Cola


Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils, and other flavorings. The name, however, comes from the kola nut, which imbues the beverage with caffeine. A stimulating soda using kola appeared circa 1880.
Cola became popular worldwide after the success of Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand and symbol of American capitalism which has been imitated by other manufacturers. In 1886, American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton finetuned his recipe for a soft drink; it also contained unspent coca leaf extract, and therefore cocaine. His non-alcoholic recipe was directly inspired by the coca wine of pharmacist Angelo Mariani, created in 1863. Local prohibition laws forced him to adapt his recent creation, French Wine Coca.
Most modern colas have a dark caramel color and are sweetened with sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. There are numerous different brands, with Coca-Cola and Pepsi being among the most popular. These two colas have been competitors since the 1890s, a rivalry that has intensified since the 1980s.

Flavorings

The primary modern flavorings in a cola drink are citrus oils, cinnamon, vanilla, and an acidic flavoring. The Coca-Cola syrup was originally manufactured at Joseph J. Jacobs's pharmacy, making it the company's second home. Manufacturers of cola drinks add trace flavorings to create distinctive tastes for each brand. Trace flavorings may include a wide variety of ingredients, such as spices like nutmeg or coriander. Acidity is often provided by phosphoric acid, sometimes accompanied by citric or other isolated acids. Coca-Cola's recipe is maintained as a corporate trade secret.
A variety of different sweeteners may be used in cola, often influenced by local agricultural policy. High-fructose corn syrup is predominantly used in the United States 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 preferentially used to sweeten sodas. In addition, stevia or an artificial sweetener may be used; "sugar-free" or "diet" colas typically contain artificial sweeteners only.
In Japan, there is a burgeoning craft cola industry, with small-scale local production methods and highly unique cola recipes using locally sourced fruits, herbs, and spices.

Clear cola

In the 1940s, Coca-Cola produced White Coke at the request of Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov.
Clear colas were again produced during the clear craze of the early 1990s. Brands included Crystal Pepsi, Tab Clear, and 7 Up Ice Cola. Crystal Pepsi was repeatedly reintroduced in the 2010s.
In Denmark, a popular clear cola was made by the Cooperative FDB in 1976. It was especially known for being the "Hippie Cola" because of the focus on the harmful effects the color additive could have on children and the boycott of multinational brands. It was inspired by a campaign on harmful additives in Denmark by the Environmental-Organization NOAH, an independent Danish division of Friends of the Earth. This was followed up with a variety of sodas without artificial coloring. Today many organic colas are available in Denmark, but, for nostalgic reasons, clear cola has still maintained its popularity to a certain degree.
In June 2018, Coca-Cola introduced Coca-Cola Clear in Japan.

Health effects

A 2007 study claimed that consumption of colas, both those with natural sweetening and those with artificial sweetening, was associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease. The phosphoric acid used in colas was thought to be a possible cause. A link has been shown between long-term regular cola intake and osteoporosis in older women. This was thought to be due to the presence of phosphoric acid, though the risk for women was found to be greater for sugared and caffeinated colas than diet and decaffeinated variants, with a higher intake of cola correlating with lower bone density. Substituting soft drinks for milk may impact adolescent bone development, increasing the risk of fracture.
A 2005 study indicated that soda and sweetened drinks are the main source of calories in the American diet and that of those who drink more sweetened drinks, obesity rates were higher. 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, vitamin C, riboflavin, and vitamin A.
The drink has also aroused criticism for its use of caffeine, which can cause physical dependence, and can reduce sleep quality.
Many soft drinks in North America are sweetened mostly or entirely with high-fructose corn syrup, rather than white sugar. Some nutritionists caution against the consumption of corn syrup because it may aggravate obesity and type-2 diabetes more than cane sugar., there is no high-quality evidence that replacing cane sugar with HFCS causes any difference in health effects.

Regional brands

Asia

Europe

North America

South America

  • Inca Kola, created by Lindley bottler to compete with Coca-Cola. It is still the best selling cola in Perú.
  • Big Cola, a cola produced by Peruvian company Ajegroup which operates in 14 countries in Latin America.
  • Perú Cola, created by Peruvian bottler Embotelladora Don Jorge S.A.C. to compete with Coca-Cola and Kola Real.
  • Kola Román, a cola that was invented in the city of Cartagena, Colombia in 1865 by Don Carlos Román.
  • Dolly Cola, Brazilian soft drink brand known for being a direct competitor to Coca-Cola. Although best known for its guarana flavor, the brand also sells the cola flavor.
  • Casa di Conti, in Cândido Mota, SP, Brazil, produces its own brand of cola under the name Conti Cola.

Oceania

  • Export Cola was an Australian carbonated cola drink Manufactured by Cadbury Schweppes during the 1970s and early 1980s. A series of TV advertisements for the drink featured the Australian cricketer Jeff Thomson. It enjoyed a brief resurgence in popularity when it was re-launched in 1993, but the drink was discontinued in 1999.
  • LA Ice Cola is an Australian cola owned by Tru Blu Beverages, similar to Coca-Cola and Pepsi, its rivals.
  • Billson's produces a Heritage Cola, inspired by recipes dating back to the Temperance movement in Australia.
  • Foxton Fizz is a New Zealand soft drink company which produces a cola-flavored soft drink beverage, manufactured in Foxton.
  • Wests is a New Zealand soft drink company that produces a cola beverage. It is the oldest continuous manufacturer of soft drinks in New Zealand.
  • Tahiti Cola from French Polynesia.

Defunct brands