Any soda drinker and sugar lover can agree that the sugar addiction is real, and it is a very hard habit to break, but according to a new lawsuit, the health risks are worse than what we've been told. On Jan. 4, the Coca-Cola Company and the American Beverage Association were sued for reportedly downplaying the relationship between the sugar-filled beverages and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
The nonprofit Praxis Project filed the suit in the federal court in California, saying that Coca-Cola and the ABA tried to deceive the public into thinking that lack of exercise is the cause of these health issues, not soda consumption. Praxis also believes that the two defendants tried to spread the notion that "all calories are the same, when science indicates that sugar drinks play a distinct role in the obesity epidemic."
"The notion that Coke's products can be part of a healthy diet is imprinted on the minds of millions if not billions of people, and requires corrective action," Maia Kats, litigation director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which helped file the lawsuit, said.
A spokesperson from Coca-Cola called the lawsuit "legally and factually meritless," while the ABA has noted the claims as "unfounded."
It's important to point out that according to Reuters, a 16-ounce bottle of Coke has 12 teaspoons of added sugar, and while the American Heart Association recommends no more than nine teaspoons a day for men, and six for women, Coca-Cola is not alone. A 15.2-ounce bottle of Minute Maid Cranberry Grape Juice has 13 teaspoons, and a 20-ounce bottle of Vitaminwater has eight.
Read the full complaint against the Coca-Cola Company and the ABA here.
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