Argument Diet coke (it's bad in health, waste money, contributes to Essay - 1

Argument Diet coke (it's bad in health, waste money, contributes to greenhouse gases because the product is shipped in lots of p - Essay Example Similarly, there are other adverse effects of Diet Coke on health. The beverage also contributes to greenhouse gases, and environmental issues due to its non-recycleable packaging. The Coca-Cola company with the Carbon Trust has given details on â€Å"the carbon footprints of some of the company’s most popular drinks, including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, and Coke Zero† (Mohan, 2009). This is the first time the Carbon Trust has certified the carbon footprint of any brand of carbonated drinks. Thesis Statement: This argument paper supports the view that Diet Coke is detrimental to weight loss, to maintaining good health and to the environment. The Adverse Health Outcomes of Consuming Diet Coke According to Pat Thomas, although Diet Coke is strongly associated with sports and health, it is composed of a â€Å"worrying mixture of neurotoxic and potentially carcinogenic high intensity sweeteners, tooth and bone destroying acids and DNA damaging colourings† (Thomas 31). Fur ther, the beverage also contains psychoaddictive caffeine and other ‘flavorings’. ... Soda manufacturers have continued to mix benzoates and acids due to a lack of pressure from regulatory authorities to change their formula to prevent the formation of benzene. â€Å"Ironically, the high fructose syrups used in regular drinks seem to slow this reaction down, and the formation of benzene appears to be most problematic in diet drinks† (Thomas 31). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved of the sweetener acesulfame potassium, or Sunett, for use in various instant beverages and other food products. The sweetener is manufactured by Hoechst Celanese Corporation. The company’s tests have not proved that the product is safe; on the other hand, research studies by some of the scientists at the company’s laboratory have indicated that the product may even cause cancer in laboratory animals. The FDA is â€Å"now reviewing Sunett for soft drinks, the biggest and most competitive market for artificial sweeteners† (BBN 7C). The annual sales o f low calorie soft drinks such as Diet Coke at retail outlets in the United States reached $3.8 billion, according to Information Resources Inc. The Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has stated that if Sunnet is approved for use in Diet Coke, millions of Americans will be further exposed to large amounts of the additive. The Cocal Cola firm plans to use a blend of Sunett with NutraSweet (the brand name for the artificial sweetener Aspartame) in Diet Coke popular as â€Å"the nation’s leading diet soda and the third-largest selling soft drink† (BBN 7C), after Sunett’s approval by the FDA. The Hoechst Celanese disputes the CSPI’s opposition to the artificial sweetener, â€Å"arguing that Sunett is already in some 3,000 products in 80