Kurang manis, please

THE UK is all set to bring its sugar tax into force on April 6. Fizzy drinks with their high sugar content and sweetened drinks will cost more with a levy of 18p or 24p per litre imposed based on sugar content.
Fizzy drink makers have reformulated their recipes and reduced the sugar content in their products.
The British government says this move will help combat obesity.
I have been following the sugar story from its early days and one thing that struck me was how chef Jamie Oliver pushed for this cause.
The "Naked Chef" was ahead of his game when the government was still mulling over the tax.
He had imposed a 10p levy on sugary drinks served in his restaurants since June 2015.
The Daily Mail reported that the move was successful as sales of fizzy drinks including his home-made lemonade declined by 11% in 12 weeks.
In our own shores, the removal of the sugar subsidy was supposed to reduce consumption. After all, diabetes and obesity are common health problems in Malaysia. Media reports say consumption has not decreased.
There had also been talk of a sugar tax. If it does happen, it would be interesting to see how this comes into place and what would be the food and drinks taxed.
This brings me back to discussions with a nutritionist on high sugar intake.
The nutritionist said though sugary drinks do contribute to superfluous calories and obesity, it is not the primary cause of ill health.
"Sugary drinks don't stand on their own. It is an added calorie that you don't need. If the diet is high in fat, that too can be a driving force."
She said controlling sugar intake alone is pointless, if one is indulging in fatty food. She said the rich content of carbohydrates and shortage of protein is also an issue when asked if a sugar tax will be relevant in the Malaysian context?
She did not rule out the relevance of such taxes but said the success rate cannot be ascertained.
While I don't have a sweet tooth, my weaknesses are Nescafe tarik and Milo ice, which are made with condensed milk.
In many outlets kurang manis (less sweet) is far from what I understand it to be. It does not mean less condensed milk; instead they dilute three tablespoons of condensed milk with boiling water to reduce the consistency and give it a "less sweetened" taste.
This was alarming. Kurang manis or not, we still get at least two tablespoons of condensed milk if not more in a cup of coffee or tea or any other drink.
I have had to explain that kurang manis is half a tablespoon of condensed milk, but it is often ignored at outlets.
I recently switched to Nescafe O' with less sugar, and Milo kosong. This may not be much of a shift but it is a step forward for me.

V. Ragananthini reports on business for theSun. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com