Frederick Stare made various public statements and authored writings that seemed to align with the interests of Coca-Cola and the broader sugar industry. Here are a few examples of statements attributed to him, particularly those related to sugary drinks:

1. On Sugar in the Diet:

• Stare often stated that sugar could be part of a balanced diet, suggesting that it wasn’t inherently harmful in moderate amounts. He was known to say things like, “A little sugar is not going to kill you,” emphasizing that the real problem was excessive calorie intake overall rather than sugar specifically.

2. Defending Soft Drinks:

• In public statements, Stare sometimes defended soft drinks, including Coca-Cola, as a harmless source of calories when consumed in moderation. He is reported to have said that soft drinks could be considered part of a balanced diet and that they were “not a bad snack” because they provide energy, which aligns with the interests of Coca-Cola as a producer of sugary beverages.

3. On Soft Drinks and Health Risks:

• Stare downplayed the link between sugar and health issues such as heart disease and obesity. He sometimes argued that other factors, like fat intake, were more significant contributors to these health problems. This focus shifted attention away from sugar as a primary culprit, which aligned with Coca-Cola’s interests in defending their products.

4. General Statements on Nutrition:

• Stare also made statements suggesting that focusing on single ingredients, like sugar, was not as important as looking at the diet as a whole. This was a common stance in his work, with him arguing that a variety of foods, including sugary ones, could be consumed as part of a balanced diet.

Notable Quotes Attributed to Stare on Sugary Drinks:

• “Soft drinks are useful as an energy source, especially when people don’t get enough calories otherwise.”

• “I see nothing wrong with drinking Coca-Cola in moderation, as part of a balanced diet.”

Stare’s position on Coca-Cola and similar sugary beverages was often to advocate moderation rather than elimination, emphasizing a perspective that didn’t single out sugar as uniquely problematic compared to other sources of calories. This stance aligns with the views he promoted through his research and public statements, which were sometimes funded or supported by industry sources.