Cola

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This article is about the beverage. For other uses, see Cola (disambiguation).
Cola
Glass cola.jpg
A glass of cola served with ice cubes and a lemon to infuse.
Type Soft Drink
Country of origin United States
Introduced 1886
Color Caramel
Flavor Kola nut

Cola is a sweetened, carbonated soft drink, derived from drinks that originally contained caffeine from the kola nut and cocaine from coca leaves, flavored with vanilla and other ingredients. Most colas now use other flavoring (and caffeinating) ingredients with a similar taste. Colas became popular worldwide after pharmacist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886.[1] His non-alcoholic recipe was inspired by the coca wine of pharmacist Angelo Mariani, created in 1863.[1]

Modern colas usually contain caramel color, caffeine and sweeteners such as sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Flavorings

Despite the name, the primary modern flavoring ingredients in a cola drink are sugar, citrus oils (from oranges, limes, or lemon fruit peel), cinnamon, vanilla, and an acidic flavorant.[2][3] Manufacturers of cola drinks add trace ingredients to create distinctively different tastes for each brand. Trace flavorings may include nutmeg and a wide variety of ingredients, but the base flavorings that most people identify with a cola taste remain vanilla and cinnamon. Acidity is often provided by phosphoric acid, sometimes accompanied by citric or other isolated acids. Coca-Cola's recipe and several others[which?] are maintained as corporate trade secrets.

A variety of different sweeteners may be added to cola, often partly dependent on local agricultural policy. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is predominantly used in the United States and Canada due to the lower cost of government-subsidized corn. In Europe, however, HFCS is subject to production quotas designed to encourage the production of sugar; sugar is thus typically used to sweeten sodas.[4] In addition, stevia or an artificial sweetener may be used; "sugar-free" or "diet" colas typically contain artificial sweeteners only.

Consumers may prefer the taste of pop manufactured with sugar; as in the United States, with imported Mexican Coca-Cola.[5][6] Kosher for Passover Coca-Cola sold in the U.S. around the Jewish holiday also uses sucrose rather than HFCS and is also highly sought after by people who prefer the original taste.[7] In addition, PepsiCo has recently been marketing versions of its Pepsi and Mountain Dew sodas that are sweetened with sugar instead of HFCS. These are marketed under the name Throwback and became "permanent" products on the lineup.[8]

Clear cola

Clear cola is a colorless variety of cola produced in the early 1990s. Brands included Crystal Pepsi, Tab Clear, 7 Up Ice Cola and Coca-Cola Clear.

Health

Lua error in Module:Details at line 30: attempt to call field '_formatLink' (a nil value). A 2007 study found that consumption of colas, both those with natural sweetening and those with artificial sweetening, was associated with increased risk of chronic kidney disease. The phosphoric acid used in colas was thought to be a possible cause.[9]

Studies indicate "soda and sweetened drinks are the main source of calories in [the] American diet",[10] so most nutritionists advise that Coca-Cola and other soft drinks can be harmful if consumed excessively, particularly to young children whose soft drink consumption competes with, rather than complements, a balanced diet. Studies have shown that regular soft drink users have a lower intake of calcium, magnesium, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, and vitamin A.[11]

The drink has also aroused criticism for its use of caffeine, which can cause physical dependence (caffeine addiction).[12] A link has been shown between long-term regular cola intake and osteoporosis in older women (but not men).[13] This was thought to be due to the presence of phosphoric acid, and the risk was found to be the same for caffeinated and noncaffeinated colas, as well as the same for diet and sugared colas.

Many soft drinks are sweetened mostly or entirely with high-fructose corn syrup, rather than sugar. Some nutritionists caution against consumption of corn syrup because it may aggravate obesity and type-2 diabetes more than cane sugar.[14]

Regional brands

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See also: Cola brands (shown below) and Category:Cola brands

Asia

Europe

North America

Coca-Cola

Africa

  • Hamoud-Boualem: Famous in Algeria, with different flavours; also sold in Europe and US.

South America

Oceania

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Is Mexican Coke the real thing? By Louise Chu Associated Press November 9, 2004 The San Diego Union-Tribune
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Jacobson, Michael F. (2005). "Liquid Candy: How Soft Drinks are Harming Americans' Health", pp. 5–6. Center for Science in the Public Interest. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
  12. ↑ Center for Science in the Public Interest (1997). "Label Caffeine Content of Foods, Scientists Tell FDA." Retrieved June 10, 2005. Archived 10 July 2007 at WebCite
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ "Single food ingredient the cause of obesity ? New study has industry up in arms". (April 26, 2004). FoodNavigator.com. Retrieved February 27, 2007.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ "haji cola"
  17. ↑ "Irish Cola"
  18. ↑ http://www.skycola.ba/sky-prica
  19. ↑ "Johnnie Ryan"
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ "Kiwi Cola"
  24. ↑ "Bickford's Old Style Original Kola"

External links

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