Are Coke, Pepsi and other colas more unhealthy than other soft drinks?

mk2norwich

I'd say a definite "yes" to this one. Non-diet Cola drinks are loaded with sugar (I have read that a regular-sized can contains SEVEN teaspoons of the stuff!) and caffeine, which some people are sensitive to. I remember a conversation with an acquaintance, where he told me he used to drop old coins into Coca Cola to clean them! This concoction contains phosphoric acid, I notice - maybe that's why! Nov 12 03, 4:53 AM

lothruin

One can of the average caramel colored cola contains nearly 20% of the USDA recommended daily value of carbohydrates, all in the form of sugar. Taking in that much sugar isn't neccessarily bad for you. However, with the exception of some phosphorous, cola otherwise has little to no nutritional value. Drinking another soft drink, fruit juice for instance, would give you about as much sugar, but would include other vitamins and nutrients your body needs. In the end, your body doesn't care where it gets the things it needs, and sugar is one of the things it needs. But it does care if it gets too much, which is the risk you run. As to caffeine, those who are sensitive to it shouldn't drink it. I doubt the caffeine aspect is particularly unhealthy for the average person in relatively good health, unless they are consuming large quantities of the stuff per day. Besides, your average cup of tea contains more caffeine than the average cola. Most non-US grown tea contains between 50-60mg per 8oz of brewed tea. The average 12oz cola contains between 34-45mg. Nov 12 03, 9:19 AM

MaggieG 5

We once did an experiment with teeth and various substances. We put one in water, one in coke and one in orange juice. The tooth in the coke turned the most disgusting shade of brown, but the one in orange juice dissolved. Fruit juice can be even more lethal than coke! Nov 12 03, 1:23 PM

exceller

As far as Coke vs. Pepsi, healthwise they are the same. Both used to be used as an aid for stomach digestion, however changes to the drink itself have been made over time. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_Pepsi_healthier_than_Coca-Cola_or_vice_versa Apr 24 08, 7:04 AM