New Soft Drinks Better for Your Health

March 7, 2007 — -- A new line of beverages from Coke and PepsiCo are headed to your grocery store's shelves.

Makers of these new "sparkling beverages" claim they taste great and won't add to your waistline.

The drinks will carry an extra boost of vitamins and minerals -- like iron, magnesium, and vitamins B-6 and B-12.

While promotions hail the drinks as a healthy choice to quench your thirst, experts have some doubts.

Thus far, Coca-Cola is remaining tight-lipped about their product. Scott Williamson, a public affairs officer with Coca-Cola North America, confirmed that the new beverage, dubbed Diet Coke Plus, will probably be formally announced this spring.

Dave DeCecco, spokesperson for Pepsi Cola North America, said his company's product, named TAVA, was developed in order to meet consumer demand for such a product.

"People are demanding something with a kind of benefit in some ways," DeCecco said, adding that products like this are well received by consumers as they "help them manage their lives."

DeCecco said that the product represents only the latest offering in the trend toward vitamin-fortified beverages. "It's really already been happening. If you look at all of the products out there, there really has been more focus on lower calorie offerings and added benefits."

Soft drinks are increasingly named as culprits in the growing obesity epidemic. This new option is bound to draw appeal among the health-conscious crowd, and create a lot of confusion in the beverage aisle.

"It's going to be more important than ever to read the labels," said Jackie Newgent, a nutrition communications consultant in New York.

When the nutrition label has a high number in the vitamin column, that doesn't mean it's healthy. What everyone should remember, said Newgent, is "liquid calories are still calories."

"These products are not going to all of a sudden make your diet healthy," said Gregory Miller from the National Dairy Council. "I am concerned that these beverages would replace other nutrient-containing beverages."