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| This bottle of Coke contains the equivalent of 20 packets of sugar |
Even though soft drink sales are losing their fizz, Coke remains in the top spot (followed by Diet Coke). Coca Cola is part of our culture - and every culture around the world. According to NBCnews.com, the Coca Cola logo is recognized by 94% of the world's population.
Excellent marketing aside, what exactly is in Coke? Here are the ingredients:
INGREDIENTS: Carbonated water, sugar/glucose-fructose, caramel colour, phosphoric acid, natural flavour, caffeine.
Excellent marketing aside, what exactly is in Coke? Here are the ingredients:
INGREDIENTS: Carbonated water, sugar/glucose-fructose, caramel colour, phosphoric acid, natural flavour, caffeine.
Some call it liquid sugar, some call it diabetes in a can. Whatever you want to call it, the 591 mL bottle of Coke in the photo above contains the equivalent of 20 teaspoons of sugar! But it isn't real sugar, it’s high-fructose corn syrup (which is called glucose-fructose in Canada).
Glucose-fructose / high-fructose corn syrup is an inexpensive sweetener that has largely
replaced sugar in soft drinks and in many processed foods. It is considered a major
cause of obesity and an underlying factor in heart disease, type 2 diabetes,
and many types of cancer.
The caramel colour used in Coke is 4-methylimidazole (4-MI), a known animal carcinogen that may very possibly cause cancer in humans too. It is the least expensive and most toxic of the four types of caramel that can be added to foods and drinks.
Phosphoric acid gives Coke its tangy flavour. This chemical has been linked to low bone density caused by a lower calcium to phosphorus ratio. In other words, phosphoric acid, specifically from colas, interferes with calcium absorption.
What about the natural flavours in Coke? According to www.coca-colahellenic.com, "These are natural flavours from a complex mixture of plants that we use as the source of Coca-Cola’s famous flavours." Exactly what are they and which plants are they derived from? That's a well-protected trade secret.
Finally, caffeine is added to give Coke its bitter taste. A 355 mL (12 oz.) can of Coke Classic has about 35 mg of caffeine, the amount in a cup of tea brewed for 3 minutes.
Even the water, the first ingredient, is carbonated. There isn't a single natural ingredient in Coke. Not exactly a healthy bevy.
REFERENCES:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/31/usa-soda-beverages-idUSL1N0MS16O20140331
http://www.cspinet.org/new/201203051.html
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/84/4/936.full
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/01/business/how-coca-cola-obtains-its-coca.html
http://www.coca-colahellenic.com/~/media/Files/C/CCHBC/documents/125Year_A6Leaflet_v6.pdf
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/31/usa-soda-beverages-idUSL1N0MS16O20140331
http://www.cspinet.org/new/201203051.html
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/84/4/936.full
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/01/business/how-coca-cola-obtains-its-coca.html
http://www.coca-colahellenic.com/~/media/Files/C/CCHBC/documents/125Year_A6Leaflet_v6.pdf
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