Unnatural 7-Up
When I saw a commercial for the ‘all natural’ 7-Up, I was interested. I like 7-Up and I was all for an all natural version. I don’t like diet sodas, because of the taste and because of the artificial sweeteners. I’d drink more natural soda if it was cheaper and available in more quantities and varieties in the grocery store.
Well, I had a look at the ‘all natural’ 7-Up and high fructose corn syrup was like the second ingredient. So what was the point? So it’s not artificially colored or something? Exactly what did they remove?
I wondered if high fructose corn syrup was legally ‘natural’ or not. I went to look it up on Wikipedia and found this tidbit:
“In May 2006, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) threatened[1] to file a lawsuit against Cadbury Schweppes for labeling 7UP as “All Natural” despite containing high fructose corn syrup. While the FDA has no definition of “Natural”, CSPI claims that HFCS is not a “natural” ingredient due to the high level of processing required to produce it.”
Don’t threaten, dudes, do it! Cuz right now 7-Up is just lame.
K Said,
June 29, 2006 @ 9:00 pm
I have to wonder — why did you think there was something new about it because they said it was all natural? Did they imply that in the commercial?
Genuinely curious here, because I have not seen the commercials.
But 7up has always pegged itself as being cleaner/crisper/the uncola etc. I would have just assumed all natural was another slogan, not a signal that they’d changed the formula.
Jellyn Said,
June 30, 2006 @ 11:44 am
If you go to the website, it says ‘Now 100% Natural’ and ‘The famously crisp, refreshing taste of 7-Up is now better than ever, because it’s been stripped of the artificial stuff found in most other soft drinks.’ They also make a point of saying it only has 5 natural ingredients now. As if the fewer ingredients, the better.
Here’s the new ingredients list: Filtered carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, natural citric acid, natural flavors, natural potassium citrate.
As if they were going to use unfiltered water! As if ‘natural flavors’ is one ingredient!
Here’s what Wikipedia says they changed: eliminated ” the preservative calcium disodium EDTA, and replac[ed] sodium citrate with potassium citrate to reduce the beverage’s sodium content.”
K Said,
June 30, 2006 @ 11:13 pm
Huh. Interesting.
Well, I agree: High Fructose Corn Syrup is not natural.
I bet it still has real sugar in Canada. Still another reason to move. :)