Why I Hate Coke

Proof that not all addictions are narcotic.

There are few feats I can claim with any certainty, but one of them is this: I have never had a Coke. Oh sure, I've tasted it, had a sip when I've been nauseous or unduly thirsty and nothing else was around, but I have never consumed a whole glass of one as apparently many people do, with 1.2 billion 8 oz. servings of Coke consumed daily worldwide. Mostly it's because I grew up in a seltzer family and that's all we had, until my mother went nuts at about age 57 and started drinking Fresca; she died five years later of early-onset Alzheimer's. (Not sure there is any connection, but I'd steer away from sodas if I were you.) I grew up Coke-less and eventually married a man of similar conviction, and together we had a son. He was raised Coke-less, and today at age 25 he still has not one cavity, while his Coke-drinking friends had far too many to count by the time they reached the first grade. (Katie and Richie must surely both have false teeth by now.)

The primary ingredients of Coca-Cola syrup include high fructose corn syrup or sucrose from cane sugar in certain markets, caramel color, caffeine, phosphoric acid, coca extract, lime extract, vanilla and glycerin. A 20 oz. bottle of Coke contains the equivalent of 15 teaspoons of sugar. Despite its name, the beverage does not contain any kola nut extract. In fact, there is nothing "kola" about it.

According to several studies by nutritionists and dentists, Coke leads to more rapid tooth decay than any of the other sodas tested. As one dentist explains, "Coke seems to be a brew designed to create caries. It is not only the sugar, it is also the Phosporic acid used as acidulant. Is the same acid we, the dentists, use for etching the enamel prior to the insertion of a composite (white) filling. And it works. Phosporic acid corrodes the surface of the enamel, clearing the way for the microorganisms."

Make sure your kids don't see this ad.

A full-page color ad in the Wall Street Journal costs $312,283.13. Today there is such an ad on page A7, in which the Coca-Cola company declares its commitment to helping people lead happier lives. They say they will do this by stating the number of calories in their drinks right on the package, which by the way became law in 1994. They also will support physical activity programs in every country where they do business, and will not market to children under age 12.