Healthy Soda?

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo plan to market new, vitamin-enhanced sodas in the coming months – Diet Coke Plus and Tava, respectively. The new beverages will be promoted as “sparkling beverages” rather than soda or soft drinks, which have been in the headlines for their link to obesity.

Diet Coke Plus, which will hit the market in April, will contain niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, magnesium and zinc. The new beverage will cost the same as Diet Coke. Tava, which will be available this fall, will be lightly carbonated and contain vitamins B3, B6 and E, as well as chromium. PepsiCo has not determined a price for the new product yet.

In 2005, the $68 billion soda industry in the United States experienced a decrease in sales for the first time in recent history. Even the diet soda industry experienced a decline in sales. Consumers are increasingly choosing bottled water, sparkling juices and green teas over sodas.

This is not the first time vitamin-enhanced soda has been marketed. In 2004, Cadbury Schweppes released 7Up Plus, a low-calorie soda fortified with vitamins and minerals. In 2006, Cadbury also changed the label of its regular 7Up soda to “100 percent natural.” However, after a nutrition group complained that a product made with high-fructose corn syrup should not be considered natural, Cadbury was forced to change the label to “100 percent natural flavor.”

There is debate over the healthfulness of these new sodas. While they contain vitamins and no sugar, they are made with artificial sweeteners. According to a survey conducted by Morgan Stanley, only 10% of consumers interviewed in 2006 considered diet colas a healthy choice, compared with 14% in 2003. Also, 30 percent of consumers who were interviewed last year said they were reluctant to drink beverages with artificial sweeteners, an increase from 21 percent in 2004.

The efforts to increase beverage sales are especially important to Coca-Cola, since soft drinks and energy drinks account for 81 percent of the company’s revenue worldwide. PepsiCo, on the other hand, has entered other food and beverage markets, including Frito-Lay, Gatorade and Quaker Oats. Soft drinks account for 31 percent of PepsiCo’s revenue in North America, and Pepsi-Cola is the company's largest brand worldwide.  

Comments

[Jen]

Taken from a March 7, 2007, New York Times Article:

"Coca-Cola's chief executive, E. Neville Isdell, clearly frustrated that his industry has been singled out in the obesity debate, insisted at a recent conference that his diet products should be included in the health and wellness category because, with few or no calories, they are a logical answer to expanding waistlines. 'Diet and light brands are actually health and wellness brands,' Mr. Isdell said."

Even if these new drinks are fortified with vitamins, they still contain artificial sweeteners. I don’t see how a product that is made with synthetic ingredients can be marketed as a health and wellness drink.

[Elizabeth Franco]

Does chromium help speed metabolism? Is it safe?

[Jen]

Chromium has been studied as a possible treatment for heart disease (artherosclerosis), depression, diabetes, high cholesterol, Parkinson’s disease and weight loss. Preliminary research suggests it may also act as an immunosuppressant. However, these studies have produced mixed results, and well-designed human studies are needed before definitive conclusions can be made.

Few side effects have been reported from trivalent chromium at recommended doses, but hexavalent chromium may be toxic. The most common complaints include stomach discomfort and nausea or vomiting. Very rarely, skin rashes, insomnia or sleep disturbances, headaches, mood changes, muscle damage or anemia may occur. In theory, it is possible that chromium may lower blood sugar levels. As a result, it should be used cautiously in patients taking drugs for diabetes. It is also possible that chromium may have adverse effects on the heart, kidneys or liver. Preliminary data show that chromium, in combination with copper, may have a potential suppressive effect on the immune system. Chromium should be used cautiously in individuals who have compromised immune systems (like HIV patients or transplant recipients).

[Nick]

I think it is good that Americans are finally as a whole turning away from soft drinks. Any beverage that can eat through a steel nail in 3 days obviously has little to no health benefits and makes me marvel at the strength of the stomach lining. The fact that soft drink corporations are making substandard attempts at health drinks shows that they are obviously only concerned about their bottom lines.

[Anonymous]

I agree that there is an increasing trend of people switching their soda/diet soda for other types of drinks. Teas would be a good alternative since teas contain catechins. Diet coke contains an amino acid phenylalanine. Giving someone a single amino acid in large amounts can induce a seizure, especially in children I believe. If you look on the side of your diet coke bottle it says, "Contains: phenylketoneurics."

[Cultural Relativism]

As a person with relatively low financial resources, I’m not willing to pay an extra dollar for natural sweeteners. The artificial ones suit me just fine, especially because I don’t drink soda that often.

I’m glad to see mainstream companies offer healthier versions of sodas, even if this trend has become popular due to the organic foods (concern for the environment) movement being usurped as a marketing strategy to convince consumers that they might just live longer if they buy a product. To each his own, I suppose. If making people think they’ll live a bit longer or really improve their heath by drinking a slightly different soda raises awareness about the value of organic and whole foods, then I’m all for it.

I for one have larger health concerns, such as eating three well-rounded meals a day and going to a ton of doctor’s appointments (the copays of which I can barely afford). I don’t think that a regular soda every now and again is going to have some monumental effect on my health.

You made a smart marketing move, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. You always gotta keep on top of the consumers with plenty of discretionary spending ability. And I’m glad that you are helping the environment (sort of) in the process.

[Ceadda Wilcox]

This is just a marketing trick and it's quite upsetting- carbonation is not good for you on a daily basis, period. And the jury is still out on aspartame- the sweetener used in diet beverages like Diet Coke. I know that the FDA recently re-asserted that aspartame is safe, but I don't trust any artificial chemicals. Besides, Americans shouldn't just be drinking so-called "health and wellness" beverages- they need to EXERCISE. Drinking Diet Coke w/vitamins isn't going to help them lose weight. Drinking soda of any kind is most likely going to contribute to weight GAIN because the carbonation messes w/your gastrointestinal system and you actually feel less full/satisfied after drinking a soda and are more likely to snack on unhealthy foods. How about just eating your fruits and veggies if you are worried about your vitamin intake?

[D. B. Martin]

What will the soda industry think of next to keep their products flying off the shelves? Just because they've thrown a few vitamins in their soda cans and taken out the sugar does not make them healthy and harmless. As the article points out, diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners, which are of dubious safety, as well as a host of preservatives and sodium that, for all we know, cancels out any benefits of the few synthetic added vitamins.

If you want healthy drinks, keep away from sodas altogether and stick to water and pure fruit juice, which is full of natural vitamins, anyway.

[Dagan B]

From what I understand, in reference to information about chromium, it has been shown to aid in weight loss. However, this is usually only the case if the person taking it is chromium deficient. People who are not chromium deficient and try to use it to lose weight have seen minimal results. Although this is only one report that I'm aware of. There could be updated ones more recently that may state otherwise.

In any case, no matter how hard I try I can't think of any soda as a "health and wellness" beverage. I've taken to avoiding sodas altogether, and sticking to water and teas.

[Bob]

I am very concerned with this topic of soda being deemed healthy. True, there are no calories in the soda. However, there is a ton of caffeine and phosphates in coke. There have been osteoporosis studies conducted showing the bone leeching of calcium in women who drink a lot of Coke and Pepsi. These products contain a lot of phosphorus, which in our body balances with calcium. If phosphorus is very high, then calcium needs to be added to the blood stream from somewhere, and since people are drinking Coke not milk, the calcium comes from their bones. Osteoclasts, little bone packmen that break up calcium from bone, produce that needed calcium at the expense of bone structure. This may lead to osteoporosis later on down the road. This is very concerning for me and the others drinking diet soft drinks thinking they are being healthy!

[Kalyn]

I rarely drink sodas because I hate the carbonated taste to it. When I do drink soda, I add a lot of ice to get rid of the carbonation. Meanwhile, my little brother is drinking soda like water, and one of my friends need to have one can of soda/day (she actually has cravings for soda which I think is really odd!). This soda + vitamins drink would only make them think they have a good reason to drink soda.

[Emily P.]

So many people seem to only focus on their calorie intake rather than the overall health of their bodies. They automatically associate being thin with being healthy, which is very untrue. I know that in addition to having no calories, these drinks contain vitamins, but they are being supplemented in an unhealthy form. As many of the previous posters stated, the ingredients in soda are detrimental to your body in more ways than just packing on calories. For those people who can’t drink straight water, although that is the best option, there are so many alternative drinks on the market today. Many companies have started producing flavored water and sparkling fruit juices that can be just as satisfying, if not more, than drinking a soda.

[MV]

I understand that people are now looking for healthier food options, but I think that translates into many people reducing the amount of soda they drink. I personally would not go out and buy a "healthier" soda. Rather, I would reduce or replace my soda intake with water or juice. I think people should realize that they will not see immediate health benefits by drinking this new type of soda. It is, after all, still soda.

[Paul]

This vitamin-fortified "sparkling beverage" really worries me. People are swayed by marketing, and I can imagine that when Coke and Pepsi get going, people will start seeing this as a healthy drink. After seeing three- and four-year olds drinking soda in sippy cups, I am fearful of what parents will do with this stuff. If they buy into it as being healthy, who knows, they may require their children to drink it! That would be a true tragedy for society, considering all of the negatives, which far outweigh any benefit from a few vitamins, of these things.

[Anonymous]

I do not believe drinking a "healthy soda" will provide you with any more essential vitamins and minerals than any other alternatives that are available to us already, (such as fruits, vegetables, meat products, juices, and even vitamin water). A soda that provides‘niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, magnesium and zinc may do us more harm than help us.

In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which conducted The Framingham Osteoporosis Study, mentions that cola is associated with lowering bone mineral density in women due to its components such as caffeine and phosphoric acid. So, even if the "healthy soda" is created, it will still contain its harmful ingredients, and the risks will still outweigh its benefits.

[Jono]

Has anyone tried this stuff? It's pretty gross. I was expecting it to taste the same as regular soda, but I wasn't impressed.

[Kyle]

This kind of reminds me of Vitamin Water. Manufacturers tried to make water healthier by adding vitamins, but there are so many calories that it's not really worth it. So, my point is that just because vitamins or supplements are added to a product, it doesn't mean it's necessarily better for you.

[GOG]

DRINKING SODAS, NOT EXERCISING AND BECOMING OVERWEIGHT CAN LEAD TO DIABETES

YOU WANT TO USE THE SAME STUFF THAT CAN MAKE YOU SICK TO GET WELL ?

EINSTEIN SAID " YOU CANNOT SOLVE A PROBLEM WITH THE SAME THINKING USED TO CREATE IT."

[Taylor]

As far as I am concerned, most of the sodas out there are poison. There are some all-natural sparkling juices that make the cut for me and my family. One of our favorites is Kristian Regale, which you can buy at Ikea. There are a number of different flavors, including a couple of light ones for those counting calories.

[Dentist Downey]

There are many tea-based drinks today, and they claim that it is very healthy rather than drinking sodas. We can't blame it on the consumers because they are now health conscious. They want to have a healthy body to prevent any diseases in the future, like diabetes.