VitaminWater sued for health claims

VitaminWater's health claims don't add up, despite its aura as a nutritious alternative, a lawsuit alleges.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest sued VitaminWater's owner, Coca-Cola, earlier this month for what it calls deceptive and unsubstantiated health claims. Coca-Cola has called the suit "ridiculous," saying VitaminWater's labels are accurate.

Vitamin Water does contain vitamins -- for example, one bottle lists six vitamins plus folic acid at 50 percent of daily values. But it also contains sugar. Nutrition labels on its 20-ounce bottles do say they contain 125 calories, including 32.5 grams of sugar and less than 1 percent juice.

While that's about half the sugar in a Coke, according to Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center, it's still no bargain. Nor is the halo effect of mentioning fruits and antioxidants, she says, never mind the hype from Red Sox power hitter David Ortiz in its ad campaigns.

"Some people who don't read labels might actually think they are getting something healthy, and they don't realize with 32 grams of sugar in each bottle it can also promote obesity and diabetes," she said. "To have water, add in some vitamins, throw in 32 grams of sugar, and call it healthy is misleading the public," Apovian said.