What You Need to Know: A Not-So-Welcome Addition to Capri Sun’s Roarin’ Waters Drink Pouches
If you’re health conscious like me, you read labels. Or you at least try to remember to.
There are quite a few things I keep my eyes peeled for on food packaging, like: MSG (monosodium glutamate, a flavor-enhancer and known neurotoxin that never leaves the body), saturated fats, trans fats, high levels of sodium, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose.
I’m bringing this up because my shortest child just loves Capri Sun juice pouches. We usually buy the original variety, which contains sugar. I know that and am aware of it. I don’t like it, but it is what it is. The good thing about Capri Sun, as far as I can tell from the ingredients listings on their site, is that none of their juice drinks contain high fructose corn syrup. Thank you, Capri Sun and Kraft, for that — I wish more companies would follow that example.
That said, here’s the stinger. I’m upset. Not long ago I decided to buy their new “Roarin’ Waters” variety for my daughter. It is, essentially flavored water…not unlike Propel, et al. I felt okay buying it because it contains no food dyes. HOWEVER…at the store yesterday, I felt prompted to look at the ingredients listed on the side of the box. The following has been copied from their web site:
“CAPRI SUN WATER BEVERAGE ROARIN’ WATERS STRAWBERRY KIWI 10 CT
Size: 10 ct
Upc: 8768400114
Ingredients: WATER, SUGAR, CITRIC ACID, SUCRALOSE (SPLENDA BRAND SWEETENER), NATURLA FLAVOR.”
(Emphasis is mine. Misspelling of “NATURAL” is theirs.)
In my opinion, Kraft is being deceptive in their packaging of this product. In two places on the front of the box you’ll find the phrase, “No Artificial Colors or Flavors.” Did you catch the missing word? Hint: It’s “Sweeteners.” The above phrase attempts to trick us into thinking, “Oh, this is good — nothing artificial.” How sly.
You may remember the post I did some time ago about the effects sucralose had on me. It’s nasty stuff. I’m very upset that Kraft feels it can be put into kids’ drinks, especially after the bad press sucralose (a.k.a. Splenda) has gotten over the last few years. I realize some kids can’t have drinks flavored with sugar, so their parents buy drinks that are flavored artificially. But this drink already has sugar in it. There is NO reason to add the Splenda!
Please join me in voicing your concerns about this product to Kraft (the maker of Capri Sun juice pouches). Remind them of the detrimental effects sucralose can have on our children. Tell them you won’t buy that particular variety until sucralose is removed from the product.
Get active and get involved for the sake of your children’s health. None of us is too busy for that. Thank you!
©2010 Sally Dinius
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Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and become a member of the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook fan page by clicking here.
