about motive.

President Sirisena, launching a walk on Sunday November 12th to mark World Diabetes Day which falls on Tuesday, called on Nestle’s Milo to reduce the sugar content in the popular drink.

He threatened a nation-wide campaign unless Nestle reduced the sugar content from the current 16.5% to less than 5%.

The President is also reported to have asked Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera to extend the sugar tax on soft drinks to all forms of sweetened beverages. The 2018 budget slapped a 50 cent tax on each gram of sugar in soft drinks with effect from Thursday night. Such mechanisms to combat the ‘pure, white and deadly’ substance that is sugar are not new, with many countries using taxes to discourage consumption or force manufacturers to lower sugar content to avoid taxes.

While the move against sugar consumption is timely considering the increasing incidence of Diabetes with 7% of all deaths being caused by this disease, it has baffled many as to why the President singled out Milo when it is not the only fizzy milk based drink in the market.

For example, Anchor Newdale, a product of Fonterra whose milk-powder products ran into trouble a few years ago due to DCD contamination, also markets similar drinks with similar sugar content.

While the impact of the President’s move to attack fizzy milk drinks selectively is yet unknown, the strange and unprecedented manner of his campaign raises the question whether the President has been manipulated by a competitor struggling to maintain profit margins in an unfriendly policy environment.

Regardless of the true motive, the President’s statements and the threats issued are clearly unethical.

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Latest comments

  • 17
    3

    I’m not really bothered about the Milo. What I’m wondering is why Maithri, who is a tee-totaller (like me), doesn’t object to the attempted popularisation of beer.

    By the way, I may be a tee-totaller myself, but I’m not a prohibitionist. I suffer drunks in silence, but wish there were fewer of them.

    • 16
      0

      Someone has to wake up these Sri Lankan politicians to the fact that you can’t tax your way through any and every problem…
      You already have sugar free beverages available in the market!!?

      Sri Lanka has to seriously come up with more ways for revenue generation and increasing taxes is only going to hinder the development of the country…

      Taxation has to strike a fine balance if not it can quickly turn into something counterproductive…

      There have been recommendations from intellectuals on a few possible methods of increasing revenue of the nation but let’s see if this government is capable of following and implementing them.

      • 15
        22

        Attacking Milo shows that Sira is suffering from inferiority complex. As a person born and bred in Polonnaruwa he was used to only Buffalo milk and had never heard of such sophisticated products used by the elite of Srilanka.

        • 14
          6

          Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam.

          Sira is NOT suffering from an inferiority complex. Sira is 100% correct, and his strategy is great. He is bringing focus on Sugar, that is poison, and is putting others on notice.

          This is metabolic disease.

          Please read Amarasiri’s three pots, and watch the youtube video by Dr. Lustig to get additional information and knowledge.

          The elite in Sri Lanka, mean IQ 79, are ignorant idiots, who follow the Western diet blindly, and they are poisoning themselves.

          Amarasir pities the patients of doctors like you and similar doctors who lack knowledge and show ignorance.

          • 6
            4

            Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam
            .
            Do you think you are superior? Well, your comment shows that your superior brain is blockaded by inferior thoughts.
            .
            President is a born-and-bred villager and what’s wrong with that? 82% of the Sri Lankan population is concentrated in villages. You say “Milo is a sophisticated product used by elites.” That may be the reason for almost all elites in the UNP to be crooks. Even elite-NPC Tamils have proved that they are corrupt. Elite Mahendrans have proved that they are crooks. Ranil has proved that he is a crook. Ravi/Kabir/Malik/Mangala (LTTE diaspora money), Kiriella (Advisers, Expressways), list goes on. Almost all the allegations of corruption and fraud – some stay unsubstantiated while others have ample evidence – it is the high profile elites of the present and previous regime who are involved/accused, NOT born-and-bred ordinary villages.
            .
            Do you laugh at Buffalo Milk? The best Curd is a 100% Buffalo product which goes very well with Kitul treacle. For your information, India tops the list of world’s Buffalo Milk Producers, with 70 million (7crore) metric tons a year. And Goat Milk too, with 5 million metric tons while China tops the list of Sheep Milk Producers with 1 million metric tons. I remember adding packets of fresh goat milk (may be for its easy digestion and high nutritious value, not sure) in our almsgiving whenever we visit a forest monastery/meditation centre in Downsouth (don’t remember the name), long time ago. Goat Milk is less allergenic than Cow’s Milk, preferred by many who are allergic to lactose. Anyways, raw Goat Milk is expensive, which is the downside. I know the highest milk consumption in the world is Goat Milk, though I cannot tell the exact percentage off hand, definitely more than the consumption of Cow’s Milk.

            • 5
              7

              O cattle expert Champa,
              Do tell us what is the connection between buffaloes and goats? Both have 4 legs of course, unlike you (I presume). I suppose your great recommendation of goat’s milk is because Wimal Sangiliwansa drinks it instead of Milo, when he is not fasting unto death on Lemon Puff.

              • 5
                0

                O old codger, as I requested from you earlier do write about things you know, or at least read the relevant wiki post before you respond, otherwise it sounds like you are emitting gas from lactose intolerance, goat milk is less allergenic, although it may still give you gas!

                • 0
                  6

                  How many legs have you got, dear Wanni?

                  • 0
                    0

                    Probably two less than you do, old codger. He has two.

                    • 0
                      2

                      Hi Migara the loony,
                      How are thing at the asylum?

              • 2
                2

                I thought the eunach has been an expert in old profession. These are new to me btw.
                I wonder why Champawathie defend that [Edited out] Wimal weerawanse. May be Champa has been made so servile over the years ?
                During my school days going back to early 80ties, Wimal was a big voice in JVP. I hated the bugger the way hisclans destroyed the nation by spreading all kind of divisions. Now it has become theupper hand of senior politicians.
                They abused the bugger to mobilise UPFA Rajapakshe politcis. By today, Rajapakshe is mentally abused by the same groups, though we could not see, Wimal weerawanse was no part of the ruukada dance led by Rajapakshe gonthadiya, on his way to Parliament few days ago.
                All these are read as JATHAKA kathas of the day.
                Most abusive of all in the country are Rajapakshes. So long they are leading the gulliable folks, nothing will change in this society. Media men lick their backs no matter the fooling nation would have been taking to “kabalen lipata – from the frying pan to hearth”.
                These are PAKISTAN style Rajapakshe abusive politcs. If i would be part of lanken senior politicians, I would hang all these men, and bring disipline to this country as Duterte or the like men of this world have been making efforts to do so.

                • 0
                  0

                  Simon you talk big. If you say these things in front of the people concerned you’d get a thundering slap. Shut up and mind your own business.

              • 1
                0

                old codger, you are the link between buffaloes and goats.

                • 0
                  0

                  Mr. AJ,
                  So you’ve contracted hoof and mouth disease?

            • 5
              6

              It is well known that brains of children get retarded when given buffalo milk. In southern province especially Matara and Hambantota districts buffalo milk is widely used. A good example of mentally retarded cases who had been fed Buffaloa milk in child hood is Rajapakse family. This is the reason why northern Tamil like me have higher IQ than southern Sinhalese like you. Chinese drink Soya and goat milk because of intolerance to cow’s milk preventing absorption of calcium causing a flattened nose, which is absent now after the switch.

              • 7
                0

                Dr. Gnana Sankarlingam
                .
                You are disgusting man. Who says children in the Downsouth are retarded? Leave Rajapaksas alone. I have issues with them, but that is different.
                .
                Tamils have higher IQ, because they give the highest importance and priority to education while Sinhalese give importance to wealth. While Tamil parents prefer their sons/daughters to marry highly educated men/women irrespective of his or her wealth, Sinhalese parents prefer their sons/daughters to marry wealthy men/women than educated men/women who are not that rich.
                .
                It is time Sinhalese get rid of this mentality and give priority to education than making money.

                • 1
                  1

                  Champa, Tamils don’t have higher IQ. They just think they do.

                  • 0
                    0

                    Andrew Jayaweera,

                    Yes, the Para-Tamils and the Para-Sinhala, have similar genetics, and have average low IQ’s of 79.

              • 1
                0

                Now you talk like a goat Gnana.

          • 2
            0

            Gnana,

            Sri Lanka needs to change in many ways to make it a more comfortable place for us to live in. We have to face the fact that an overwhelming majority of people don’t use English fluently. The way most of these people would describe themselves is that they are not “Westernised”.

            *

            The person leading this country has to be acceptable to the majority of people in this country. It cannot be you, it cannot be me.

            *

            Could you please let me move on to something else after making this appeal to you:

            *

            Please avoid using these words, and harbouring within your mind (that’s difficult – and I’m not trying to control your right to think for yourself – learn to trust a guy like me!) the concepts lying behind these words:

            “inferiority conflict”, “only Buffalo milk”, “sophisticated”, “elite”.
            Many of these I have dealt with in greater detail in comments appearing below the article displaying a photograph of Prince Zeid.

          • 3
            1

            Amarasiri, diabetes has a multifactorial origin with genetic factor the most important. Type I diabetes is autoimmune and is not caused by consumption of sugar. There is no diabetes in my immediate family due to genetic reasons and my mother at 90 years takes four teaspoonful sugar with tea, four times a day and drinks chocolate and eats one bar of chocolate every day. Every sugary product will cause the same effect and to single out Milo appears to be fishy. Sira is a 1970’s “Seeni Nathuwa They Bomu” product and will attack Nescafe next. Please remember salt and oil are as poisonous as sugar causing problems. Rice is the worst culprit for Srilankans as far as diabetes is concerned

            • 1
              0

              Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam,

              Our focus here is on Type 2 diabetes, and insulin sensitivity and not on type 1 diabetes, due to lack of insulin – the beta cells being compromised, due to genetic or other reasons.

              Amarasiri suggests that you do some research, on the affect of sugars, especially fructose and high fructose corn syrup, it’s absorption and metabolism. Sucrose breaks down 50/50 to glucose, a 6-carbon carbohydrate, and fructose a 5-carbon carbohydrate. Humans can use glucose, and starches break down to glucose,( not fructose) and fuels the body.

              The fructose is mostly converted by the liver to fat, increases the fat cells in the liver, and compromises, the liver function and health.

              If moderate sugar consumption is accompanied by high fiber and other foods, that slows down the sugar spikes, and the insulin spikes. the negative effects of sugar will be less. Of course genetic factors also play a part., but there is no need to stress the body with sugar and fructose.

              Health = Nutrients/Calories

              Sugar has zero nutrients and all calories, plus fructose, poison.
              That is why one should eat vegetables, fruits and rice, especially red or brown rice that has higher nutrients/calorie ratios.Of course, one must not overload.

              Wheat, barley, rye and oats should be avoided as they contain gluten, than has been linked to inflammation, due the peptides formed throm those proteins.

              Knowledge is health. Ignorance is sickness.

            • 0
              0

              Gnana, talk about something you know. You sound so ignorant.

          • 2
            0

            Lankens in general suffer from all varied complexes that is for sure. But what matters here is.. Mr President has balls to reveal them that publicly.

            Sugar disease is on a rise in the country and several other developing folks than developed world.
            Some doctors in EU have shared me that the nubmers among the lanken migrants in Europe are the vulnerable to those sugar ailments than any other communities.
            Why ?

            May be genetics

            Or eating habits.

            Lanken tamils groceries in Dortmund in the region are filled with all kind of local products imported by them for their people living there.

            Most of them are low quality.
            I wonder why German or other european allow those low graded products to be imported.

            Above all they just need to fill their bellies with own traditional foods have led them to ending up with SUGAR problems.

            If not today when there people would open their eyes not allowing even their infants becoming the sugar patients….. is questionable.

            Paediatric Diabetes is one of the growing problemsa,mong south asians living Europe. Please read the journal papers and get more.

        • 6
          0

          “sophisticated product used by the elite”? And you seem to recommend Milo against Buff milk..LOL

          “When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you” is very true in your case with your Dr. title

          • 2
            0

            Dr Doolittle can communicate with animals…….certainly agree with you you know your chemistry.

        • 6
          1

          You cant be a doc of medical Sankare…

          I thought you have only anti sinhala blood. Your stupid buffalo comment says your a dumb more than my imaginations.

          • 0
            0

            As one provably licked or licking the balls of Rajapakshes you may know it well.

            How come you bugger to fall that low level ?

            Prez is right no doubt about that revealing the truth of tobaccos and all other culprits that ve been on a killing sphree in this country.

            You guys, just pave them further avenues to their revenues.

            Max the most abusive among the majority of stupid folks in the country should wake up if not today when ?

        • 5
          0

          One of the dumbest comment by a DR.

        • 1
          0

          Any decent doctor should know what good “sophisticated products” (designed for the not-always-clever elite) do to humans, especially the young.

        • 0
          0

          Gnana, first learn to write the name of our country properly. It is Sri Lanka and not Srilanka. By the way, I too do not agree with what the President has done.

      • 8
        1

        There is even more sugar (up to 30%) in jams and preserves. Jaggery is over 90%. Why is Sira silent on those? This is unethical targeting.

        • 2
          0

          What many people don’t get is, it is unethical for Nestle to not to mention the TRUE percentage of sugar contains in the drink, in the packet.

          • 2
            2

            If you know the “true ” percentage why not publish it with proof?
            Do you think Nestle wants to lose money giving you more sugar than claimed?

          • 3
            0

            Champa,

            Ethics? What Ethics? It is not in their vocabulary. Nestle knows that sugar is poison. Nestle knows that the addicted people want sugar,. So they will not tell unless required by regulations, like in the West.

            Who says that MNC’s, Multi National Corporations have ethics? They do have ethics of profits? Have you heart about the East India Company, an the Dutch East Company? The Indians and Indonesians know about them.

        • 3
          0

          Romani, on that line of argument sugar is 100% sugar, one cannot ban that! And one does not drink Jaggery, or jam..Although I tend to agree with you in most of your posting, here I have to agree with Sira instead. Milo is not an elitist drink as some in this forum imply, it is not red wine is it? It is on the other hand is marketed to the kids, all over the island, not just the urban kids. If you go to the little “kade” in the remotest place in the island you will find Milo packets and large advertisements on that. It is not the only high sugar milk drink, but one has to start some where, and Sira has.

          • 1
            0

            Yes, absolutely. One has to start somewhere.

            *

            Nestles may have cause to resent. Asking them to go to courts is OK. It’s not like some poor citizen being told “Please recourse to the courts.”

          • 0
            0

            The problem is that Maithri picks on this “foreign” product while ignoring even more harmful items produced by firms like Elephant House. Smacks of xenophobia.

    • 4
      1

      Dear President Maitripala Sirisena,

      Part 1

      Bravo!. Thank you! You are right on the money.

      You finally hit the nail on the head of diabetes, a direct result of high sugar intake, and the resulting insulin sensitivity, and all the related diseases caused by diabetes such kidney disease, heart disease, obesity, dementia, Alzheimer’s and a host of others including inflammation and arthritis.

      Just go to http://www.youtube.com
      Search: Sugar is Poison
      There are many videos.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

      Listen to Sugar: The Bitter Truth by Dr. Lustig, University of California.

      • 1
        0

        Amarasiri, your tongue towards My3 had been very abusive in previous posts.

        But here you have noticed that he is very sensitive in such issues.

        There I always believed, that Prez My3should never be compared to the levels of Rajapakshe mind sets. You abusively used perethaya, muslaalya, but in this context you talk different.

        I know all these being a life science researcher that lankens in general are kept away from media men not feeding with them with but facts and figures.
        Lanken media is to be blamed to have supported fradulent business men over the years.
        Rajapakshe never uttered a single word, if his popular rhetorics through Wimalweerawanse sought mobilisation of their virulent politics.

        Thanks you guys have balls to call a spade a spade. I hat off.

        At least few good men on this CT podium should behave so.

        God bless My3

        • 2
          0

          Samuel Jayaweera,

          Yes, Amarasiri has been very critical, not abusive, to MY3, in recent posts. However, on this Milo and sugar controversy, Amarasiri has been 100% supportive to MY3, because he is correct., and there is data supporting his position.

          Yes, Sirisena is much better than the crooks and killers he replaced, but still he has come well below par, and the crooks and killers are at large. Remember, Sirisena was part of the former gang.

          We need to learn to call a spade, spade, and give credit where it is due, like in this Milo-sugar debate, because there is science behind Sirisena’s position.Hats off to him on this one.

      • 1
        0

        Dear Amarasiri,

        For the last five days or so many users of Colombo Telegraph have been having problems when carrying out those operations that require the use of the mouse. You appear one of the few who are unaffected.

        *

        Don’t bother to give us a whole tutorial, but could you please advice?
        It may be that you could just tell us these things:

        It looks as though we can’t even post a comment suing Mozilla Firefox. I’m using Google Chrome right now.

        *

        1. What is the browser that appears to be working best now?

        2. We can (sometimes) left click and drag to copy something that we’ve written in the response box. However, we cannot do anything with what we have blocked out. I cannot copy it by left clicking so as to paste it on a Word document to see how many words there are. Links from outside that we have copied cannot be pasted etc. Spell check underlines but will not make suggestions.

        *
        I wonder if you’ve noticed that there seem to be fewer people commenting during the last few days, and only two or three persons providing links.

        *

        I have informed Colombo Telegraph using colombotelegraph@gmail.com and they have sent me a brief message saying that they are attending to it.

        Please do what you can – and thanks are sent in advance!

        • 2
          0

          Dear Sinhala_Man,

          Amarasiri battles Para idiots every day. This is just another battle.

          Amarasiri was pissed off too. I used Chrome. Could not copy from word or other programms , words or links. With Chrome it allowed me to type, showed spelling errors, but had to manually correct it myself. For the URL links, I had ot type the whole link.

          Yes, the mouse, left or right click does not work. Same with internet explorer.

          Amarasiri’s conclusion was that the low-IQ Paras in the land have also invaded CT, just like in the county, and making a mess for everybody else. Like the inhabitants, those who make comments now have to endure this mess.

          All the Paras must be shipped back to their homeland India, and there are better IT programmers there.

          Let’s turn the Land of Native Veddah Aethho to its original state. Will the Paras at CT take notice?

          • 1
            0

            Dear Amarasiri,

            Many thanks for letting us in on the “secret”.

            *

            I do hope that many see this response of yours; not just to guide them. This also demonstrates your commitment to the causes you espouse.

            *

            On occasion I, too, have been reduced to dong the sort of thing that you have, but hadn’t imagined that as prolific a commenter as you could be doing this. So you had to copy the URL link on paper, and then type it in, ensuring that every symbol and bit of punctuation came right: is that it? Many thanks.

            Now how to get that message across to Colombo Telegraph? I hope that if the link to the article is given (that alone can be copied), I’d better ask them to scroll down to the comment you’ve posted at 18:38 today.

        • 1
          0

          Dear S.M,
          The problem is not in your computer. It is a problem in the CT website, because other sites are not affected. But I don’t understand why it takes so long to fix.
          It may work properly on mobile devices like tablets.

          • 1
            0

            I am sending this from a 7 inch phablet and using Google Chrome. It’s not working any better here.

            *

            I wrote last night, telling them where they could read Amarasiri’s observations. I suggested that they clearly inform readers since speculation about causes is rife.

            We live in hope!

    • 1
      0

      Dear President Maitripala Sirisena,

      Part 2

      Bravo!.Thank you. The mean IQ of Sri Lankans is 79, and they need to be guided in informed.

      This sugar and high fructose corn syrup is the tip of the iceberg of the Food, Agriculture, Agricultural, Fertilizer, medical and pharmaceutical industry conspiracy, to turn people eat bad food and drink bad drinks, make them sick. make them go to doctors, doctors prescribe drugs, and after many years of treatment for the chronic diseases, the patients die.

      Just listen to the video on Part 1.

      In Sri Lanka 16 % or so are diabetic and 33% pre-diabetic.

      Americans are obese, and they consume 146 pounds per capita of sugar, poison.

      Soda, soft drinks, with sugar and high fructose corn syrup is poison.

      • 1
        0

        Sugar is now said to be supportive of Cancer cells, Anyone diagnosed
        with this ailment should avoid sugar 100%. Scurvey was eliminated
        from Sailors by giving them vitamin C and the blight is no more.
        It is reported that by taking Vitamin B17 cancer too can be overcome
        in the future.

        • 1
          0

          Punchinilame,

          Yes. Cancer cells depend on sugar for growth. Low sugar makes cancer cells starve.Actually, intermittent fasting and long fastings from 20 to 40 hrs help as well, to clean cells.

    • 2
      0

      Dear President Maitripla Sirisena,

      Part 3

      It is NOT ethical to target Milo, as the leading culprit, among many culprits, with excessive sugars and high fructose corn syrup.

      Now the other culprits will notice, may change their behaviour, and the consumers, whose average Q is 79, may also get the message. Sugar is poison! You will get diabetes and kidney disease along with heart disease and dementia.

      Unfortunately, most doctors in Sri Lanka are ignorant or theit IQ are low as well, (the national mean IQ is 79) as they entered medical school by cramming and memorizing, just like Prayers and Bana

    • 3
      0

      Dear President Sirisena,

      Part 4.

      Bravo, thank you for bringing the focus on sugar, the poison.

      Sugar with its aldehyde group will react with the amino groups of proteins, and form glyco proteins.. Diabetics have high Hemoglobin A1C, due to high sugar levels in the blood.

      When sugar reacts with other proteins, it forms glyco proteins, Mannich reaction, that are immunogenic, precipitate out, and form arthritis, and deposits in veins to form heart disease. .

    • 5
      3

      Sinhala Man. This is one solitary time where I must disagree with you with respect. (Often you come across as a man displaying very good common sense and great understanding).

      Tell me one progressive nation promoting tourism which is as ‘het-up’ as we are, about alcohol, other than the Muslim nations? Why this obsession among our politicians with alcohol? Are we a drunken nation? Why not politicians be obsessed instead of ‘seeing off drugs’, ‘doing the right thing’, ‘encouraging simplicity’, ‘avoiding waste’, ‘abhorring corruption’ ‘appreciating excellence’ and last but not least ‘leading by example’?

      And pray tell me, what is wrong with beer if consumed by adults? To me, beer is the lesser evil when compared to arrack. To say that by ‘promoting’ beer the government is promoting drunkenness is much like saying that by promoting marriage in the young, one would only be promoting the concept of womanizing.

      I think this nation is slowly going mad. We spend far too much time trying to manage the private lives of others. We get drawn into trivia and waste a lot of time arguing. That is becoming a national trait, and I believe possibly, one of the chief reasons why we have no time to go marching forward as a nation. Everyone around us, are overtaking us. Take a look!

      I am sure the President has far better and more important things to do than playing the ‘Big Daddy’ to us all.

      • 0
        3

        J&F,
        Three cheers to you. We need more of your species and less of the Champa species.

        • 2
          0

          Old Codger
          .
          You will never be able to get rid of me. I am a solo fighter, as always.

          • 0
            2

            Champa,
            I wouldn’t dream of trying to get rid of you. We need people to disagree with , even if they idolize Weerawansa.

      • 2
        0

        Dear Justice & Fairplay,

        I appreciate it when whatever over-statement I make is fine-tuned by others.

        Not being a drinking man myself, I don’t quite understand why people drink, but I have dissociated myself from “prohibitionism”. I have no desire to declare war on liquor consumption, but why actually REDUCE prices? Smoking used to be the most pernicious problem, and almost all adults seem to regret having got hooked on it while in their teens.

        *

        Drugs: now there’s a real problem! Guys like us use a blanket term for it, but I think that our people used to add some of it to our food on a regular basis, and those small quantities used to cause no problem. We are now in a situation where we cannot distinguish between the (probably) hundreds of substances that are described as just “kudu” by the public. So, we cannot really warn people off the most dangerous. There’ll be some readers who may feel that by making distinctions of this sort, I’m covertly encouraging the use of some drugs.

        *

        The really evil guys are those who peddle the drugs, but will not touch the stuff themselves, since they know the dangers.

        *

        One easy principle for us is “encouraging simplicity”.

        *
        As for tourism, dengue, and that rabies death of a ten year old French boy, are much more worrying – than the crocodile attack.

    • 3
      3

      Sinhala Man,
      This is a simplistic but popular approach that Maithri is taking, like his fundamentalist approach to liquor.
      Plain refined sugar (Sucrose) is not the sugar that shows up in the blood. That’s Glucose, which is produced in the body by converting carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include Rice, Wheat flour, and starches from such items as potatoes and manioc among other things.
      Sri Lankans eat kilos of rice/potatoes/manioc, but not kilos of sugar. Obviously Maithri is not going to ask for a ban on rice or potatoes, but is attacking an easy target, as politicians do.

      • 0
        2

        Essentially what I am trying to say is that we remain and also we encourage our politicians to remain lofty in their thinking and in their actions.

        I think the President on this occasion could have been more “presidential” . Besides it is ethically incorrect to single out a particular beverage by name for uncomplimentary comment in public, in the absence of any strictures issued by qualified Health Authorities.

        Further, many adults would take offense at being lectured to by a politicians who are not qualified dieticians and who struggle to run their own patch without blemish or calamity for even one single day.

        That said, I appreciate Old Codger and Sinhala Man’s contributions to this little discussion, largely because they have been in the form of a civilized exchange of views, which in the end contributes to achieving enhanced respect towards each other. That must be the greatest compliment we could pay the facilitator: Colombo Telegraph.

      • 1
        1

        correction:
        Plain refined sugar also should go into the carbohydrate list.

        • 2
          0

          :D :D :D :D :D :D
          .
          There are many more corrections for you to do.

      • 0
        0

        Dear “old codger”,

        Thanks, I get something like the idea. I accept the truth of what you say, but don’t want to make observations where I have little knowledge.

        *

        During the last two months I’ve been studying what Champa says. Rarely do I agree with all that he says. In fact, I quite often say things that directly contradict his views. However, he doesn’t seem anybody’s proxy, and he is consistent. He is NOT a politician, and he is a man one can reason with.

        *

        Dr Gnana S. is a man with whom I traded quite a few barbs about two years ago. Then a really distinguished Medical Professor from Manchester, who’s become my friend during the last five years assured me that Gnana’s bite is not as bad as his bark, and recently he had toned down. But THIS comment of his is really ridiculous, and I’ve addressed him directly on that. By the way that Professor’s brother is the Mahesh Niranjan who used to write all those wonderful stories – another long over due! Those brothers make a point of interacting with Sri Lankan kids in Sinhala, although themselves from Karainagar.

        *

        Weak Maithri is the best we have!

        *

        I guess you know the tyrant Mugabe’s gone!!

        • 1
          0

          Dear Sinhala Man, how many Sinhalese in Colombo drink buffalo milk. Is the milk marketed by milk board that of cattle or buffalo. There should be a reason why this is not so. Secondly any sugary product marketed by companies including Srilankan ones are as bad as Milo. Then why should Milo be targeted. How many Srilankan families drink Milo compared to Coca Cola. Why Sira is not asking people not to drink Milk Board milk which also has a very high sugar content. Even certain fruits such as pine apples have a high glycaemic index. Are you going to ban all of them. Diabetics are told that if you consume anything in moderate amount especially spacing out your meals, nothing drastic will happen.

      • 2
        0

        I am getting tired of correcting and educating an old codger. Go home and read about Glycemic Index!

        • 0
          0

          Wanni,
          You ought not to fall for the instant health sound bites put out by “opinion leaders”. If you look below the surface, sugar by itself does NOT cause diabetes. You must have a vulnerability first, meaning overweight and genetic causes. Sugar (glucose) in the blood is actually the end product. South Asians are the most affected among immigrants to the US.
          Glycaemic index by itself is not relevant unless you already have diabetes. In South Asia, people consume a lot more rice than sugar, and it has a greater bearing on the problem. But of course it is not fashionable to rant and rave against rice consumption from public platforms.
          Similarly, traffic accidents cause more deaths than Dengue, but do we see PHI’s raiding the owners of cars? That will be the day!!

        • 1
          0

          wannihami

          You are tired not because of old codger but because you are listening to too much western crap though at times or most times you think you are cleverer than any western white person.

          Is Glycemic index a Sinhala/Buddhist fascist invention?

      • 0
        0

        Old codger,

        dear where did you get all these from.

        Not that Carbo includes Rice but other way around Mr.

        Sureo one thing you just added was right. The carbohydrates or the bigger stuff become to Glucose and other monsacarrides in the our body.
        So, I hat off to Prez he has no fears as had been the case with murderous proxy Rajapakshes to utter but the truth, he is very right saying that manufacturers of MILO or whatever should bring info about the ingredients of the product properly so that the consumers can be well aware of.

        In a country filled with Jimbumsies, Champawathies and the like folks that would only sing the song mobilizing multi abusers – what cant go wrong easily.

        If a balubetti packeted in Europe or any other country would be seen very easy to market in lanken consumers – like the case with Horlicks or sustegen.
        Most of them feel just because they consume by the affordable folks, they should contain the best of everything.
        My 90 year old father would be happy to drink Horlicks or Sustagen than anything else. They have been brain washed for the last few decades so that these men would nto even listen their good educated sons.

        • 1
          0

          Bunjappu,
          I have survived 25 years with type2 diabetes, so you can depend on what I write. The main thing is MODERATION, and SELF-CONTROL as the Buddha said (but many monks don’t seem to follow).
          A cup of ice cream once a month won’t kill you on the spot, neither will a sip of Milo or a tot of “Gal” or toddy now and then. Take your pills religiously.What Dr. Gnana says above is absolutely correct. What you say about Horlicks/ Sustagen is true. People believe sustained advertising. If you look at the ingredients of “Cerelac” , it is mostly green peas, milk, and sugar. Do our people not have the brains to buy these separately (cheaply) to feed their children?

          • 2
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            old codger,

            “Do our people not have the brains to buy these separately (cheaply) to feed their children”

            They do have the brains, with an average IQ of 79, but may not be sufficient , and was probably good enough to listen to ads.

            Those with low brain function, seem to have infected the CT web site s well.

            After all they listen to polititions, monks, priests and mullahs as well.

    • 1
      1

      Mangala should reduce the taxes on hard liquor.hard liquor is better than hallucinogic material, that is said to be easily available – available around schools.Why does not the safron brigade that fight to ban beef but not chicken pork and fish does not act to help the police to arrest the drug sellers? Is the safron brigade also in cahoots?

    • 1
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      Sinhala_Man,

      The Title should have been:

      World Diabetes Day: The President Ethically Targets Sugar and its Promoters such as Milo, a Nestle Product.

      Now I can’t COPY URL links or copy my own words because CT unethically changed it.

  • 11
    4

    I have made a comment about this somewhere else actually.
    It is NOT unethical. President did the right thing.
    This is the first time a Head of State expressed his strong disapproval over the high sugar contain in a product of a multinational company. I am proud it to be our President. He showed the world that he is not ready to let multinational companies dictate terms to developing countries like Sri Lanka and that he cares about his citizens.
    President has the guts to say this. Before, he had the guts to say that he will never let our tri forces to face war crimes allegations.
    That makes me remember something. Mr. President, please intervene in releasing all members of tri forces personnel from remand prison. When the investigations are still ongoing, it is not fair to keep them in prison. I have made this request many times. They should be released on bail and the monetary deposit as the surety should not be an extortionately high amount as they were government servants not businessmen. There is a sad story of a mother-in-law of a jailed Navy Officer committing suicide. What will happen next? A wife, children? Mr. President, as pointed out many times, you should take into consideration the excellent service they rendered to the country during war time than giving priority to unsubstantiated allegations based on following orders of the former regime, which are yet to prove. There was a verdict a week and half ago, a judge releasing a hardcore terrorist, despite his confession at the time of the arrest for bringing a lorry laden with explosives of 1008 kg, stating that there wasn’t enough evidence. Excuse me, the entire country was paralyzed with fear during the war that LTTE would bomb Colombo or kill VVIPs to make the Army stop the war. At a time like that security forces have no time to think about keeping records or evidence to prove at a later stage but arrest the terrorist who takes the responsibility. The terrorist was released but in a similar situation the officer who stopped the lorry laden with explosives saving thousands of lives, is in jail for nearly an year for a typical FCID-label crime which has not been proven yet. This is so unfortunate and unfair. I earnestly request the President to intervene in this matter in all fairness.

    • 5
      7

      In the north and east, terrorists wear uniform.
      Citizens are terrified daily.

      • 1
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        Oh, yeah, Citizens in the North and the East are terrified if the Uniforms leave, how would they survive without blood in hospitals.

    • 2
      2

      Champa,

      We are missing you at the lankaCnews website. Probably you have switched to this site after getting caught using various other names to put forward the same message.

      Looks like after helping to write Janadhipathi Thattha book you still continue to get funded by the MS’s office. Honestly it is not a bad way to operate… criticize a little and praise a lot and keep everyone happy and the cheques will continue to come..

    • 2
      1

      Champa,
      Your praise of the President is a smoke-screen to your main objective! Do not judge others by your own yardsticks!! Your statement that the President’s statement is not ‘unethical’ shows your lack of understanding. If the President has condemned all milk-products containing sugar above a particular level because such concentration harms the health of the nation, that is perfectly legitimate and ethical. But singling out one brand and leaving out many others is the cause for claiming his actions as unethical. Does the President not know that there are many other brands – both local and international – which contain sugar levels of more than what he ‘prescribes’. That is not only unethical; it is ulterior as well!

      • 3
        0

        Robert
        .
        You may not be aware, there are many organizations new and old in the West and North America who are/were fighting against Nestle products with high sugar contain since 1977.
        I remember two years ago, there was an organization in Sri Lanka too, who insisted the government to ban some particular (don’t remember the name) Nestle product from schools and hospitals.
        I am glad at least now the President paying attention to this.

        • 1
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          Oh, I forgot to add Africa. There was a huge campaign against Nestle products in Africa too.

  • 7
    5

    It is quite obvious that Milos competitors have greased the palm of the President to condemn their opposition. Otherwise it is difficult to understand why he did not mention other sugar filled beverages like CocaCola,Fanta etc etc
    Sirisena is making much money before his time is up.BTW where is the golden antique sword that Putin gifted to the country. I understand that it is carefully hidden in Sirisena’ house.

  • 10
    0

    Without targeting specific products, the government must emphasize the hazards of consuming too much of sugar and salt, and require companies to reduce the levels of sugar, and salt when producing their food and drink. It would be good for restaurants to do the same.

  • 3
    5

    What president did was right. CT is looking for business advertiserments. tht is why.

  • 4
    2

    Yes ethics is an issue and single outing one company might seem to be innaproprpriate .However what is the ethics of hoodwinking general public and feeding them with high doses of hidden sugars which is going to make us a diabetic nation .That is highly unethical for a recognised company like Nestle and I am sure they don’t try these tricks in developed countries .Let is talk about the ethics of that as well .President at least has done something on behalf of general public which must be acknowledged.

  • 1
    0

    ……. probably has a point , but a head of state ? He could have held a can of beer in the other hand – as a healthier option,

  • 1
    0

    As a fitness nut myself, I would like to see clear labeling of ingredients and their amounts by weight and caloric percentages. Most imported products have this labeling but when it comes to local produce it can be frustrating. I am definitely in favor of clear labeling. But, Mr. President should realize that Milo actually HAS CLEAR LABELING. So when I am buying a Milo sports drink I can actually go through the details and decide whether I should buy it after my workout or not. In contrast look at locally produced Ice-cream from Cargils, Kothmale, Highland, etc. They only have labels for ingredients. There is no information on how much sugar and fat it contains or at least the total number of calories per 100 ml. This is just one example. Mr. President, you should point fingers at local companies and not international companies that have to adhere the strict standards when it comes to labeling.

  • 1
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    Our products are definitely more sweeter than those abroad. Diabetes is an epidemic!

  • 2
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    You all know what our bastard politicians are like. The only possible reason for Bodhi Sira to single out Milo is that Nestle’s rivals have paid him or promised him something.

    • 0
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      Taraki

      Yet you regularly vote for the bastards, particularly the bigoted racist fascist kind. You don’t mind supporting/electing the worst person possible. Why complain now?

  • 2
    0

    President is right and it is CT that misquoted or misunderstood. What is wrong with him to give an example of a popular drink where actual sugar content is hidden? The issue with him is that he usually complains to the public, instead of taking actions or pressurizing the concerned authorities.

  • 0
    0

    Beating Anchor Newdale and collecting commission from Nestle is Old Royals’ job. Beating Nestly and collecting Commission from Anchor Newdale New Royals’ job,
    What kind of economics theory is saying beat both at the same time and lose everything?

    A farmer would have two cows, if one is conceived in winter, he milks the other one in the winter, when the other one conceives in the summer, milk this one. As the family is a whole unit, one cow going pregnant and escaping milking is not bad, because that is come in line for the other season.

    If not how to run UNP-SLFP Drama(In some situations, the name may change as Yahapalanaya Joint Comedy Club- that doesn’t matter)

  • 1
    0

    At last, some sensible speech from the first citizen. Mr. President, you earn 5% + marks for your anti sugery stance here and another 5%+ for anti-plastic policy being adopted recently. Act speedy to recover the rest 90% that you lost the moment you swtich to the nasty group comprising RW, CBK, Mangy etc., in late 2014.

    • 1
      1

      max

      How are you?

      You are right he hasn’t got the 90% yet, however it could take several years to recover from the effect of the clan pollution which he collected for nearly 10 years.

      Otherwise how are you?

  • 1
    1

    I remember Nestle’s were doing unethical marketing in Africa trying to promote formula milk instead of breast milk and then they give toys with milk powder to lure the kids.
    Apart from milo the Nescafe machines sell sugar syrup instead of nescafe. Anyway President has to start somewhere and I hope he continues his good work instead of stopping with Milo. I don’t know whether any of you all have tasted kitul treacle sold by MD. This concoction has nothing to do with kitul.

    I see no wrong provided this is the first step taken by the President and he will continue his good work by looking into the other products. He should not delay this, lest his action is blamed as unethical

  • 1
    1

    What a pathetic situation!
    A President who has no idea of what a President should and shouldn’t say & do- a cabinet competing with each other in uttering incoherent garbage while a couple of so called “osthars” are looting the country with gay abandon!

    ?

  • 0
    1

    What is MS trying to say?
    If you cannot afford a plain tea, have a Milo? (Was it Marie Antoinette who advised “If you cannot afford bead eat cake”?)
    Or is he saying “Milo is better than ‘gal’?.

  • 0
    0

    I hope HE would go ahead and run a campaign against Nan formular as well, the doctors prescribe that to kids up to 3 years, an expensive useless alternative to standard full cream milk powder. Nestle has got hold of the parents in South Asia with the short and the curlies as the saying goes!

  • 1
    0

    I would have been proud of MS had he taken on the Nestlé organization itself, a most unethical food monopoly which has harmed many Third World children.
    Concern about “aggressive marketing” of breast milk substitutes by Nestlé, mainly in developing countries, was first written about in the UK in 1973 in the New Internationalist magazine.
    A boycott campaign against Nestlé was initiated in the US in 1977 and in Europe since early 1980s. Nestle has remained defiant all along and still persists with its unethical practices.
    *
    The latest boycott campaign is by the Council of Canadians, a social action organization, since September 2016 in response to Nestlé outbidding a small town aiming to secure a long-term water supply through a local well.

  • 1
    0

    india has modi we have milo . Our Milo man will beat india’s Superman any day.

  • 1
    0

    I’m not sure how many of Milo babies have heard about this Sugar industry paid Harvard Studies in 1960s.

    It turned out sugar industry took cover under the cholesterol by generously paying key opinion leaders from Harvard Medical School!

    https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/well/eat/how-the-sugar-industry-shifted-blame-to-fat.html

    Perhaps President has picked the market leader heads on to challenge all others.

    How many of you have heard about the generous contribution Nestle did in Brazil to make the locals obese with sugar coated cheap foods?

    It’s funny even an “elite” medical doctor from SL commented that President picked Milo because he has inferior complex as grew up with drinking buffalo milk!

    It seems a village man in SL is indeed smarter than many book smart Milo babies!

    • 1
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      Milo Baby,

      Read and listen to marasiri’s post Part 1 on this thread, and the You tube link.

      You will understand the conspiracy.

      President Sirisena is 100% correct. Will the low IQ idiots understand?

  • 2
    0

    Do you really think I care a hoot about the nutrition of the masses? Look at my own Government’s statistics on malnutrition. I just have to raise funds some way or another for the next election.

  • 0
    0

    Could someone explain the meaning of “F I Z Z Y Milk Drinks” ?

    • 0
      0

      Good question! I”m sure that many of us others also were struck by this anomaly but didn’t ask.

      *

      Nothing “F I Z Z Y” about the Milo drink in the sachet.

      *

      More importantly, why don’t some others also report that this website is behaving as though crippled? I have.

  • 0
    0

    Fizzy drinks are carbonated and that gives the gas. The sugar content is in the syrup which gives its flavour. Nestle is not taking the Sirisena offensive lightly. They have come out with a media blitz of their own giving details about the sugar content in their products which are low in comparison to other popular beverages.
    Now why doesn’t the gamarala President start a campaign against ALL beverages with sugar.? He can order Mangala to impose a prohibitive Sales Tax on such products. He won’t do that because the Govt will lose revenue. So to hell with the health of the nation Gamarala had made some brownie points and looking for more ways of enriching himself.

  • 0
    0

    Exactly! “Fizzy” means “with Carbon Dioxide”. Instead of “fizzy”, I think “S U G A R E D”, is the more relevant term. Also, Coca or Pepsi Cola are better examples for this crucial discussion about sugar-addiction and diabetes eradication.

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