One of the most popular drinks today – Coca-Cola – was created in 1889 in the USA (Georgia) by pharmacist John Pemberton. The product was patented as a medicine to which a wide variety of properties were attributed. In the early years, Coca-Cola production was unprofitable, but over time the product gained popularity among customers, and already in 1902 the brand became the most famous in the States. Today, the legendary drink is known on all continents, and the corporation that produces it is one of the largest and most expensive in the world. But it is unlikely that the popularity of Coca-Cola would be so high if at least some of those who drink several cans of the drink every day knew what it contains and how this composition affects the body
Coca Cola Ingredients
Initially, the drink consisted of 3 parts of coca leaves and 1 part of cola nuts. Hence the name of the product. By the way, drinks containing coca were very common in the XIX century and were not considered harmful to the body. Officially, coca leaf extract was part of the drink until 1929. Although according to The New York Times, the corporation continued to add coca leaves obtained from Bolivia and Peru to the drink until the 1980s, while hiding the recipe of the drink as a trade secret.
The manufacturer keeps the recipe of the drink carefully, but something about the composition of the product is already known. Some of the ingredients are amazing.
Cochineal
On the Coca-Cola label, you can usually read that the drink contains a certain amount of water, sugar, caffeine, phosphoric acid, carbon dioxide, caramel and “extract”. So in 2006, Turkey filed a lawsuit against the corporation in order to find out what the drink actually consists of. It turned out that the mentioned “extract” is a substance that is obtained from cochineal insects that live on the territory of Mexico and the Canary Islands. From bugs and their eggs, a pigment is obtained, which, in fact, colors the drink in its characteristic color.
Alcohol
Despite the fact that Coca-Cola is considered a non-alcoholic product, but, as shown by the results of a study conducted by the Paris National Institute of Consumption, each liter of the drink is 0.001% alcohol. The amount is insignificant, but it is still worth considering this fact, consuming Coca-Cola by liters and offering it to children.
Additives of Group E
Coca-Cola is a “storehouse” of all kinds of E-supplements, many of which do not have the best effect on the human body. Among them:
- E952 (cyclamate) – this synthetic sweetener is 200 times sweeter than granulated sugar; it was banned in many countries, as experiments showed that it provokes bladder cancer in rats, but in 1979 WHO has recognized this substance as safe, but it is not necessary to use it more than 0.8 g per day;
- E150d is a dye made of burnt sugar with admixtures of ammonium sulfate; if the substance is not abused, it is considered safe;
- E950 (acesulfame potassium) is a sweetener containing asparogenic acid, which causes excitation of the nervous system, and after a while addiction is developed to it, as well as methyl alcohol, which has a detrimental effect on the cardiovascular system; products with E950 should not be consumed by pregnant women, nursing mothers and children, for the rest, a safe dose is no more than 1 g of the substance per day;
- E951 (aspartame) is a sweetener that can transform into a carcinogen, causing severe poisoning with nausea, increased heartbeat, loss of consciousness, anxiety, loss of hearing and /or vision; it is also believed that E951 can provoke brain cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, sclerosis, diabetes, epilepsy, impaired reproductive function. Up to 3 g of aspartame per day is considered safe;
- E338 (orthophosphoric acid) is an explosive and flammable substance with an acidity of 2.8, which is why specially equipped tanks with high corrosion resistance are required for its transportation. This substance can cause irritation of the skin and eyes, deterioration of the absorption of iron and calcium, provokes osteoporosis;
- E330 (citric acid) – when abused, it corrodes tooth enamel and gastric mucosa;
- E211 (sodium benzoate) is a preservative that, according to the research of molecular biologist Peter Piper, can harm DNA and cause pro-oxidative stress.
What processes occur in the body after drinking Coca Cola?
According to many experts, regular consumption of a drink with such a “rattling” composition does not pass for the body without a trace. And Niraj Naik, a former British pharmacist, even traced what happens in the human body within 1 hour after drinking the advertised drink.
After 10 minutes
Only 1 tin can of the drink contains 10 tsp of sugar, which is the daily norm. Under normal conditions, after such a portion of sweetness, a person should be sick. But the drink contains phosphoric acid, which suppresses this reaction. By the way, back in 2015, researchers estimated that the abuse of sweets is the cause of more than 180 thousand deaths annually.
After 20 minutes
Insulin levels jump sharply in the blood, and carbohydrates obtained from the drink turn into fats. If this condition occurs regularly, insulin resistance is produced and the risk of type 2 diabetes increases significantly.
After 40 minutes
The body has absorbed the caffeine contained in the drink. Pupils dilated, blood pressure increased due to the release of sugar into the blood. Under normal conditions, drowsiness should appear, but it does not, since the substances contained in the product block adenosine receptors.
After 45 minutes
The brain is more actively producing the hormone dopamine, which is responsible for pleasure. Something similar happens after taking heroin.
After 60 minutes
Under the influence of phosphoric acid, the metabolism of magnesium, zinc and calcium accelerates, the latter is excreted from the body with urine.
After 90 minutes
The liquid obtained with the drink is excreted from the body, the person becomes sluggish and irritable. Does all this mean that you should completely abandon the use of Coca-Cola? Everyone is free to decide on their own. But the fact that it is better to limit the amount of drink consumed is indisputable. By the way, even Sandy Douglas, president of Coca-Cola in North America, admitted that he does not consume more than 1 can of drink a day.