I do not intend to attack Maria Sharapova. I intend only to point out what is happening, and wish that things would go in a different direction.
I am a long-time tennis fan. Not a fanatic, just someone who enjoys the sport as a spectator. I watch both women’s and men’s, used to play when I was younger but do not have the time for it any longer.
Maria Sharapova has launched a candy line as part of her branding. She is using her name and celebrity to sell candies, with the targets being mostly children.
I know this seems innocent enough. It pains me to have to write this, but having been through a lot of health issues, which refined sugars can definitely be held in part accountable for having caused, I wish…so so much…that she had chosen a different line, or a unique new way to present candies to children (such as using stevia as the sweetener, as one idea among a great many).
Instead, she went with the refined sugar, the guaranteed sale, of which a percentage is donated to her favorite children’s charity.
…as well as contributing to the growing incidence of type two diabetes (this would be a non-issue if the disease was not skyrocketing and children everywhere weren’t getting so fat).
Why would someone who cares about children want to then offer them products that would then be profited off of, and which are not healthy nor good for them? It is a contradiction, and as a health advocate, I could not ignore it, and I had to address it.
The marketing on the candies is terrific, the looks of the candies themselves is spectacular, and initial reports say the candy is delish. I personally am not a fan of those kinds of candies (never have been, which I am thankful for, lol) but it’s understood that a great many people/children ARE fans of these kinds of treats.
Being a professional in the sports arena, I just felt she had a responsibility to offer something much healthier instead.
Would it sacrifice sales if they used stevia or other natural sweetener instead of sugar?
Yes.
But would that really matter if a huge part of the objective is to help children?
And I hate this, but it needs to be said: How much will consuming these candies potentially *hurt* children?
When does excessive refined sugar NOT hurt them?
Maria: Change the ingredients. Be the one that stands out as offering something different. Spend a little extra to develop the right combination of stevia with other healthy ingredients, and you will win cheers from a whole new crowd…
…this time, both on and off the tennis court.
Love, Happiness, Health and Peace…………….Tim