The power of using false health claims to sell everything from cocaine mixed with wine to
cigarettes and cereal is nothing new. And for the last few decades the temptation to link the
consumption of wine with positive health outcomes has been too tempting for many in the
industry to resist. The idea was to convince the public that drinking a glass or two of wine a day
was not only pleasurable but was also a kind of magic health elixir that might reduce the risk of
everything from cancer to heart disease, as well as improve cognition.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” Hippocrates said some 2,500 years ago,
and marketers have been taking his advice ever since. In 1897, C.W. Post called Grape-Nuts
“food for brain and nerve centers.” By the early 1900s Kellogg claimed that eating cornflakes in
the morning reduced immoral sexual urges. In the 1920s and ’30s cigarettes were marketed as
“doctor-recommended” and handed out as free samples by medical professionals. Today nearly
all foods and beverages make some sort of health claim, and nearly all of them are false.
Torches of Freedom
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries tobacco companies made a number of health claims to
promote their products. These included helping with digestion, weight loss, sore throats and
asthma, preventing or even curing tuberculosis, improving mental performance and relaxing the
nervous system. Smoking was also heralded as a way to gain equal rights for women.
In the early 20th century Edward Bernays, a public relations specialist, launched his “Torches of
Freedom” campaign with the goal of breaking down the social taboo against women smoking in
public. At that time smoking was seen as a male activity, and women who smoked in public were
often viewed as immoral or promiscuous. Linking smoking to women's liberation, Bernays
tapped into the growing feminist movement and created a new market for tobacco companies. In
1929 he hired a group of young women to march in the New York City Easter parade while
smoking cigarettes and carrying banners that read "torches of freedom.” It worked. Whereas only about 5% of women in the United States smoked in 1929, by the mid-1960s that had grown to more than 40%.
Vin Marian
For thousands of years the indigenous people of the Andean region of South America—where
the coca plant is native—had chewed the plants’ leaves or brewed them into tea to provide
energy, combat altitude sickness and relieve hunger and fatigue. In 1855 a German chemist
named Friedrich Gaedcke first extracted the active ingredient from the coca plant and called it
cocaine.
By 1863 Angelo Mariani—an Italian-French chemist and businessman—had developed a new
beverage that mixed the powerful new stimulant with wine. He called it “Vin Marian,” and the
tonic became an overnight success. Widely promoted for its supposed health benefits—including
its ability to boost energy, improve digestion and relieve nearly all known ailments—the powerful elixir was eagerly adopted by notable figures such as Pope Leo XIII, Thomas Edison,
Queen Victoria, Arthur Conan Doyle and Jules Verne.
Noticing the success, an American, Dr. John Pemberton of Atlanta, created his own version of
Vin Marian, which he called Pemberton's French Wine Coca. Like Mariani before him,
Pemberton touted his new drink as a magic cure for everything from headaches and neuralgia to
melancholy and hysteria. However, by the late 1880s—driven by a growing anti-alcohol
movement spreading across the country—the wine was removed as an ingredient and replaced
instead with a heaping amount of sugar. Pemberton also changed the name to “Coca-Cola: The
temperance drink.”
By the early part of the 20th century it was becoming clear that cocaine was not the magic cure
that its proponents had claimed, and by 1914 the United States had passed the Harrison Narcotics
Tax Act, which required individuals and companies dealing in cocaine and opiates to register
with the government and pay a tax on their sales and distribution. Reading the writing on the
wall, Pemberton replaced the cocaine in his drink with caffeine; however, the health claims
continued for decades.
The problem with health claims
As a scientist turned vintner turned columnist, I am skeptical of anyone telling me that something
is “healthy.” The problem with such claims is that it is impossible to be 100% certain of any such
statement, and an error could result in harm. Therefore, the wine industry must drop all health
claims and embrace the reality that wine (and every other type of alcohol) is an adult beverage
that is an addictive intoxicant. It has brought pleasure to millions but ruin to others.
425 thoughts on “Wine Industry Must Avoid Untrue Health Claims”
Heya i am for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and help others like you aided me.
Enjoyed reading this, very good stuff, thanks.
I appreciate, cause I found just what I was looking for. You’ve ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
You are my intake, I have few web logs and often run out from post :). "To die for a religion is easier than to live it absolutely." by Jorge Luis Borges.
You could certainly see your enthusiasm in the paintings you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to say how they believe. At all times go after your heart. "No man should marry until he has studied anatomy and dissected at least one woman." by Honore’ de Balzac.
We stumbled over here from a different page and thought I might check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you. Look forward to looking over your web page repeatedly.
What¦s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It positively helpful and it has aided me out loads. I’m hoping to contribute & aid other customers like its aided me. Great job.
Hey there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this page to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
I’d need to check with you here. Which is not something I often do! I get pleasure from reading a put up that can make individuals think. Additionally, thanks for permitting me to comment!
I like this post, enjoyed this one appreciate it for posting. "No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made. Destiny is made known silently." by Agnes de Mille.
Exactly what I was looking for, thanks for putting up.
Hey, you used to write wonderful, but the last few posts have been kinda boring… I miss your great writings. Past few posts are just a little out of track! come on!
This really answered my problem, thank you!
Your place is valueble for me. Thanks!…
You actually make it seem so easy together with your presentation however I in finding this matter to be actually one thing which I think I’d never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely wide for me. I am having a look forward on your subsequent submit, I will attempt to get the hold of it!
I dugg some of you post as I cerebrated they were very useful very beneficial
Hello. impressive job. I did not expect this. This is a great story. Thanks!
Some really wonderful info , Glad I observed this.
Definitely imagine that which you said. Your favourite justification appeared to be on the net the easiest thing to keep in mind of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed even as folks consider issues that they just don’t understand about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the top and outlined out the entire thing without having side effect , folks can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thank you
Exactly what I was searching for, thankyou for posting.
Some really superb info , Gladiola I detected this. "True success is overcoming the fear of being unsuccessful." by Paul Sweeney.
What¦s Taking place i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve discovered It absolutely useful and it has helped me out loads. I am hoping to contribute & assist different users like its aided me. Good job.
What i don’t realize is actually how you are not really much more well-liked than you may be right now. You’re so intelligent. You realize thus significantly relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from a lot of varied angles. Its like women and men aren’t fascinated unless it’s one thing to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs nice. Always maintain it up!
Its great as your other posts : D, thankyou for putting up. "I catnap now and then, but I think while I nap, so it’s not a waste of time." by Martha Stewart.
You actually make it appear really easy along with your presentation however I in finding this topic to be really one thing that I feel I’d never understand. It kind of feels too complicated and extremely vast for me. I’m taking a look ahead to your subsequent post, I?¦ll try to get the dangle of it!
I’d have to test with you here. Which isn’t something I normally do! I get pleasure from studying a post that will make people think. Additionally, thanks for permitting me to remark!
Very good written post. It will be useful to everyone who usess it, as well as myself. Keep up the good work – can’r wait to read more posts.
Keep working ,impressive job!
Your place is valueble for me. Thanks!…
What i do not realize is if truth be told how you are no longer really a lot more neatly-preferred than you may be now. You are very intelligent. You recognize therefore considerably when it comes to this subject, produced me individually consider it from so many numerous angles. Its like women and men aren’t involved except it’s one thing to do with Girl gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. At all times deal with it up!
Appreciate it for helping out, excellent info. "Hope is the denial of reality." by Margaret Weis.
Hey, you used to write excellent, but the last several posts have been kinda boring?K I miss your tremendous writings. Past few posts are just a little bit out of track! come on!
What i don’t realize is actually how you are no longer really much more well-appreciated than you may be now. You are very intelligent. You realize thus considerably in the case of this subject, produced me individually imagine it from a lot of numerous angles. Its like women and men aren’t involved until it?¦s one thing to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your personal stuffs nice. Always deal with it up!
I must express my passion for your kindness in support of persons who really need help on this one area. Your real commitment to passing the solution around has been especially powerful and has helped individuals just like me to get to their targets. Your entire invaluable help and advice signifies much a person like me and far more to my mates. Thanks a ton; from each one of us.
I am not sure where you’re getting your info, but great topic. I must spend a while studying much more or figuring out more. Thanks for excellent information I was on the lookout for this information for my mission.
Very interesting subject, thankyou for posting. "To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it." by G. K. Chesterton.
It’s really a great and useful piece of information. I’m happy that you shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again as exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this increase.
Throughout the awesome scheme of things you’ll receive an A+ for hard work. Where exactly you confused everybody was on your facts. As it is said, the devil is in the details… And it could not be much more correct right here. Having said that, permit me say to you exactly what did give good results. The text is definitely quite powerful and this is most likely why I am making the effort in order to comment. I do not make it a regular habit of doing that. Secondly, even though I can certainly notice the jumps in reasoning you make, I am not necessarily confident of just how you appear to unite the details which help to make the actual final result. For right now I will yield to your position but hope in the future you connect your facts better.
I truly prize your work, Great post.
It’s hard to search out knowledgeable individuals on this matter, however you sound like you already know what you’re talking about! Thanks
I¦ll immediately clutch your rss as I can’t in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please allow me know in order that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
Thank you, I’ve just been searching for information about this topic for ages and yours is the best I’ve discovered till now. But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?
Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Thank you for your provided information.
Very interesting subject, thanks for posting.
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch! "The future is not something we enter. The future is something we create." by Leonard I. Sweet.
What i do not realize is if truth be told how you’re now not actually a lot more well-liked than you might be right now. You’re very intelligent. You know thus considerably on the subject of this matter, produced me in my opinion consider it from numerous numerous angles. Its like men and women are not interested until it is something to do with Lady gaga! Your individual stuffs great. All the time take care of it up!
Hey, you used to write magnificent, but the last few posts have been kinda boring… I miss your tremendous writings. Past several posts are just a bit out of track! come on!
You can definitely see your enthusiasm within the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. All the time follow your heart.
wonderful post.Never knew this, regards for letting me know.