Diet Coke, McDonald's and Pizza Hut: These Are "Heart-Healthy" Choices, Believe It or Not

(MoneyWatch)  Do people really associate Diet Coke with healthy lifestyle choices? More importantly, should they? The Coca-Cola Company has partnered with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute this February for American Heart Month. Heart disease is a major killer of women in the U.S., according to the NHLBI, and drinking Diet Coke is a better option than regular Coke if you're trying to fight obesity, diabetes or other high-risk factors.

But there's something creepy about allowing Diet Coke to claim the title of Healthy Heart Promoter, given that it's just a chemically-sweetened substitute for empty calories. Last year when the American Academy of Family Physicians partnered with Coca-Cola, some doctors were so furious they tore up their membership cards.

Though on the other side, Coke points out that a lot of women drink Diet Coke because they're watching their weight, and if the goal is to reach interested people and educate them about healthier lifestyles, what better way to do so than with a popular, even ubiquitous, product?

In related news, Canada's new heart-healthy guidelines are apparently even worse than the industry-led Smart Choices program in the U.S., which was eventually ridiculed out of existence. And the National Heart Foundation of Australia has given its approval to virtually every McDonald's menu item. Meanwhile, the American Heart Association has moved in the other direction, striking the entire dessert category from its list of products meriting a Heart Check.