Having the cappuccino switched would not have been a problem for me if it had been labeled as such and I didn't have to drink it to find out. (Well, ok… I would have whined a little.) After mentioning the weird taste, the staff figured out what happened and a fat-free label went up immediately. I opted for pumpkin spice capp and they are still my all-time favorite place to go for road drinks and snacks. (Is capp a legal nickname for cappuccino?)
I’m all about helping people find problems before someone can use it against them. I guess I have a real sore spot for people who sue restaurants over hot coffee and other idiotic things. So one of the questions that popped into my head was this: What if someone who couldn't have artificial sweeteners had gotten that drink?
Side-effects from artificial sweeteners is a real problem for some people, even from the newest one.
"Evidence that there are side effects of Splenda is accumulating little by little. Sucralose has been implicated as a possible migraine trigger, for example. Self-reported adverse reactions to Splenda or sucralose collected by the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center include skin rashes/flushing, panic-like agitation, dizziness and numbness, diarrhea, swelling, muscle aches, headaches, intestinal cramping, bladder issues, and stomach pain. These show up at one end of the spectrum — in the people who have an allergy or sensitivity to the sucralose molecule. But no one can say to what degree consuming Splenda affects the rest of us, and there are no long-term studies in humans with large numbers of subjects to say one way or the other if it’s safe for everyone." (from: http://www.womentowomen.com/healthyweight/splenda.aspx)
But the cappuccino switch isn't the only reason why I'm writing about this subject. Here's another incident from last night:
I ordered a fast-food sandwich for dinner - hold the tomato. Tomatoes slide around too much and I thought I was going to eat it in the car.
Turns out I wasn't able to eat it until I got home, but the chicken was still sliding out of the sandwich, so I had to open it up and rearrange everything. And what did I find? Tomato seeds and juice. Yeah, that's right. They took a sandwich that already had tomatoes on it and just removed them.
So what's my problem with that? Nothing... for me. But what about the people who are allergic to tomatoes?
"Few of us expect to feel our lips tingle and our chests constrict when we bite into a pizza or an Italian sandwich. But for the small number of people with an allergy to tomato, that's exactly what can happen." (from http://www.ehow.com/how_2163806_know-tomato-allergy-symptoms.html)
And here's yet another example of a "switch" (another unknown one) that happened recently.
My family was at a restaurant that offered root beer. I asked what kind and the waitress told me Barq's. When I said we'd pass on that because of the caffeine, she said, "Oh, no. Barq's doesn't have caffeine in it."
I told her it did and she said she was sure it didn't because a manager (or other staff member) had told her it didn't, but she'd ask anyway. So off she went while we continued looking at our menus.
Upon her return she casually stated, "I guess you're right, it does have caffeine. Go figure. I've been telling everyone it doesn't."
"The reason I asked," I told her, "is because my son has a heart condition and can't have caffeine." Her facial features and color changed a bit as we ordered up a Sprite for our son. I wonder if she was thinking that maybe some of those other people could have had a problem with her unknowingly bad advice.
"Some of the most bothersome symptoms of mitral valve prolapse--anxiety, chest pain, shortness of breath--worsen when people consume too much caffeine." (From http://www.mgwater.com/prev1808.shtml)
My point here is not that store and restaurant staff are out to get us. It's that consumers need to pay attention if they have health problems. Ask questions (nicely) and don't be afraid to disagree (again, nicely) if you think you're right. One wrong "switch" in what you eat or drink could spell disaster for you. Better to be safe and do the legwork to get your "treat."
Happy Halloween!
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