A bad Sprite ad
One of the advertisements during the ongoing T20 cricket World Cup on Star Sports India has been for Sprite, the carbonated beverage from the Coca-Cola Company. In the ad, it's a hot day, two people are irritated by the heat and humidity, and they beat it by taking a swig of chilled lime-flavoured Sprite.
It should be obvious by now but in case it isn't — in fact the manufacturer and the advertiser are either unaware of this or they know but don't care — a sugary carbonated beverage is a terrible thing to consume on a hot, humid day in order to feel better.
The chill alone can feel quite relieving. However, carbonation doesn’t meaningfully improve hydration and in some people causes bloating and burping and/or induces a full feeling that can prevent the person from drinking other fluids, especially water. Ingesting carbonated fluids can also worsen heat-stress or nausea.
The sugar of course makes it all worse. This is Sprite's sugar content according to Coca-Cola:
A large quantity of sugar — not unlike the amount in a 200 ml bottle or larger — can for many people slow the rate at which the stomach empties and exacerbate thirst, especially if you drink a lot at once. If you’re sweating heavily already, a sugary drink sans enough electrolytes is far from ideal for replacing what you lose.
When pushed on such unhelpful advertisements, these manufacturers, advertisers, and promoters have typically replied saying their food products' contents are within the FSSAI limits. They're right — but the FSSAI's limits are based on the contents being safe while assuming all other conditions ideal. They're not based on you consuming Sprite on a hot and humid day.
Featured image credit: Rasmus Andersen.
