The medicines that children and adults alike loves~

After two cans of pepsi (yes, i'm developing a sweet tooth under stress), I tot it apt to update this long-forgotten blog with a post on two of the world's more famous soft drinks: Coca Cola and Pepsi.

I'm sure many of you have drunk it, but how many actually know much about their history?

Since I'm a fan of Pepsi, let's start with Pepsi first.

Did you know that Pepsi was first made in the early 1890s by a pharmacist? The concoction was called 'Brad's drink' then. It was made of carbonated water, sugar, vanilla, rare oils, pepsin and kola nuts.

What is more intriguing is that fact that this soft drink was actually made with the intention of curing stomach pains. In fact, the name Pepsi was coined from the condition dyspepsia, or putting it simply, indigestion!

Coca Cola, or coke, the more 'popular' brand (though i still prefer Pepsi), has a pretty similiar story to it - both started out as medicines.

When it was invented in the late 19th century, it was intended as a patent medicine. It was made as a cocawine which is an alcoholic beverage containing both cocaine and wine.

In fact, the name Coca-cola was due to the stimulant of the drink being made from cocaine (hence coca) and flavor from kola nuts (hence cola). And in case you are wondering, yes, this is the same cocaine that is also known as 'crack' - a powerful addictive drug. -- no wonder coke was so popular those days!

Before you go ditching your cans of coke, take note that Coke has since taken out the cocaine stimulant and replaced it with caffeine instead. (sigh no kick liao lor, =p)

[more about pepsi and coke? click here and here.]