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Coke


Coke

Coca-Cola is a sweet carbonated beverage, manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia. Also known simply as Coke, it is sold in 200 countries and is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Since its inception in the late 1800's it has become a symbol for America along with McDonalds Hamburgers and Starbucks Coffee.

Animated History of Coca-Cola

About Coke

Coca-Cola was invented in the 1880's by John Pemberton in Atlanta Georgia. It was originally sold as a pep providing medicinal elixir. Pemberton claimed it was able to cure many diseases including morphine addiction, dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headache, and impotence.

Coca-Cola got its name from its dual sources of pep, cocaine and caffeine. Cocaine was extracted from the coca leaf, and the caffeine came from the kola nut. The original recepie called for five ounces of coca leaves per gallon of syrup, which is a pretty heavy dose.

Today Coke still uses coca leaves as an ingredient, but it is a cocaine-free leaf extract prepared by a Stepan Company plant in New Jersey, the only federally authorized manufacturing company to import and process coca plants. Stepan Company sells the extracted cocaine to Mallinckrodt in St. Louis, the only company licensed to purify cocaine for medicinal use.

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