Philippine Soda Drinks Being Made Toxic

yerrag

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Just as I was warming up to the new Coke "Original Taste" formulation here in the Philippine, Coke reformulated and now calls it "Original Taste - Less Sugar." Now, all regular (not Diet, not Zero) Coke that is sold is PET bottles (500ml, 1.5 liter, 2 liter) are only available in the OTLS (Orig Taste- Less Sugar) version. As all good things don't last, this version now has sucralose, an artificial sweetener.

Diet Coke and Coke Zero uses aspartame, and the choice of sucralose for regular Coke is interesting. Not because sucralose isn't as excitotoxic as aspartame, but that Coke doesn't want to give the idea away that Diet Coke and Coke Zero cost really less than regular Coke, because Coke is making a killing pricing Diet Coke and Coke Zero higher for products that cost less.

With OTLS Coke, Coke is using sucralose because it wants to use less cane sugar, as cane sugar costs more. With the new law taking effect the start of the year, where soda taxes are increased, with more taxes on soda using HFCS, the formulation was changed in favor of using locally-produced cane sugar. But with the cost and price of soda increased, Coke has felt its sales volumes going down, as less people were buying soda because of the tax-induced price increase.

The unfortunate consequence is that Coke is now resorting to the OTLS formulation so that it can keep a rein on the cost of its formulation, as well as the pricing of regular Coke. I suspect that the plan is to start with a low dose of sucralose, in order not to drastically change the taste from "Original Taste" Coke. Over time, sucralose content will be gradually increased, as taste buds slowly adjust to the slowly changing taste of Coke. Eventually, a point will be reached where Coke can no longer reduce the cane sugar/sucralose ratio without most of its customers noticing. At this point, Coke will have regained its cost and pricing control, such that the effects of the soda tax would be significantly contained, such that the sales dampening effect of the soda tax law would be blunted.

Pepsi has long began intoxicating its regular Pepsi products with aspartame, which is why I shun Pepsi products here. Coke, to its credit, was holding out in order to not destroy its Original Taste. But with the sugar tax on beverages, I believe it felt it has no choice but to follow the intoxication path to keep its ability to dictate its prices favorably.

Interestingly, Coke has spared its 330ml regular Coke in cans from intoxication. It figures that the more affluent market for Coke in cans can very well afford to pay for the price increase. Since I'm not a heavy Coke drinker, I'll make do with the Coke in cans, which still has the "Original Taste."

Philippine Coke drinkers, beware.

Three things:

1. Am I now nostalgic for last year's Coke made with HFCS, but no sucralose?

2. Is the soda tax a good tax, when because of it people are now being intoxicated?

3. I hope people's taste buds will have low tolerance for high sucralose content. This would keep sucralose content low. Artificial sweeteners don't have the nice aftertaste that cane sugar gives, and I hope this should limit Coke from incorporating too much toxins into its formulation.
 
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i hope they bring back the ingredients of MUG rootbeer. Before its just simple. Now they replace sugar with high fructose corn syrup. I thought using HFCS makes its more expensive because of the tax???
 
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yerrag

yerrag

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Sugar tax applies to all sweet beverages, following the US as its pied piper. Monkey see. Monkey do.

But, you're right. To support the local sugar cane industry, HFCS is taxed more heavily.
 
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yerrag

yerrag

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No tax is a good tax.

I notice the same happening in countries I travel in.
Promise a lot. Get voted in. Spend a lot. Owe a lot. Tax more to pay what's owed. And what best to tax but what's "bad" for you.

But what's really bad? The science behind framing sugar as bad.

Sugar causes diabetes.

Sugar makes you fat.

Sugar feeds candida.

Sugar feeds cancer.
 
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the crazy sugar price in our country has made all softdrinks with the excemption of 7up with added artificial sweetners!!!! My favorite mug rootbeer has just 10grams of sugar. Before its 28g to 34g.

Mug rootbeer has both sucralose and acesulfame-k = Whats your take on this?

obviiously aspartame is NO NO. Taste really bad.

@yerrag
 
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yerrag

yerrag

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the crazy sugar price in our country has made all softdrinks with the excemption of 7up with added artificial sweetners!!!! My favorite mug rootbeer has just 10grams of sugar. Before its 28g to 34g.

Mug rootbeer has both sucralose and acesulfame-k = Whats your take on this?

obviiously aspartame is NO NO. Taste really bad.

@yerrag
Coke still sells pure sugar Coke - at a higher price.

Pay up. At least there is a choice.
 
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I dont like the caffeine in coke.

The choice for me is 7up but there is something in the ingredients that is not good for my teeth. Maybe the natural flavors?

the other choice is dads rootbeer in can. I think zesto is the manufacturer/supplier.
 
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yerrag

yerrag

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I dont like the caffeine in coke.

The choice for me is 7up but there is something in the ingredients that is not good for my teeth. Maybe the natural flavors?

the other choice is dads rootbeer in can. I think zesto is the manufacturer/supplier.
7Up has citric acid. Coke uses phosphoric acid.
 
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when mug rootbeer is still pure sugar i can consumer two 2Liters a day without a problem. I have a thin body frame. Even i eat a a lot im having a hard time gaining weight. But mug rootbeer made me gained weight my ideal weight. Also it taste better than Dads rootbeer.
 

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