Britt Jones
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has gone after two popular coffee chains as part of his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda.
Kennedy, who has long confronted the US’ food industry, took a swipe at the companies for having what he says is a high sugar content in the beverages.
Speaking at the Eat Real Food rally in Austin, Texas, recently, he said: “We’re going to ask Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, ‘Show us the safety data that show that it’s okay for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it.”
“I don’t think they’re gonna be able to do it,” he quipped.
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When it comes to flavoured iced coffees at Dunkin’, they can have between 18 and 67 grams of sugar, with any frozen beverage ranging from 100 to 180 grams, per items on its website.
If you add syrup to any Starbucks iced coffee, you could see an additional 20 grams of sugar go into the drink.
In response, Massachusetts Governor, Maura Healey shared an image of a Dunkin’ cup with the words: “Come and take it.”
Another wrote: "Maybe this regime needs to remember we take drinks VERY SERIOUSLY in New England.”
Someone else hit out at the Gov, slating: “Is this a joke?? You'd rather be combative with RFK Jr. than deal with the legitimate health concerns he's bringing up. You've been a truly horrible governor.”
Kennedy has long been at war with what he deems unhealthy in the US after taking to office.
However, MAHA has ramped things up another notch, and even came out with an updated food pyramid to change how Americans should prioritise the food on their plates.
“The reforms aim to ensure American foods follow the highest safety and nutritional standards globally,” MAHA Action, Kennedy’s nonprofit health advocacy group, said in a statement .
The latest challenge against the food industry comes after the federal government rolled out a new set of dietary guidelines in January.
Essentially, it leaned towards protein and healthy fats while minimising things like grains.
This is a pretty different way of eating, considering we’ve always been told to eat bread and cereal, but on the food table – it’s a big portion of our diets.
“As Secretary of Health and Human Services, my message is clear: Eat real food,” Kennedy said at the time, saying it’s ‘the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history.’
FOODbible reached out to Dunkin' and Starbucks for comment.