photo credit: TheTruthAbout…

Is Vitamin Water super water or a virtual soda like drink in disguise? Vitamin Water recently made the news. Center for Science in the Public Interest sued Coca Cola who owns Vitamin water over deceptive and unsubstantiated claims on its VitaminWater line of beverages.

“Coke markets VitaminWater as a healthful alternative to soda by labeling its several flavors with such health buzz words as “defense,” “rescue,” “energy,” and “endurance.” The company makes a wide range of dramatic claims, including that its drinks variously reduce the risk of chronic disease, reduce the risk of eye disease, promote healthy joints, and support optimal immune function.”

“In fact, according to CSPI nutritionists, the 33 grams of sugar in each bottle of VitaminWater do more to promote obesity, diabetes, and other health problems than the vitamins in the drinks do to perform the advertised benefits listed on the bottles.”

Vitamin Water may provide do harm than good because many of the flavors are filled with sugar and caffeine that offsets any possible positive effect of vitamins. One 500ml bottle had 8 teaspoons of sugar, 82ml of caffeine.  “consumers not to drink more than two bottles a day because of the caffeine content (82 milligrams) and [the label] recommends it not be taken by children or pregnant or lactating women.”

How about sticking to plain old water?

Apparently Vitamin Water is listening. In 2010, they introduced a new line of drinks for a weight-conscious market called Vitamin Water zero that has 0 calories per eight-ounce serving. It uses sweeteners from Truvia, a high-purity extract of the stevia leaf.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is getting replaced by sugar in many packaged foods and drinks. High Fructose Corn Syrup has recently gotten a bad reputation as an artificial sweetener. It is heavily processed and offers little nutritional value. Changing to sugar is almost a marketing gimmick. Researchers have concluded that sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup have the exact same effect on obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. One is not better than the other. Consumers should seek less sweet alternative products.

People need to drink water instead of soda. Snack on fruit instead of cookies. Yes they are not as appetizing, but they are far healthier.

Costco now sells Nature’s Choice 100% Recycled Premium Bath Tissue.  No need to make a special trip to Whole Paycheck aka Whole Foods to get recycled products.  Price is as low as you would expect from Costco and performance of the product is fairly good too.

The NRDC states: If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber toilet paper (500 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 423,900 trees.

EMFacts has a nice flyer with health tips concerning Wireless networks or Wi-fi. With the advents of Wi-fi, Cell phone signals, Alarm systems, Wireless utility meters, consumers are getting bombarded with more and more radiation.

Some common sense tips they recommend:

• Do not sit in close proximity to a wireless router (keep    it    in    an unoccupied    room    if    possible)
• Turn off any wireless devices    at    night    time    while    you    sleep    –    as    these    devices    emit    microwaves    at    all    times    –    not    just    when    the    device    is    transmitting    data

• Avoid using a wireless    laptop on your lap for extended    periods    of time

• Take note of the short-term health    effects – if you notice any symptoms

• Try to remove or reduce   your exposure to  the wireless devices

New organic food rules have recently been announced by the US Agriculture Department (USDA) regarding organic meat and organic milk.  Organic Milk and Organic Meat must come from livestock grazing on pasture for at least 120 days a year, and that 30% of their feed must come from grazing pasture during the grazing season.  Producers must have a pasture management plan and Ranchers must have a plan to protect soil and water quality.

Previously the rules state that livestock needed to have  “access to pasture”, which could mean the door was open but they never went out.

New rules take affect in June 17, 2010.