Nutrition advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest sued Coca-Cola on Thursday for what it calls “deceptive and unsubstantiated claims.”

 

To be more specific, the accusations build around Coca-Cola’s line of VitaminWater. The consumer group released a statement on Thursday saying that Coca-Cola “markets VitaminWater as a healthful alternative to soda by labeling its several flavors with such health buzz words as ‘defense,’ ‘rescue,’ ‘energy’ and ‘endurance.’” Moreover, the company says its drinks also reduce the risk of chronic disease, reduce the risk of eye disease, promote healthy joints and support optimal immune function.

 

David Schardt, a senior nutritionist for the nonprofit group, called “nonsense” the company’s claims that one can improve immunity just by drinking one of their VitaminWater drinks.

 

CSPI nutritionists go even further saying that one such drink contains 33 grams of sugar, which can increase someone’s chances of becoming obese, developing diabetes and other health problems than “the vitamins in the drinks do to perform the advertised benefits listed on the bottle.”

 

CSPI leader Steve Gardner said it’s shocking that a company like Coca-Cola “feels the need to market a soft drink as a vitamin pill to hide the fact it is really sugar water.”

 

On the other hand, Coca-Cola called the suit “ridiculous” and “ludicrous.” Moreover, Coca-Cola spokeswoman Diana Garza Ciarlante said, “Glaceau vitaminwater is clearly and properly labeled and shows the amount of vitamins and calories in the product.”

 

This is not the first time the CSPI sues CoCa-Cola. In 2007, the group sued the company over claims that its Enviga brand burns more calories than it consumes, which results in weight loss, but that suit is still pending.

 

Also, the Food and Drug Administration wrote a letter on Dec. 10 to the soft drink giant, warning it about the “misbranded” Diet Coke Plus, a drink released in the United States in October 2007, available in two variants, one with vitamins B3, B12, and vitamin C, and the other one containing antioxidants with extra green tea and vitamin C.

 

Federal regulators claimed that the label of the drink infringes the agency’s guidelines for using the term "plus," claiming that it is a source of vitamins and minerals. The item indeed contains zinc, magnesium and vitamin B, but the quantities are unquestionably insufficient to make the nutritional claims, the FDA said, adding that that foods labeled "plus" ought to have at least 10 percent more nutrients than comparable products.

 

The company said, at the time, they would answer the FDA in early January, but that they had no intention to chance the label of the product.