The difference between the unicorn frappuccino and diabetes...
The 'mystical' Unicorn frap that sent more than just barista's into a frenzy.
Welcome back Champions!
Seeing as this is my first official blog post, I thought it was just too good for me to talk about the frenzy that has erupted thanks to the crazy new Starbucks frappacino - the Unicorn frap.
Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE Starbucks. Ask anyone who knows me, and they'll agree. And while I'm a huge supporter of getting your caffeine on and waking up with the aroma of espresso, I am NOT trying to consume a frozen drink which contains 1/4 of the calorie intake I am supposed to consume in one day. Ya...no.
Not only was the Unicorn frap a pain in the behind to make according to many friends of mine who work at Starbucks and were flooded with having to make them, but have you seen how much sugar is in this drink? It's actually crazy...
I'm just going to leave that picture up there for you, and let it sink in. Just take a moment to fully absorb that and all 62g of carbs in it... honestly when I first saw that, I straight up lol'd at it's craziness. BUT, alas, I am NOT here to school you on whether or not you should drink that. Because quite frankly, you should be able to eat or drink what you want as long as you are personally okay with it. I always tell people that while I have diabetes, that doesn't mean I can't have candy, chocolate, or a nice slice of pizza or whatever it is that my heart desires. I just have to give myself some insulin, make sure I work it off, and I'll be dandy!
What I AM here to talk about though, are the jokes about how the unicorn frap will CAUSE someone to get diabetes. THAT. ANGERS. ME. LIKE. NO. OTHER. *breathes in deeply*
No, people do not get diabetes because they ate too much sugar when they were kids. No it's not because we don't work out or eat healthy. Type 1 diabetes is a genetic disease, so I had no choice unfortunately, in getting it. That being said, saying that drinking a frozen drink is the equivalent of diabetes in a cup is NOT OKAY. It takes a lot to manage diabetes on a day to day basis, a lot more most people might think about. It takes constant monitoring, self-reflection, knowing what affects your body and what doesn't. It takes being active and eating right, but also making sure to live and not stress over every little thing. So comparing a drink to having diabetes is absurd, because as people living with diabetes we do a lot to stay healthy and we are PROUD of who and where we are. We are THANKFUL of the life we have. We are PATIENT with the highs and lows. We are LOVING, FUNNY, NORMAL people. We are not, however, the butt of a poorly made joke. And as a blog that hopes to bring together a community of people living with diabetes, I will use my voice to show that representations such as these are not okay.
Next time you meet someone living with diabetes, don't make jokes about how you know of a 'natural' cure, or a comment like "should you really be eating that right now?" because believe it or not (!) we're just like you (we just wear superhero capes)! If more people take this into consideration, stereotypical situations such as the unicorn frap ordeal could be seen far less in our society.
That being said, TG the unicorn frap is over! Now rush over to your Starbucks and get yourself a drink because I know you've been thinking of it this whole post... trust me I'm not judging ;)
Until next week my friends!
- Basma :)
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Together we'll go from type 1 to type none!