So I was playing with my little boy in the park a few days ago. Naturally, we got hot and sweaty and decided to go get a drink. Imagine my surprise when I spotted a new type of Coke that I had never seen before in the machine — Coca-Cola Zero. I bought one and tried it out. This stuff is great! I love it. For once, they have come up with a low-calorie version of Coke that actually tastes like Coke.
Here in Taiwan, we don’t get half the soft drink flavors that the U.S. has. Our Coke choices here are VERY limited. You can buy regular Coke, Coke Lite, and Coke Lite with Lemon (if you can find it), but that’s about it. Vanilla Coke (one of my favorites) is available in some stores. I tend to snatch it up when I can.
But Coca-Cola Zero might become my new soft drink of choice. The taste plus “zero” calories is very appealing.
As is so typical of Taiwan, this soft drink has received ZERO promotion (is that part of the marketing plan?) with no TV spots or anything. No billboards, no nothing. You can’t buy it in stores or even the 7Eleven.
So what did I do? Simple: I went back to the park with lots of change and get several out of the machine. Haha!
But now I’m in trouble. I figure it’s zero calories, meaning I can drink lots more of it. But the missus has informed me that it’s still bad for my health. Dooh!
I’m curious — what has been the reaction in your part of the world to this new version of Coke? Do you like it?
8 responses so far ↓
1 jonathan liljeblad // Apr 6, 2007 at 12:50 am
hey there, thought i’d offer some input…
Coke Zero is okay. better than diet Coke, but still not as decadently satisfying as original Coke (when it was made from cane sugar, rather than the modern one with corn syrup). i see it as an attempt for them to expand their “diet” market to people who shun diet drinks because they dislike the taste of nutrasweet/sweet’n'low.
i should note that sports medicine generally frowns on carbonated drinks, largely because of their low nutritional content, high sodium, and tendency to disrupt nutrient absorption within the intestines. in addition (believe it or not), they function as a diuretic (due to the caffeine and preservatives), thereby dehydrating you. as a result, a lot of athletes are advised to limit their intake of carbonated drinks…and i suspect this would apply to martial arts practitioners.
also, dentists have begun to strongly discourage the consumption of soft drinks, which have been found to have a highly corrosive effect on teeth. this is not just because of sugar. the carbonation has been found to create acid when mixed with the saliva in the human mouth that is highly reactive with dental enamel. you can see this:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=65740
hate to sound like an old man (or anybody’s mom). but just thought i’d relay the information so you can compare notes with information there in Taiwan.
2 Dojo Rat // Apr 6, 2007 at 1:35 am
All I know is that Coke will disolve iron nails in a matter of days, I don’t drink the stuff. Also, I have no idea if the new recipe is as caustic as the old one… better stick with Beer!
3 Hermann // Apr 6, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Poor Amercians,
I’m so glad, we never got addicted to that stuff in good old Europe.
And in Taiwan, boiled water for training related fluid loss, some electrolytes in it, tea and coffee, and the of course, as DojoRat knows correctly, the drink all Germans from Munich jerrish most:
Beeeeeer!
4 omni // Apr 7, 2007 at 4:42 am
I would rather drink normal coke - cause its full of normal sugar - the diet stuff and zero stuff have no sugar, but as we know it is replaced with articfial sweetener - usually aspartame - which is viewed by some ppl as ok health-wise, and others (like myself) as poison!
5 Thomas // Apr 7, 2007 at 5:47 am
“Still not as satisfying as original Coke” . . . which had coca leaf extract in it, as well as cane sugar. ;- )
I had “Coca-Cola Zero” for the first time down in Baja a couple of days ago . . . the only cold beverage available in the absence of cold agua or cerveza, on a baking hot beach, served by a brown-skinned mestizo princess in an agreeably brief garment . . . it was quite nice, thank you. Context is everything.
6 chessman71 // Apr 7, 2007 at 8:17 am
Tom,
Well, I think in that context they could have handed you a baby’s bottle and you wouldn’t have knnown the difference.
7 Dave in Kaohsiung // Apr 13, 2007 at 5:22 pm
I have to agree that it is better than Coke Light when it comes to flavour. However, it would be nice to see Taiwan expand it’s sugar free soda selection, as in not limit it to just colas. I miss sugar free Dr. Pepper and A&W Rootbeer.
8 chessman71 // Apr 13, 2007 at 10:38 pm
A good root beer….now you have me drooling. Don’t you just hate that Hey Song Sasparilla? What do they put in that stuff?
Leave a Comment