The Coca-Cola Company may soon face a rising competitor. In spite of its 125 year longevity, a new product developed by the Dutch could supplant Coca-Cola as the leading beverage company. A bubbly, turquoise blue soda, made from spirulina, a form of algae, has been produced by scientists. The beverage, called Ful, is being made in a brewery that produces food grade CO2 which feeds the blue-green algae. The process is carbon negative so it is good for the environment in addition to being a far healthier beverage choice than Coke. The beverage provides vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, chlorophyll, and chelating elements, which aid in removing heavy metals from the body. It is currently being made available in white peach or lemon ginger flavors. Coke, on the other hand, provides no nutritional value and is reported to contain 9 teaspoons of sugar in every can. This can lead to hypoglycemic crashes in those who drink it. It can lead to high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Coke can even clean your toilet – so imagine what it might be doing to your stomach!
While the Coke company claims that their product is now sold in plastic bottles that are recyclable, a mere 30% of them actually make it to the recycle center. The company is responsible for a major portion of the plastics that are now in our oceans. Coca-Cola fought to eliminate the “deposit for return” on bottles that had been in place since the 1930’s, believing that it would negatively affect their profit. Even if they do a major overhaul of their packaging, so much damage has already been done. The fact remains, Coca-Cola is not in business because they care about the health of the people who buy their products. It does little to quench one’s thirst. Unfortunately, Coke is only one of their roughly 200 products sold in packaging that is not recycled. And, let us not forget their other competitor – Pepsico…
I suspect that many people on the planet today have never tasted pure, fresh water. In a world that has become addicted to flavored, bubbly water substitutes, Ful may be an answer to a growing problem, both in terms of human health and the health of our planet. My own beverage of choice is almost always pure, clean water.
