Did heightened amounts of caffeine and sugar stemming from the consumption of the most popular soft drink in the world contribute to the death of a New Zealand woman? One coroner believes that it could at least be considered a factor.
Three years ago, the aforementioned mother of eight died after going into cardiac arrest. According to her family, the woman was addicted to Coca Cola to the point where going without would lead to withdrawal. Now a coroner says that her consumption of up to ten liters every single day led the woman to develop a cardiac arrhythmia. And decay, which her family also attributes to the consumption of Coke, even led to her teeth being removed.
The same coroner has come to the conclusion that the woman probably would not have died if not for her propensity to consume copious amounts of the sugary, caffeinated drink. He would like to see labels on Coke and other beverages carry warnings about the impact that sugar and caffeine can have on a person’s health if consumed in amounts that go beyond recommendations.
Coke denies that their product led to the death of the woman, pointing to the coroner’s own acknowledgement of uncertainty and disagreement among health experts. And the coroner himself admits that Coke should bear no responsibility for the woman’s death.