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Venezuela - Hugo Chavez Orders Coke Zero Banned, Cites "Danger to Health" |
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The decision follows a wave of nationalizations and increased scrutiny of businesses in South America's top oil exporter.
Health Minister Jesus Mantilla said the zero-calorie Coke Zero should no longer be sold and stocks of the drink removed from store shelves.
"The product should be withdrawn from circulation to preserve the health of Venezuelans," the minister said in comments reported by the government's news agency.
Despite Chavez's anti-capitalist policies and rhetoric against consumerism, oil-exporting Venezuela remains one of Latin America's most Americanized cultures, with U.S. fast-food chains, shopping malls and baseball all highly popular.
Mantilla did not say what health risks Coke Zero, which contains artificial sweeteners, posed to the population.
Coke Zero was launched in Venezuela in April and Coca-Cola Femsa, the Mexico-based company that bottles Coke products locally, said at the time it aimed to increase its market share for low calorie drinks by 200 percent.
Neither Coca-Cola nor the bottler responded to requests for comment on Wednesday.
The bottler was plagued with labor problems last year in Venezuela when former workers repeatedly blocked its plants demanding back pay.
The government this year has seized a rice mill and pasta factory belonging to U.S. food giant Cargill and has threatened action against U.S. drug company Pfizer.
Chavez has also nationalized a group of oil service companies including projects belonging to Williams Companies and Exterran.
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Read Comments (27) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 10, 2009 at 07:51 PM Anonymous Says:
Why is Coke Zero more unhealthy than other diet sodas? Imo all diet sodas are unhealthy. Why isn't stevia used as the sweetener?
2
Jun 10, 2009 at 07:46 PM oi vai Says:
I just brought one lekovod shabbos!
3
Jun 10, 2009 at 08:14 PM Anonymous Says:
I hate to agree but chavez is right. All of these diet sodas have chemical sweeteners which are unhealthy and should be avoided.
4
Jun 10, 2009 at 08:39 PM bigplaut Says:
smokes are no problem?
5
Jun 10, 2009 at 08:39 PM Anonymous Says:
he's absolutely right! it should be banned in the good old US of A also!
6
Jun 10, 2009 at 08:37 PM Abe S. Says:
Got to agree with him. Tastes like regular coke with no calories? There's gotta be something we don't know in there. He should be are surgeon general lol.
7
Jun 10, 2009 at 08:51 PM Anonymous Says:
Perhaps this is a political move to get beverage makers to use stevia?
Stevia is native to Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and Paraguay .
Stevia seems to be in very few US foods and beverages. It has been used extensively in Japan for almost 20 years.
8
Jun 11, 2009 at 12:14 AM Kashrus Pro Says:
“ Got to agree with him. Tastes like regular coke with no calories? There's gotta be something we don't know in there. He should be are surgeon general lol. ”
personally i think its terrible but they didnt ask me.
9
Jun 11, 2009 at 12:13 AM Kashrus Pro Says:
“ I hate to agree but chavez is right. All of these diet sodas have chemical sweeteners which are unhealthy and should be avoided. ”
I could say things that dont make sense too but perhaps you want to explain why the "chemical" sweeteners are not healthy. I have no problem with Nutrasweet, Splenda, etc.
10
Jun 11, 2009 at 12:12 AM Kashrus Pro Says:
“ Why is Coke Zero more unhealthy than other diet sodas? Imo all diet sodas are unhealthy. Why isn't stevia used as the sweetener? ”
Thank goodness they dont care about your opinion. what makes them "unhealthy?"
Why stevia over any other (and I say that knowing something about a number of art sweeteners)????
You are sooo fooled!
11
Jun 11, 2009 at 09:06 AM kashrus pro Says:
“ Perhaps this is a political move to get beverage makers to use stevia?
Stevia is native to Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and Paraguay .
Stevia seems to be in very few US foods and beverages. It has been used extensively in Japan for almost 20 years. ”
Stevia is produced here in the USA!! Whatcha gonna say now???????
12
Jun 11, 2009 at 08:42 AM Anonymous Says:
“ Perhaps this is a political move to get beverage makers to use stevia?
Stevia is native to Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and Paraguay .
Stevia seems to be in very few US foods and beverages. It has been used extensively in Japan for almost 20 years. ”
stevia is nifty. and it's not a chemical created in a lab, just a plant!
13
Jun 11, 2009 at 10:15 AM moishe Says:
It's because Coke sells in Israel, so he's anti Coke. First mess with one product, then find something else to stir up trouble for successful U.S. entities there. It's the risk of doing business in a monarchy. You invest, you succeed, they confiscate.
14
Jun 11, 2009 at 10:14 AM Anonymous Says:
"Stevia is produced here in the USA!! Whatcha gonna say now???????"
Is it? It may be processed in the US, however the majority of stevia is grown in South America.
15
Jun 11, 2009 at 09:31 AM Raphael Kaufman Says:
“ Got to agree with him. Tastes like regular coke with no calories? There's gotta be something we don't know in there. He should be are surgeon general lol. ”
The world is full of stuff that you don't know anything about.
16
Jun 11, 2009 at 11:22 AM Anonymous Says:
Remember the worst of all chemicals is natural sugar. 76,813 deaths per year from diabetes.
17
Jun 11, 2009 at 11:40 AM Milhouse Says:
“ he's absolutely right! it should be banned in the good old US of A also! ”
Why should it be banned? People like it, or they wouldn't be buying it, so what gives anyone the right to ban it?
18
Jun 11, 2009 at 11:39 AM Milhouse Says:
“ I hate to agree but chavez is right. All of these diet sodas have chemical sweeteners which are unhealthy and should be avoided. ”
What makes you think they're unhealthy?
19
Jun 11, 2009 at 11:39 AM Milhouse Says:
“ Why is Coke Zero more unhealthy than other diet sodas? Imo all diet sodas are unhealthy. Why isn't stevia used as the sweetener? ”
Why should it be? What makes stevia better than any other sweetener?
20
Jun 11, 2009 at 11:38 AM Milhouse Says:
“ stevia is nifty. and it's not a chemical created in a lab, just a plant! ”
So it's a chemical created in the ground. Why does that make it better?
21
Jun 11, 2009 at 11:14 AM Ian Eisenberg Says:
Stevia is used in soda in the US. Check out www.zevia.com It is the only All Natural 0 Calorie soda anywhere! Delicious in Cola, Orange, Twist, Root Beer, Black Cherry and Ginger Ale.
22
Jun 11, 2009 at 01:01 PM Aryeh Says:
"Health Minister Jesus Mantilla said the zero-calorie Coke Zero should no longer be sold" I guess he has been turing the Coke into wine again...
23
Jun 11, 2009 at 01:09 PM Alan Says:
I hate to agree with anything that little tin despot capon, Hugo Chavez says, but Coke and other sodas (even with cane sugar) are unhealthy and and no food bargain either.
Unhealthy? Let me count the ways. Chemical sweeteners? HaShem did not design our bodies for them, Carbonation in large amounts hard on the gut. Cane sugar better than "high fructose corn sweetener" but empty calories. And like most of the junk foods (kosher or not ) not worth the money. It's as if you were to put your money in a savings account and get no interest but be charged fees . OK, so we are almost doing that now!.
24
Jun 11, 2009 at 01:28 PM Anonymous Says:
“ I hate to agree with anything that little tin despot capon, Hugo Chavez says, but Coke and other sodas (even with cane sugar) are unhealthy and and no food bargain either.
Unhealthy? Let me count the ways. Chemical sweeteners? HaShem did not design our bodies for them, Carbonation in large amounts hard on the gut. Cane sugar better than "high fructose corn sweetener" but empty calories. And like most of the junk foods (kosher or not ) not worth the money. It's as if you were to put your money in a savings account and get no interest but be charged fees . OK, so we are almost doing that now!. ”
so what am i supposed to be drinking???huh??
25
Jun 11, 2009 at 02:41 PM Anonymous Says:
There is no data showing anything unhealthy about these sweeteners. A cup of regular soda which has the equivalent of at least 7 teaspoons of sugar is clearly a bigger health problem. Sugar is the cause of numerous diseases.
26
Jun 11, 2009 at 06:56 PM Milhouse Says:
“ I hate to agree with anything that little tin despot capon, Hugo Chavez says, but Coke and other sodas (even with cane sugar) are unhealthy and and no food bargain either.
Unhealthy? Let me count the ways. Chemical sweeteners? HaShem did not design our bodies for them, Carbonation in large amounts hard on the gut. Cane sugar better than "high fructose corn sweetener" but empty calories. And like most of the junk foods (kosher or not ) not worth the money. It's as if you were to put your money in a savings account and get no interest but be charged fees . OK, so we are almost doing that now!. ”
How do you know Hashem didn't design our bodies for artificial sweeteners? Do you think He didn't know we were going to invent them?!!
27
Jun 12, 2009 at 11:09 AM Alan Says:
“ so what am i supposed to be drinking???huh?? ”
Water! Pure water from the tap, extra filtered by a Pur or other filter, fruit juice (in moderation) and vegetable juice(made yourself with a juicer). Sweetened or sugared drinks with or without a hecher is throwing your nutritional money away; causing an "overdraft " to your health. I'm over seventy: no type 2 diabetes (majority of Medicare monies caused by this lifestyle induced disease...your tax dollars, by the way) no heart problems, no cancer, weak bones, etc Extend your Kosher consciousness past rote behavior: You don't have to make a brochah over junk food if you don't eat it. Refresh and refine your tastes and realize how much more HaShem has given you.