7-Up Natural Makeover

So, last night we were watching Top Chef, and kept seeing commercials for 7-UP, which has been "made over" with all natural ingredients. Clyde looked at me, growling under my breath, as I do most of the time when watching drug and food commercials now -- and so today I looked up the ingredients. Because, let's face it - 7-UP is still a SODA, and thus it's unlikely it's very healthy.

These are the new ingredients for 7-UP natural:

Filtered carbonated water
High fructose corn syrup
Natural citric acid
Natural flavors
Natural potassium citrate

OK. So what the commercial doesn't say is - this is still a SODA and that makes it an unhealthy choice for well, everybody. HFCS is not a natural ingredient. It is a highly refined ingredient. If they were sweetening it with natural ingredients you'd see honey or molasses on the list.

"Natural flavors" are usually questionable - and sometimes include MSG. Probably not, in this case, but it's worth thinking about when you're buying other foods.

I'm equal parts fascinated and horrified by the deceptions in advertisements. I'm still reading Food Politics, by Marion Nestle - it's a pretty dense book. But eye opening.

I suppose I should be more horrified by the ingredients they had in it before, because do we really need a ton of sodium in our soda?

But I refuse to suggest that this is a rise for anyone who wants to add a healthy zing to their step.