this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2026
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[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 136 points 1 month ago (30 children)

100% fruit juices would remain exempt

Why?? Shit’s sugar. You’re not getting most of the nutritional benefit from juice, all the fiber has been removed.

[–] cattywampas@lemmy.world 58 points 1 month ago (2 children)

My guess is because it's unsweetened, and that the tax applies to drinks with added sugar or sweetener.

[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 64 points 1 month ago (15 children)

‘We should reduce sugar and sweetener consumption, let’s not tax this drink that’s almost pure sugar because it’s natural’ is asinine. Apple juice has virtually identical sugar content to a soda.

[–] tyler@programming.dev 7 points 1 month ago (6 children)

They’re not the same types of sugar. Your body uses glucose differently than fructose.

[–] SalmiakDragon@feddit.nu 11 points 1 month ago

Maybe to some extent? I don't think the superiority of one monosaccharide over the other has been clearly established. There are differences, but the health impact of them are not clear. Also, "glucose vs fructose" is

  1. not super-relevant to the matter of comparing juice with soda. At least here in the Nordics, most sodas seem to be sweetened with sugar, a.k.a. sucrose (a.k.a. fructose+glucose, see below), and maybe a splash of juice. (Based on a survey of my favorites, though I mostly drink the Zero-versions)

  2. a bit of a false choice (see below).


Fructose often co-occurs with glucose

(Source: Wikipedia article on Fructose)

  • Fructose co-exists with glucose, in sucrose ...

Fructose, or fruit sugar, is a common monosaccharide, i.e. a simple sugar. It is classified as a reducing hexose, more specifically a ketonic simple sugar found in many plants, where it is often bonded to glucose to form the disaccharide sucrose.

  • ... and in fruit.

Table: "Sugar content of selected common plant foods". Note that many of the fruits' sugar content is dominated by a combination of sucrose and free fructose. Only plum breaks this trend, containing mostly glucose instead (still 47% sucrose and fructose).

  • Also: Fructose mostly ends up as glucose

The liver converts most fructose and galactose into glucose for distribution in the bloodstream or deposition into glycogen.

"Potential health effects"

  • A lot of the discussion in this part of the article is just about overconsumption of dietary sugars (including glucose and sucrose) in general, which would indicate to me that the differences between them aren't all that significant. However:

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) stated in 2011 that fructose may be preferable over sucrose and glucose in sugar-sweetened foods and beverages because of its lower effect on postprandial blood sugar levels,[58] while also noting the potential downside that "high intakes of fructose may lead to metabolic complications such as dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, and increased visceral adiposity".[58][59] The UK's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition in 2015 disputed the claims of fructose causing metabolic disorders, stating that "there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that fructose intake, at levels consumed in the normal UK diet, leads to adverse health outcomes independent of any effects related to its presence as a component of total and free sugars."[60]

  • "Compared to sucrose"

Fructose was found to increase triglycerides in type-2 but not type-1 diabetes, and moderate use of it has previously been considered acceptable as a sweetener for diabetics,[61] possibly because it does not trigger the production of insulin by pancreatic β cells.[62] For a 50 gram reference amount, fructose has a glycemic index of 23, compared with 100 for glucose and 60 for sucrose.[63] Fructose is also 73% sweeter than sucrose at room temperature, allowing diabetics to use less of it per serving.

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[–] ghurab@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That's not true, the tax apply to unsweetened milk alternatives.

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[–] Jake_Farm@sopuli.xyz 14 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Because like all laws, corruption came into the process to make it miss the goal entirely.

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[–] hanrahan@slrpnk.net 9 points 1 month ago

because they aren't purtity testing their legislation and added sugar and added artificial sweeteners is their current target, it's a start ffs

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[–] linsenchip@piefed.zip 91 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The minister of finance clarified that the tax will not apply to sugar free drinks

https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/zuckersteuer-172.html

[–] Sir_Premiumhengst@lemmy.world 24 points 1 month ago (7 children)

O lol that's fairly recent tho. Yesterday they were all saying: hurr durr the drinking of sweet tasting things should be curbed and I almost punched the narrator via TCP/IP

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[–] JadenSmith@sh.itjust.works 44 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The UK has had this for a while. I will be honest in that I still miss the taste of full sugar drinks, that's definitely a downgrade, however after so many years of having these other drinks available I've lately found full sugar to be just... Too much.

Some artificial sugars do a number on my gut though. Been drinking more healthier things as a result, though overall I suppose the sugar tax has had a positive effect?

[–] tal@lemmy.today 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (4 children)

Some artificial sugars do a number on my gut though

Do not eat any substantial amounts of candy containing xylitol. Stuff is a laxative, and lots of sugar-free candy and gum uses it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol

Adverse effects

Humans

When ingested at high doses, xylitol and other polyols may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, including flatulence, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome (see Metabolism above); some people experience the adverse effects at lower doses.[21][36] Xylitol has a lower laxation threshold than some sugar alcohols but is more easily tolerated than mannitol and sorbitol.[37]

[–] simbico@lemmy.zip 13 points 1 month ago

Its also poisonous to pets, just fyi

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

There's that LA Beast video on YouTube where he goes through a large bag of sugar free haribo bears and develops an excellent relationship with his toilet. After reading hilarious Amazon reviews about how they're a laxative.

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[–] unabart@sh.itjust.works 34 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I’m gonna go broke when they introduce the Spicy Tax.

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 15 points 1 month ago

Fuck you and your döner

  • Bundestag, probably
[–] python@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

Ordering "ohne scharf" because you're weak ❌
Ordering "ohne scharf" because you can't afford it ✅

[–] peacepath@lemmy.world 33 points 1 month ago (4 children)

It is a good way to tax the poors while pretending it is ethical and for public health… May the poors would be healthier if they have less money?

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[–] undefined@lemmy.hogru.ch 32 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Today I learned y’all dumb as fuck. What’s wrong with the comments?

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[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 27 points 1 month ago

"But there isn't even sugar in this!"

"Yeah, but you still suck, so you're paying anyway."

[–] BenLeMan@lemmy.world 21 points 1 month ago

If they're really going to tax sugar-free drinks (and not even use the money for healthcare) then it's obviously going to be another tax on being poor, like the increase of the value added tax that they are also planning.

Just what we asked for. Tax increases that are going to do nothing to the overly rich and instead hurt regular people. And then they wonder why people turn to political extremism.

[–] Kennystillalive@feddit.org 15 points 1 month ago

The Union really doing their upmost to have the AFD seem more appealing for the uneducated, reactionary conservatives.

[–] LittleBorat3@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They always fumble stuff like this on purpose. A bag of nuts has the worst nutri score ever, a deep frozen pizza is a B.

Lobbyists the answer is lobbyists. The government is very corrupt here, especially the current one.

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[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago (4 children)

It is not about "sugar-free". It is about added artifical sweeteners. Not that one thinks they would add sugar tax to e.g. sparkling water...

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[–] Nalivai@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago

> Invents Spezi, the best beverage there is
> Invents Shorle, the best beverage type there is
> Taxes the shit out of them
I see what you did here

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