What’s the Fizz Free Whanau Challenge anyway?

The Fizz Free Whanau Challenge is a month-long challenge to phase out the fizz and go without fizzy drinks throughout the month of February. The Challenge is a great way to make an improvement not only to your own hauora (health) but to the health of your whānau and the whole community.

FAQ

Why go Fizz Free?

15% Māori and 30% Pasifika tamariki are obese, compared with 11% of the general population. In tamariki and rangatahi, each serving of sugary drink (including juices and flavoured milk) increases the risk of obesity by 60%. If we’re going to turn the tide on obesity and obesity-related health issues, we need to deal with the fizz.

By going Fizz Free, you’ll feel benefits like improved energy and focus. You’ll also be able to feel great about supporting healthy initiatives in your community!

What counts as Fizz?

We’ve included all carbonated soft drinks, like colas and lemonades, including “zero” and “sugar-free” versions. However, this is a challenge you can make your own! If you’re up to it, we also encourage ditching other sugary drinks such as juices, energy drinks, sports drinks, flavoured milk, and alcohol. In our first year, we had participants who committed to only drinking Wai Māori (natural water) for the whole month and beyond – Tau ke! Awesome!

What about Sports Drinks?

Most of us do not exercise intensely enough to warrant using sports drinks. The main “carbohydrates” and “electrolytes” in sports drinks are plain-old sugar and sodium. Unless you’re an endurance athlete, regular water is probably your best choice to get a few extra reps in at the gym.

What about beer and other alcohol?

We encourage whanau to make the challenge their own! While beer is carbonated, it’s not in the same category as sugar “fizzy drinks” or “sodas”, so it’s not a compulsory part of The Challenge. However, the New Year is a great time to also think about your alcohol consumption, as we know it can also be harmful to our health. If you can take the challenge up a level and ditch beer, or alcohol altogether, make sure you make it clear on your profile so you can be supported in your endeavours. Karawhiua! Give it heaps!

What about fizzy water?

While carbonated water is a much better choice than sugary or artificially sweetened soft drinks like cola or lemonade, just make sure you check the label! Tonic water, club soda and flavoured sparkling waters can contain products such as sucralose, sugar, citric acid and added sodium, which can contribute to tooth decay. There is also some debate about the carbonation process itself, which makes water more acidic. Some experts say that this contributes to softening tooth enamel, and damaging your teeth, though some say that this is offset by your saliva.

The verdict: If you absolutely have to have some bubbles, sparkling water with no additives is your best bet- but make sure that this is a “sometimes” treat, rather than an everyday drink. Try to make sure that if you’re going to have a carbonated drink, you drink it in one sitting, rather than sipping on it throughout the day, as this will reduce the amount of time your teeth are exposed to the acid.