Experts reveal Michelle Obama's juice brand does not meet health standards she lobbied for

A report reveals that former first lady Michelle Obama’s children’s health drinks are not meeting the health standards she lobbied for during her husband’s presidential administration.

Plezi Nutrition is promoted as a “worry-free” alternative to help children grow up healthier. However, a dozen organizations and health professionals discovered that the brand’s recently launched flavors contain “non-nutritive” sweeteners that even the World Health Organization advises against for controlling body weight.

“She has been ill-served by advisers who convinced her to start by targeting 6- to 12-year-olds with a flashy, ultra-processed beverage that may not be any healthier than diet soda,” nutrition professor Jerol Mande told Bloomberg media.

The media report highlights that the former first lady’s drinks would not even meet the requirements to be served in schools. “Under the Obama-era school-meal regulations currently under review, US elementary and middle schools may only serve water, milk, or 100% fruit or vegetable juice with no added sweeteners (the regulations do permit schools to dilute juices with water) — and none of Plezi’s four current flavors meet these criteria,” Bloomberg reported.

According to Mary Beth Miotto, a Massachusetts pediatrician, the former first lady’s brand of tropical punch has six concentrated grams of sugar per eight-ounce bottle, which can lead children to want to eat more candy.

“We know that drinking sweet beverages make kids want more sweet foods. Each box is more than the recommended daily intake for age 4-6,” she said.