OrganicConsumers.org wrote: ESSAY OF THE WEEK Fat Chance: Diet Coke Fights Obesity?
It was laughable when Coca-Cola launched a campaign to fight obesity. And even more laughable when the king of soda’s anti-obesity campaign shifted all the blame for those extra pounds to lack of exercise and chairs (yes, chairs).
But now, the company that donated $1.7 million to defeat last year’s GMO labeling initiative in California has gone from laughable to dangerous. In the wake of declining sales of its Diet Coke brand, Coke has rolled out an ad campaign carefully and deceptively crafted to convince consumers that aspartame, the artificial sweetener (whose patent was at one time owned by Monsanto) in Diet Coke, is a “healthy alternative” to sugar.
Aspartame, a synthetic compound (as in, not a food) has a long history of controversy. It’s been linked to a host of health conditions. Some studies have concluded that it actually causes, not prevents, weight gain. The FDA once put its approval on hold. But thanks to Donald Rumsfeld, the artificial sweetener gained approval in 1981. That’s right, the guy who led us into war in Iraq hand-picked the FDA commissioner who rammed through approval of aspartame. Rumsfeld was previously the CEO of G. D Searle, the company that discovered aspartame. He pocketed a nice little $12-million bonus after the FDA approved aspartame and Monsanto bought Searle.
Read the essay
http://www.organicconsumers.org/article ... _28188.cfm
ACTION ALERT Tell Coke: End Your ‘Killer’ Ad Campaign
We know. You don’t drink Diet Coke.
But half of Americans drink diet soda, and they consume about 4 billion gallons of it every year. Diet soda is a $10-billion industry. It’s making people fat. And sick. Which makes it all the more appalling that Coca-Cola is running public service-style ads aimed at promoting aspartame as a “healthy alternative” to sugar, and Diet Coke as a weight-loss strategy.
Coca-Cola is testing its deceptive ads in Chicago and Atlanta. Want to help us convince the company to end the campaign, before it expands to other markets? Sign our letter below to CEO Muhtar Kent, and other top executives. Then call the company. Then share your thoughts on their facebook page.
TAKE ACTION: Tell Coke: Stop Running Ads Claiming that Diet Coke and Aspartame Are Healthy
Call Coca-Cola: 1-800-438-2653
Diet Coke on Facebook
http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50865/p/d ... _KEY=11892