See also 7-Up.

History & Origins

Coca-Cola was originally green – Before the caramel color was added, Coca-Cola had a natural greenish hue.

Pepsi was once called “Brad’s Drink” – It was created by pharmacist Caleb Bradham in 1893 and renamed Pepsi-Cola in 1898.

Dr Pepper is the oldest major soft drink in America – It was created in 1885, a year before Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola contained cocaine – In its early formulation, Coca-Cola contained coca leaf extract, which had small amounts of cocaine. It was removed in 1929.

Fanta was invented in Nazi Germany – Due to trade embargoes during WWII, German Coca-Cola plants had to create a new beverage with available ingredients, leading to Fanta’s creation.

Strange Ingredients & Production

Mountain Dew was originally a whiskey mixer – It was created in the 1940s as a mixer for bourbon.

Some sodas use fish bladder in production – Isinglass, a substance from fish bladders, has been used in some sodas for clarification.

Coca-Cola’s secret formula is locked in a vault – The actual recipe is said to be known by only a few people and is kept in a vault in Atlanta, Georgia.

A single can of soda can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar – That’s more than the recommended daily sugar intake for an adult. The amount of sugar in the typical American’s diet has been linked to many diseases. Reducing sugar intake may add years to your life.

Some sodas contain wood rosin – Certain citrus-flavored sodas use ester gum (from wood rosin) to stabilize flavor oils.

Unusual Uses

Soda can clean rust – The phosphoric acid in soda can remove rust from metal surfaces.

It can be used as a toilet cleaner – The acidity in cola can break down stains in toilets.

It can tenderize meat – The acids in soda help break down proteins in meat, making it softer.

It can dissolve a tooth – If you leave a tooth in a cup of soda for several days, it can partially dissolve due to the acid.

It’s been used to clean blood stains – Some police officers have used soda to remove blood from roads after accidents.

Marketing & Popularity

Coca-Cola helped shape Santa Claus’s modern image – Their 1930s holiday ads popularized Santa’s red suit and jolly demeanor.

The “New Coke” failure became a marketing success – Coca-Cola’s reformulation in 1985 was unpopular, but its return as “Coca-Cola Classic” boosted sales.

Pepsi once owned a fleet of military ships – In a deal with the Soviet Union, Pepsi received submarines and warships in exchange for soda.

Sprite was created as a response to 7-UP – The Coca-Cola Company introduced Sprite in 1961 to compete with 7-UP.

The first diet soda was called “No-Cal” – It was introduced in 1952 by Hyman Kirsch, originally marketed to diabetics.

Health & Science

Diet sodas can trick your brain – Artificial sweeteners can make your body expect sugar, leading to increased hunger.

Drinking soda can weaken bones – The phosphoric acid in many sodas may contribute to lower bone density.

Caffeine-free Coke tastes different – Many people claim it tastes sweeter due to the lack of caffeine bitterness.

Some sodas glow under UV light – Tonic water contains quinine, which glows blue under ultraviolet light.

Soft drinks were once seen as medicine – Many early sodas, including Dr Pepper and 7-UP, were marketed as health tonics.

Strange Variants & Limited Editions

Japan has some of the weirdest soda flavors – Unique flavors include curry, eel, wasabi, and yogurt soda.

There’s a Pepsi White (yogurt-flavored) – It was a limited-edition drink in Japan.

Coca-Cola once made a coffee-soda hybrid – “Coca-Cola BlāK” was introduced in 2006 but was discontinued due to low sales.

There’s a clear version of Pepsi – Pepsi Crystal, launched in the early 1990s, was a transparent cola that didn’t last long.

You can buy “birthday cake” flavored soda – Some specialty brands have released soda flavors like birthday cake, buffalo wing, and ranch dressing.