A U.S. consumer health advocacy group has filed a class action lawsuit against Coca-Cola Co, against what it called the company’s deceptive claims regarding their Vitaminwater beverage line.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a Washington, D.C., based nonprofit organization filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California.

The Vitaminwater range has beverage flavors called Defense, Revive, Endurance and Focus and a 20-ounce bottle of Vitaminwater has 125 calories and about 33 grams of sugar. David Schardt, CSPI’s senior nutritionist said, “They’ve gone out and collected all the nonsensical goofy deceptive claims that other manufacturers make and they’ve assembled it all in their own line.”

The CSPI officials dubbed Vitaminwater as “snake oil” and “sugar water” and said the claims made by the Atlanta based beverage giant about Vitaminwater go beyond what is allowed by the Food and Drug Administration.

In a statement the group said, "Coke markets Vitaminwater as a healthful alternative to soda by labeling its several flavors with such health buzz words as 'defense,' 'rescue,' 'energy' and 'endurance." CSPI also said that Coke claims the drinks reduce the risk of chronic disease and eye disease, promote healthy joints and support immune function.

"In fact, according to CSPI nutritionists, the 33 grams of sugar in each bottle of Vitaminwater do more to promote obesity, diabetes and other health problems than the vitamins in the drinks do to perform the advertised benefits listed on the bottles," the consumer group said.

Coke rubbished the claims in the lawsuit and called it a PR stunt to get national attention. Coke spokeswoman Diana Garza Ciarlante said, “This is not about protecting the public interest. This is about grandstanding at a time when CSPI is receiving very little attention.” The company also added that the nutrition facts are printed of every bottle of Vitaminwater.  "Glaceau vitaminwater is clearly and properly labeled and shows the amount of vitamins and calories in the product," Ciarlante said in a statement.

Ciarlante added that “The success of Glaceau Vitaminwater is due in large part to consumers looking for a product like this to help support their healthy, active and on-the-go lifestyle.”

In 2007 Coca-Cola bought Glaceau, makers of Vitaminwater for $4.1 billion and this gave the company a much need boost in its non-carbonated beverage range.  Vitaminwater is not the only product to claim to provide energy or boost the immune system and mental focus. Rival PepsiCo has its own line up of similar beverages of SoBe Lifewater with names such as B-Strong, Electrify and Immunity while Dr Pepper Snapple Group has Snapple enhanced water called Awaken, Protect and Defy.

CPSI said although other companies also have similar products it chose Vitaminwater because it is the segment leader. They added that they hoped this would make coke change their marketing practices and they would like to see consumers reimbursed "if there is a decent way to get money back to people."