Sodium cyclamate, a sweetener that's 30 times sweeter than sucrose, has been banned in the U.S. since 1969 due to cancer concerns. Oddly enough, it was legalized in Mexico just last year, right before Coca-Cola launched their Coca-Cola Zero ("Now With Sodium Cyclamate!") there. The D.C.-based nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest has released a statement telling consumers to avoid the sweetener because it can "increase the potency of other carcinogens and harm the testes." Holy syrupy soda-- not the testes!

The Mexican blogosphere (el blogosphere mexicano) has really started cranking up the Coke hate with one site declaring Coca-Cola Zero to be poison. Many wonder why a sweetener that's dangerous for Americans is a-ok for those south of the border. This is a big deal in a country whose people spend twice as much on soda as they do on milk. The Director of Communications for Coke Mexico says this is nothing more than an internet-driven campaign designed to hurt sales of Coca-Cola Zero. "The driving force for any new product is consumer taste preferences," says Rafael Fernandez. "In this case, Mexican consumers clearly preferred the great taste of this option over the others that we tested." That market is notorious for not caring about their huevos either, I'm sure.

So if you find yourself in Mexico with a pair of testicles, you might want to carefully consider your soda options.