What’s the Nutritional Value of the New Generation of Vitamin-supplemented Soft Drinks?

September 6, 2008

Repackaging a favorite

Coca Cola was launched as a medicine in the 19th century but it hasnt been celebrated for its health-giving properties in quite a while. So it is slightly odd to see large promotional features in for Diet Coke Plus - containing a choice of either vitamins or the nutritional supplements(http://www.mitamins.com/) such as antioxidants. Aimed at health-conscious women, the bottles are pictured with colour-coded accessories and touted as a guilt-free highlight of your day - just like smoothing on some luxurious moisturising cream.

Little more than water

What can a company known for producing soft drinks with flavour so addictive it can only appeal to our pleasure instincts do next? It is the next step by soft-drinks companies trying to diversify into healthier lines, which began with the diet ranges, then developed into a stampede to sell us exciting new types of bottled water. Many of these bottled water crazes have died out, following complaints that they are little more than repackaged tap water.

Its no replacement for healthy living

Diet Coke with antioxidants, however, is a bold step beyond. Will it appeal to those who frequent health food stores? Unlikely. Most will probably be averse to the sweeteners (a blend of aspartame and sodium saccharine) and flavourings it contains to bring it the pleasure-oriented consumer. While research foundations are all in favour of companies trying to make products healthier and contain a good deal more in the way of vitamins(http://www.mitamins.com/) and nutritional supplements that we need, nutrition scientists warn: We do need to be careful not to encourage our users to see these foods as a quick fix to compensate for a poor diet.

Fruit in a bottle?

Expect to see much more of this kind of thing, though. Some fruit-heavy soft drinks contains vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin D, though it and vitamin-enriched Sunny Delight are warned that omitting to mention their sugar content is wrong. Even water is no longer as pure and simple as it was. V Water offers a range loaded with vitamins and nutritional supplements(http://www.mitamins.com/) said to cure hangovers and stress, while a new cosmaceutical spring water is on the way, containing a bioactive protein rich substance, and claiming to reduce redness and blemished skin. Isnt that what drinking lots of tap water is meant to do for you?

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