FNCE 2008: Diet Coke and Splenda Drop The F Bomb

Fiber and whole grains were undisputed royalty at this year's American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo.

Cereals, corn chips, crackers, cookies, and protein powders breathlessly advertised their inclusion in ingredient lists.

I certainly was not expecting, however, to come across fiber in Splenda and Diet Coke.

The Splenda folks -- who, oddly enough, suggest sprinkling their non-caloric sweetener over fresh fruit -- are making the case that this is one easy way for Americans (who are currently getting, on average, half of their recommended fiber intake) to boost their fiber consumption.

With each packet containing 1 gram of fiber, two packets in your morning coffee and another over your breakfast cereal puts you at the 3 gram mark (as much as an apple, they exclaim.)

Coca Cola, meanwhile, will be releasing Diet Coke Plus With Fiber around March or April of 2010.

Apart from the vitamin and mineral combination found in Diet Coke Plus, this beverage will contain 5 grams of soluble fiber (all derived from corn) per 20 ounce bottle.

Splenda and Coca Cola have their marketing pitch perfected.

"We're simply helping people get the amount of fiber they need!" they explain (with puppy dog eyes, I'm sure.)

I'm not as optimistic.

While the idea of including fiber in Diet Coke may appeal to some people, it serves as a complete deterrent to get it from unprocessed, whole foods that offer multitudes of other nutrients, phytochemicals, and health benefits.

As much as Splenda wants to make the case that three packets of their sweetener contain as much fiber as an apple, it's a meaningless comparison.

An apple is more than just fiber in a round shape.

It contains vitamin C, potassium, and a significant number of antioxidants, among them quercetin and epicatechin (the former has been associated with reduced cellular damage, the latter with improved blood flow.)

By relying on fortified empty calorie foods for specific nutrients, you are missing out on hundreds of health-promoting components.

What's most mind-boggling to me is that these products give the false idea that fiber is just so gosh darn hard to find, that there's no choice but to stick it inside a soda bottle.

Administrative Announcements: Chicago Update

Whew! I am absolutely exhausted.

I have just spent four and a half hours at the 2008 American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo visting hundreds of stands from a variety of companies.

I should mention that I am also lugging around forty pounds of food samples. Yes, forty pounds.

The samples range from individual size bags of walnuts to a pound of Barilla Plus pasta to a new line of alternative potato chips from a company by the name of Brothers All Natural.

I have LOTS to blog about when I return to New York City late Monday evening.

There is, however, one little tidbit I must share with you right now.

Guess what the buzz was at the Coca Cola booth? None other than their new variety of Diet Coke set to be released in 2010 -- Diet Coke Plus with Fiber!

That's right -- 5 grams of soluble corn fiber per 20 ounce bottle. Oy.

Although the product will not be released for another year and a half, they had tasting samples. Taste wise, it is the exact same as a non-fortified Diet Coke.

I will detail my issues with adding fiber to Diet Coke in a future posting.

Oh, did I mention that the high fructose corn syrup folks also had a stand here? Wait until I tell you about THEIR "educational materials."

Numbers Game: Answer

A 2007 study published in the Academy of General Dentistry's General Dentistry journal reported that colas' -- both regular and diet -- enamel erosion potential is 10 times higher that of fruit juice.

What does this mean? In essence, it gives another reason to think of sodas -- diet or not -- as occasional beverages, rather than daily staples.

Turns out the citric and phosphoric acids in sodas wear out our enamel, the protective substance covering the crowns of our teeth. Over time, constant attacks on our enamel lead to tooth decay.

What's crucial to understand is that the lack of sucrose (table sugar) in a soda does not mean it is automatically safe for our teeth. If you see phosphoric or citric acid listed as an ingredient, my best recommendation is to consume that drink with a straw. That way, the liquid goes straight to the back of the throat, reducing our enamel's exposure to it.

Taking tap water as the benchmark (which has a very neutral pH of approximately 7.6), here is how some popular sodas measure up:

Cherry Coke: 2.52
Coke: 2.53
Pepsi: 2.53
Dr. Pepper: 2.9
7-Up: 3.2
Diet Coke: 3.29
Root Beer: 4.0

I do want to point out that a few fruit juices -- such as grapefruit, with a pH similar to Dr. Pepper -- also have the propensity to attack our enamel. However, the vast majority (when fresh squeezed and not loaded with sugar) do significantly less damage on our enamel.

Food for Thought: Nutritious Candy (Really)

Last weekend, the Institute of Food Technologists held a conference in Chicago, where a variety of new and innovative food products were unveiled for approximately 20,000 attendees.

Some of the biggest buzz comes courtesy of candy with added vitamins and minerals in it. It's set to be all the rage in 2008. Expect to see young Hollywood starlets chewing on some in the pages of Us Weekly soon.

I read about this conference over at CNN's website, where Caleb Hellerman (senior producer of CNN's Medical Unit show, for which Dr. Sanjay Gupta -- who I think CNN considers a deity -- is chief medical correspondent) opines:

"Worthless, a prominent nutrition expert told me, although he didn't want his name used. I'm not sure I agree. Of course it would be healthier to eat a complete diet, full of vegetables, but who has the time? Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, found that barely 1 percent of children and teenagers meet government guidelines for a healthy diet. Neither they nor I were surprised."

"If my kids are munching on candy anyway, is it really so bad if it's giving them their RDA at the same time? Is there a healthy food product you would like to see on the shelves?"

Oh, Caleb... where to start?

"Of course it would be healthier to eat a complete diet, full of vegetables, but who has the time?"

I wasn't aware that opening a bag of baby carrots or popping cherry tomatoes into your mouth was a time consuming activity. Regardless, if we're talking about candy (and, therefore, sweetness) why don't we talk about nature's candy -- fruit.

There is no way I am going to believe that peeling a banana, eating blueberries, or biting into an apple is something people just can't seem to find the time to do.

"If my kids are munching on candy anyway, is it really so bad if it's giving them their RDA at the same time?"

As much as I like to break nutrition down and make it an accessible topic for everyone, it's not fair to break it down as being just about vitamins and minerals.

Yes, vitamins and minerals are important, and we all need them. However, nutrition goes beyond that.

First of all, if we are talking about the prospect children being allowed to eat more candy because it's nutritious, we need to think about implications.

What happens when that child grows up? A young palate accustomed to high amounts of sugar will very likely continue these eating patterns well into adulthood.

And while it's fine and dandy that these Gummi Bears will contains vitamins and minerals, they are still lacking the fiber and phytonutrients present in fruit.

I am not advocating for children to have sugar banned from their diets. Part of being a kid is looking forward to an ice cream cone every Saturday night or getting to share some M&M's with a little brother or sister whenever the family goes to a movie.

However, this "nutrification" of candy is dangerous because it takes junk food away from the "occasional treat" category and places it in the "hey, why not, at least it has vitamin C" category.

Currently, if a parent is making a lunchbox for little Sarah and wants a nutritious snack, she'll pack some trail mix with raisins over a bag of Gummi Bears. It has a hint of sweetness, and, along with vitamins and minerals, offers fiber and antioxidants.

I'm afraid that vitamin-fortified candy will become acceptable as a snack at any time since it has added value.

Not to mention, if these Gummi Bears are anything like Diet Coke Plus ("Diet Coke with vitamins!") they'll contain the exact same vitamin and mineral combination that, by law, has to be present in all breads. In other words, they aren't offering anything you can't get anywhere else.

As soon as I read this story, I headed over to Marion Nestle's blog, knowing she surely had an opinion about this, which she does (and I completely agree with):

"Candy is candy. If candy is organic or is laced with vitamins or substances that promote health, at least under laboratory conditions, it still has sugary calories."

Say no more.