As far as the sugar content of cola being akin to someone eating straight sugar from a spoon, couldn't the same be said of a piece of candy? Ice cream? Birthday cake? I consider colas/sodas to be the same as cake or candy, nothing wrong with having it as a treat health-wise. As LH said, moderation is the key, and that is up to individuals, not the corporations to implement. My mother used to buy one 2-liter bottle of cola on shopping day and that was it. Once it was gone, it was gone until the next big grocery day which was once a month. I was not obese or unhealthy in any way. Sure if she had filled the fridge with soda and the cupboards with chips and I pigged out every day and never exercised I would have been, but that was not the case.

I browsed over the coke page some and I did not see them necessarily claiming that drinking coke was healthy, but more saying that caffeinated beverages can keep you hydrated contrary to other beliefs. I actually agree with that as I often drink tea off and on throughout the day (greens, whites, oolongs etc.) and I have no problem with dehydration. I do not have to "go" any more often than if I were drinking the same amount of water. But this could be a whole other topic and it's a bit of a tributary from the main flow of this conversation.

I also agree with Giselle about the "8 glasses of water" adage, I have actually tried to force myself to drink more water in the past after reading about the benefits and ended up not feeling well, having to go to the restroom far more often, and even feeling a bit foggy-headed and sluggish. I never made it to the daily recommended amount before giving that up.

Anyway, corporations are going to tout their products and they are welcome to it. I believe in personal responsibility and liability for the decisions we make.