‘Open up, open up some happiness’, I’m sure most of us are no stranger to this Coca-Cola jingle, and might even secretly hum happily away with the tune, when the commercial comes on. In fact, we at MyFatPocket, love sharing and quenching our can of fizzy magic potion under the sweltering sun. This is when the big problem arrives, despite being a small family, we have very different Coca-Cola preferences. This eventually got us wondering, if the different Coca-Colas that we shared are the same (nutritionally) or…. If you have the same concern, read on as we unravel the chambers of secrets.
Here we picked the regular Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero, and Coca-Cola Light (Diet Coke), and created a comparison chart.
Source: Coca-Cola Singapore (Based on 330ml, a can)
At a Glance
It seems like gulping a can of regular Coca- Cola means you are going to spend more time working out. If you ever wondered, what contributes to the calorie count in regular Coca-Cola, the answer is sugar! The sugar in the good old Coca-Cola, is both a type of Carbohydrate, and nutritive sweetener (contain few vitamins or minerals, and is often referred to as ‘empty’calories). Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, and if you do some mathematics here, you will know why there is 139 calories in the classic Coca-Cola.
Credit: Livestrong
For the ardent Coca-Cola fans, you might be surprised to know that just a can of the beverage contains 35 g of added sugar (about 7 teaspoons). The point is, HPB recommends that the amount of sugar added to drinks to be below 10% of the daily total calorie count. This translates to between 40 g and 55 g of added sugar (8 to 11 teaspoons). Coupled with the fact that many products (bread, chilli sauces, and crackers) contain added sugar, just a can of the usual Coca-Cola is enough to boost your odds of over consuming added sugars! Regular consumption of sugary beverages, can lead to undesirable weight gain, and increase the odds of tooth decay.
What about Coca-Cola Zero, and Diet Coke?
Before you decide to drown yourself silly with these two,it's important to know that zero calorie does not necessarily mean that it is calorie-free. In fact, FDA permits beverages to be declared as 0 calories, if they contain less than 5 calories per serving.
Credit: NY Daily News
The zero calorie in these 2 beverages is attributable to the magic of artificial sweeteners, which in this case includes Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, and Sucralose. These may be derived from naturally occurring substances, including herbs and sugar. These sweeteners are able to enhance the degree of sweetness compared to the sugar used in regular Coca-Cola (in fact by 200 times for Aspartame and Acesulfame-K, 600 times for Sucralose), while at the same time yielding the negligible amount of calories.
If you who think that Coca-Cola Zero, or Diet Coke is your instant remedy to weight loss (ignoring the need to make wise food choices and intakes), you might want to rethink again! According to the statement published by American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association in 2012, in order for artificially sweetened beverages to effectively bring about the effects of weight loss or control, the individual need to avoid compensatory energy intake. This simply means if you choose the artificial sweetened drink (say 100 kcal) over the regular soft drink (say 200 kcal) for lunch, but then takes in an additional 50 or 100 kcal for dinner, the initial ‘calorie-saving’effect would be negated.
Other than this, some researchers are worried that the intake of artificial sweetened beverages would infantilise the taste buds, and result in craving for more sweet foods and drinks, which ultimately add up to excess calories. Yet studies in this area are inconclusive.
So What's the Deal?
For healthy individuals who are trying to shed off some kilos or are actively dieting, and cannot live without Coca-Cola, it is recommended to opt for either Coca-Cola Zero or Diet Coke. These options provide the same intensity of sweetness as regular Coca-Cola with lower calories. Yet, remember these drinks may actually be counterproductive due to the infantalised taste buds. Thus the best bet is only drink them occasionally. Make water or freshly squeezed juices your main drink and sip on one of these as treat once in a while.
Credit: 310 Nutrition
For the diabetics or pre-diabetics, these colas (in fact soft drinks) are the first things you should limit from your diet. However, it may be advisable to consult with a registered dietitian first.
Credit: Ageonicsmedical.com
If you’re a parent to a growing child, it is wise to keep them away from the range of colas. The younger they are, the easier it will be to cultivate a mostly water routine for them.
