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 lemons
Country of origin  United States
Introduced 1886
Color Caramel
Flavor Kola nut

Cola is a carbonated beverage that originally contained caffeine from the kola nut and cocaine from coca leaves and was flavored with vanilla and other ingredients. Most colas now use other flavoring (and caffeinating) ingredients with a similar taste and no longer contain cocaine. It 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; it still contained cocaine.[1] Coca-Cola is a major international brand. It usually contains caramel color, caffeine and sweeteners such as sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Contents

Etymology [edit]

The word cola may have been introduced into mainstream culture by the major producer Coca-Cola,[citation needed] as it saw its trademark slipping into common use, like other genericized trademarks. It has tried to maintain the exclusive right to sell products using the "Coca-Cola" name and its diminutive form "Coke", by suggesting the alternative of "cola drink" as a generic name for similar types of carbonated soft drinks.[citation needed] The word cola as part of the Coca-Cola trademark may have originated from the kola nuts that were originally used as the source of caffeine.

Flavorings [edit]

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. Many cola drink recipes are maintained as corporate trade secrets, notably including Coca-Cola's recipe.

A variety of different sweeteners may be added to cola, often partly dependent on local agricultural policy. High-fructose corn syrup 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.

Some consumers prefer the taste of soda manufactured with sugar. As a result of this, there is demand in the United States for 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 [edit]

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

Health [edit]

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]

Brands [edit]

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

Worldwide [edit]

Asia [edit]

Europe [edit]

  • Afri-Cola, a German brand, had a higher caffeine content (about 250 mg/L) until the product was relaunched with a new formulation in 1999. It was relaunched a second time in April 2006 with the original formulation with the higher caffeine content.
  • Barr Cola made by A.G. Barr (the makers of the popular Irn Bru drink) in the United Kingdom.
  • Breizh Cola is a local brand from Brittany (France). It offers different and unique flavors like a cloves aroma,[citation needed] bottled in an original cider bottle.[citation needed]
  • Cadet Cola is a local brand from Ireland, produced by Gleeson Soft Drinks in Tipperary, Ireland.
  • Cola Cola — Albania[citation needed]
  • Cockta is a local brand from former Yugoslavia, originally produced by Slovenijavino company from Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia). A couple of years ago it was bought by Droga Kolinska, a Croatian company. It is still popular in former Yugoslav republics, especially in Slovenia and Croatia. It does not contain any caffeine.
  • Cuba Cola is the native cola of Sweden.
  • Irish Cola is a local brand in Ireland.
  • In Denmark, the native Jolly Cola was more popular than Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola during the 1960s and 1970s.
  • Freeway Cola a Lidl brand sold in the UK.
  • Fritz-kola is a cola soft drink from Hamburg, Germany. It uses the highest possible concentration of caffeine for beverages allowed by German law (250 mg/L) and is available in most of Germany, as well as parts of western and central Europe.
  • haji cola, a local brand in Germany.
  • Kofola is the third best selling soft-drink in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
  • Polo-Cockta, a Polish brand.
  • Red Bull Cola has been available throughout Europe since 2008.
  • Ubuntu Cola is a fairtrade cola from the United Kingdom available in parts of Western Europe.
  • Virgin Cola was popular in South Africa and Western Europe in the 1990s but has waned in availability.
  • Vita-Cola is a German cola brand with a distinct citrus flavor; nowadays it is mostly sold in eastern Germany.
  • Kletta Gos Cola — Iceland
  • Corsica Cola is a regional cola distributed by the Corsican brewery Pietra.
A can of generic brand Cola

North America [edit]

Africa [edit]

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

South America [edit]

Oceania [edit]

See also [edit]

Portal icon Drink portal

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b http://www.cocaine.org/cocawine.htm
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ Sparror.cubecinema.com
  4. ^ M. Ataman Aksoy, John C. Beghin, ed. (2005). "Sugar Policies: An Opportunity for Change". Global Agricultural Trade and Developing Countries. World Bank Publications. p. 329. ISBN 0-8213-5863-4. 
  5. ^ Is Mexican Coke the real thing? By Louise Chu Associated Press November 9, 2004 The San Diego Union-Tribune
  6. ^ Seattletimes.nwsource.com
  7. ^ USAtoday.com
  8. ^ Horovitz, Bruce (2011-03-11). "Pepsi, Frito-Lay capitalize on fond thoughts of the good ol' days". USA Today. Retrieved 29 September 2011. 
  9. ^ Tina M. Saldana, Olga Basso, Rebecca Darden, and Dale P. Sandler (2007). "Carbonated beverages and chronic kidney disease". Epidemiology 18 (4): 501–6. doi:10.1097/EDE.0b013e3180646338. PMID 17525693. 
  10. ^ http://www.ajegroup.com/
  11. ^ http://www.incakola.com.pe
  12. ^ http://www.creditosperu.com.pe/pp-pepsico-inc-sucursal-del-peru.php
  13. ^ http://www.donjorge.com.pe/index.php
  14. ^ a b http://www.elsa.cl/

External links [edit]

Look up cola in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Cola brands
Brands
Types
Health
Companies
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