A New Zealand woman, Natasha Harris recently died due to excessive Coca-Cola consumption (at least in part). The New Zealand coroner ruled that the woman's death was partially attributed to the 10 litres of Coca-cola she drank daily. The coroner also indicated that Coca-Cola could not be held liable for her death.
Ms. Harris had previously lost all of her teeth due to erosion. One of her children was born without tooth enamel. According to news reports, the coroner further stated in the report that Ms. Harris died due to metabolic imbalances arising from cardiac arrhythmia due to Coca-Cola consumption.
This report comes at a time when Coca-Cola has been educating dietitians about Coca-Cola’s role in a healthy diet. The American Dietetic Association, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) approved a nutrition program developed by Coca-Cola for health and wellness. Registered dietitians can even earn Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits for their participation.
The program informs dietitians that fluoride, sugar, artificial colors, and non-nutritive sweeteners are safe for consumption, including by children. Seriously.
According to information from the Alliance for Natural Health USA (ANH), Dr. Ronald Kleinman is the instructor for the Coca-Cola program for dietitians. He is the physician-in-chief at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, chief of the Pediatric Gastrointestinal and Nutrition Unit, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. ANH indicates that Dr. Kleinman has received large sums of money from artificial infant formula manufacturers Mead Johnson and Nestle Ltd. His research has been funded by Gerber Products and he has served as a paid witness for Gerber when they were sued for deceptive advertising. His work has also been funded by the Sugar Association. Now, of course, he is paid by Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola’s teachings indicate that the majority of studies have not found a link between sugar and behavioral disorders. It is also teaching that there are no connections between artificial colors and neurotoxicity, and that the dangers of fluoride are imaginary.
These claims contradict huge volumes of research that state otherwise. Nancy Appleton, PhD, author of Lick the Sugar Habit found sugar to be linked to a huge list of serious health conditions. Fluoride is known to be a risk to the kidneys and bones. Most food colors have been linked by research to causing cancer, hyperactivity, allergic reactions, and other serious effects. The European Union is in the process of banning most artificial food colors throughout Europe due to the safety issues. I talk about the issues of many of these toxins in my book, The Brain Wash.
The American Dietetic Association receives funding/sponsorship from the junk food and soda industries, calling into question its credibility and the credibility of the new Coca-Cola-created educational program for dietitians. At the same time the ADA is attempting to create a monopoly by becoming the only registering body in various states for anyone dispensing nutritional advice.
Associations claiming impartiality should not be accepting money from large corporations that stand to benefit from influencing the associations’ mandate. Perhaps even worse than that is to create educational programs that make a mockery of nutritional research and healthy eating. And, where exactly are the ethics in this type of financial remuneration and propaganda-promotion?
What do you think? Do you think it is acceptable that Coca-Cola’s “nutrition” course is endorsed and taught by the American Dietetic Association?
Subscribe to my free e-magazine World’s Healthiest News to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow me on Twitter @mschoffrocook and Facebook.
