By April MacIntyre Jan 18, 2009, 22:41 GMT
Despite the label claims, Coca Cola's Vitamin Water is said to be pure bunk when it comes to nutrition and real vitamin properties.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest filed a lawsuit on Coca-Cola, maker of Vitamin Water drinks, calling its marketing claims unsubstantiated and deceptive.
US News and World Report claims the behemoth soda company has declared the suit "ridiculous."
In 2007, Coca Cola purchased Glaceau, the creator of the highly successful Vitamin Water franchise for $4.1 billion dollars. Rapper 50 Cent, who owned 10% of the business, earned over $400 million dollars from the transaction.
At stake are the claims of "triple antioxidants" and more on labels of a drink many consume thinking they are enriching their daily intake of vitamins.
U.S. News deciphered Vitamin Water's nutrition labels and note that whether VitaminWater is breaking consumer protection laws or using really creative marketing come-ons, the great lesson for us all is the importance of reading nutrition labels, even beverages.
The news magazine noted Vitamin Water flavor "XXX."
The "acai-blueberry-pomegranate (triple antioxidants)" which the drink claims has the "power of triple antioxidants to help keep you healthy and fight free radicals."
The actual nutrition label and list of ingredients revealed that Vitamin Water contains 50 calories per 8-ounce serving. Vitamin Water comes in a 20-ounce bottle, which brings the calorie count for one bottle to 125 calories.
The calories come entirely from the 32.5 grams of sugar present in each bottle.
US News found that there was no acai, blueberry, or pomegranate juice in the drink. (Right above the nutrition label it says "contains less than 1 percent juice.") It does have "berry and fruit extracts," which presumably account for the vitamin C and polyphenols listed on the label.
The magazine noted that nutritionists have noted that protection against disease, if it exists, may come from thousands of compounds working together rather than one key nutrient in a carrot (or in this case, an acai berry).
The news magazine recommends that consumers avoid drinking calorie-laden Vitamin Water and focus on whole foods that contain the right combinations of vitamins and minerals.
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