Coca Cola was launched as a medicine in the 19th century but it hasn't been celebrated for its health-giving properties in quite a while. Which is why it is slightly odd to see large promotional features in Grazia magazine for Diet Coke Plus - containing a choice of either vitamins or antioxidants. Aimed at health-conscious women, the bottles are pictured with colour-coded accessories and touted as "a guilt-free highlight of your day - just like smoothing on some luxurious moisturising cream".

It is the next step by soft-drinks companies trying to diversify into healthier lines, which began with the "diet" ranges, then developed into a stampede to sell us exciting new types of bottled water.

Diet Coke with antioxidants, however, is a bold step beyond. Will it appeal to those who frequent health food stores? Unlikely. Most will probably be averse to the sweeteners (a blend of aspartame, acesulfame K and sodium saccharine) and flavourings it contains.

While the British Nutrition Foundation is all in favour of companies trying to make products healthier, nutrition scientist Lisa Miles warns: "We do need to be careful we are not encouraging people to see these foods as a quick fix to compensate for a poor diet."

Expect to see much more of this kind of thing, though. Robinson's Fruit Shoot contains vitamins B, C and D, though it and "vitamin-enriched" Sunny Delight are chided by the Food Commission for omitting to mention their sugar content. Even water is no longer as pure and simple as it was. V Water offers a range loaded with vitamins said to cure hangovers and stress, while a "new cosmaceutical spring water" called Beauty is on the way, containing "a bioactive protein rich in lactoferrin", and claiming to reduce redness and blemished skin. Isn't that what drinking lots of tap water is meant to do for you?