So the folks over at Vitamin Water aka Glacéau aka Coca Cola must be shaking in their sugar laden boots over the lawsuit brought against them by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The CSPI has filed the lawsuit over a year ago and is claiming that the company made deceptive advertising claims when it said the product would keeping consumers as “healthy as a horse.”
I am certainly all for freedom in advertising but when the product that will keep you as “healthy as a horse” is 125 calories worth of sugar water, it may be time for the advertising cavalry to ride in and save the day. Coke lawyers tried to get the case dismissed outright but a federal judge tossed out their motion and thus the case will march on.
These kinds of nutrition claims are nothing new as the vast majority of “sports drinks” or “energy drinks” are nothing more than caffeinated sugar water touted to provide energy. Well yes they do provide energy; 4 calories per gram of white sugar specifically and nothing more. It’s time we stopped holding such low standards and up our requirement when we demand a “functional beverage.”
Joe Stout – MS
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
If you get the Vitamin Water Zero, it has 0 calories and is a lot better for you.
Thanks for the comment Jeff. I think the problem lies with the fact that Vitamin water is not a great beverage to be consuming in the first place. Either the zero calorie or full sugar version. What do you think they are sweetening the zero calorie beverage with? That’s right artificial sweeteners. Bad news.
Vitamin water has zero calories….low calorie consumption is good for health.
Jeff thanks for information I will try to implement it in my life.
I didn’t even realize this lawsuit was taking place, thanks for the heads up! It’s about time the artificial beverage industry had to face the music for inflicting artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, and even white sugar into food and labeling it “health” food. And for those who believe that zero/low calorie equals a healthier option, please do some research, this may be worse than sugar & higher calories.
Samantha, I couldn’t agree more regarding the artificial sweeteners. In some cases these sweeteners “trick” our bodies into actually becoming hungrier than they would have been. This is simply because the mind associates “sweet” with sugar and if no calories have been ingested then the body starts searching for real food. Great point! -Joe Stout, M.S.