KleptoKea
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952
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Calvin and Habs. Love these guys
https://www.youtube.com/@calvinandhabs/shorts
https://youtube.com/shorts/ycYbMrIhWWQ?si=lKJYsPKt3-RGb54k
For USonians who might be confused at the end, Fanta isn't usually radioactive-orange coloured in other countries.
aesaclub
Here in Sweden we had small stores selling imported Slovenian (or Slovakian??) Coca Cola 2L bottles right after we joined the EU common market, it was much cheper than our officially and locally made Coca Cola... taste was VERY different tho. Still wonder why.
ObjectivePragmatistWithHope
I literally thought Coke went bad when you couldn't find the glass bottles at the big grocery stores anymore, back in the late 80s/early 90s, and it was because of the evil plastic bottles. When I got a little older, I always searched for the stores that had the glass bottles, which were always from Mexico, but I didn't realize it was due to the cane sugar until like the mid 00s. -_- LOL!
Filanwizard
The only real difference i knew of is non US coke used cane sugar. We are bound to HFCS so that the line goes up for the investors.
TouchMyInfection
For those confused as I was: Fanta was created in Nazi Germany during World War II as a response to the American trade embargo that limited Coca-Cola's ingredient supply.
Thorketil
Indeed.
During the Second World War, Germany was under a United States trade embargo and a British naval blockade; the import of Coca-Cola syrup was thus prohibited. To circumvent this, Max Keith, the head of Coca-Cola Deutschland (Coca-Cola GmbH), decided to create a new product for the German market, using only ingredients available in Germany at the time, including sugar beet, whey, and apple pomace. He later described them as the "leftovers of leftovers". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanta
DosPadres
Faaaanta
ThrowerBot
"Don't you wanna wanna fanta!?"
huey9k
Reminds me of the Waterboy 'GAAAAATORRRAAAAADE' scene.
Exyr
Yes but the original recipe with the methadone and coke please.
DobbyOneKenobi
Heil Fanta!
Zange0
Well you see, we figured out how to make syrup from corn, and corn was local vs the imported sugar. "Oh, so it's cheaper?" you may ask. Well it's cheaper after the US provides massive subsidies to farmers to grow corn and adds tariffs to sugar.
NM156
The lie of New Coke was so people wouldn't recognize the change when 'original' Coke returned with corn syrup!
slatsisanoldie
3/10. I thought this was a comparison of American cocaine.
Ggbambi
Lol I was literally JUST having this being fed up. I cant get any american recipe sodas without high fructose corn syrup, all the others are "fancy." MAN DID WE LOSE THE THREAD OR WHAT
Bhurano
His "too much"... he sounded like a offended italian.
Kinda the right reaction to those affronts of good taste.
Seriously, US Fanta should be purged.
Time for the Flammenwerfer... again... sigh.
jimhotep
This is why I buy hencho en México Coke.
Camelspotting
This is why I buy diet Coke. If it's going to taste like chemicals and not real sugar, might as well go all in.
overflowin2718
i always thought Colombian was the best?
mksu
Isn't the main difference just cane sugar instead of hfcs?
CausticCake
Yes, hfcs is banned in Mexico. You also dont need to buy the Mexican version. Every year around March or April, you can find Coke bottles with yellow caps that is the same thing since Jews cant eat grains like corn for Passover
jimhotep
and a formulation difference.
mksu
I would not have guessed. Tried one recently and I honestly couldn't taste any difference that obviously wasn't due to cane sugar or a glass bottle.
jimhotep
Formulation change doesn't mean a change in taste. It's how the current product is produced, and the stabilizers used by the US aren't used in other countries; it's just better ingredients.
mksu
Fair enough.
Babomonkey
Coke in Mexico is also made with HFCS. The real sugar "Mexican Coke" is made almost exclusively for the US market but, for a touch of legitimacy, is bottled in Mexico.
TheImgurWarsMadeMe
You're right, only Miranda is supposed to be radioactive orange.
KKinDK
OMG I love lemon Mirinda! ❤️
bippityboppitybuttsex
Coke absolutely, 100% expires... drank one that was like 5 years past its best by date... gak.
ChloeRed
Who are you, Stuart Ashens? ;)
Malak224
In 2 liter form an opened bottle of coke lasts like four days tops.
an0therthr0waway
yep, that's chemistry. HFCS doesn't last as long as sugar. Also anything lasts much longer in glass than plastic or aluminum.
mohammadbinsalmon
do you have a source for the claim that HFCS doesnt last as long as sugar?
bippityboppitybuttsex
HFCS normally has a shelf-life of 2-3 years cuz of its high sugar content and low water content.
mohammadbinsalmon
A: thats not really a source but B: why would low water content reduce the shelf-life of the substance...?
bippityboppitybuttsex
Cuz the syrup acts as a desiccant... it ends up acting like honey, there is just no moisture for bacteria to grow
FiftyShadesOfTiramisu
Yep. You don't want to store drinks in plastic bottles for much longer than 3 months unless it's non-carbonated water. Acidic drinks like Coke with its pH of 2.5 cause increased chemical leaching from day one
bippityboppitybuttsex
Plastics, it's what balls crave
Grinch01
Yesterday I bought a american Import can of fanta berry, I couldn't Finish it was awefull 🤢 and i wont start with the dye they use aswell
erinaceus
used to be hawaiian coke was cane sugar only as well. dunno anymore
mirrorz
Mexican coke tastes "better" because it has more salt. This pbs video delves into it more. Basically sucrose "real sugar" in an acid breaks down fairly quickly into fructose and glucose like corn syrup. https://youtu.be/NY66qpMFOYo
sfrinlan
The guy actually did a follow up where they do more tests and confirm that coke that's made with sucrose AND refrigerated most of the time from when it was bottled to when you open it, much of the sucrose will stick around. https://www.youtu.be/UC6bv6Ies3A They didn't sample a large set of people, but amongst themselves, they had a hard time discerning the difference.
CeoHuntingSeason
what percentage of all coke is refrigerated from it was bottled until you open it? I bet it's less than 1%
mirrorz
Hmm. My comment actually posted. Imgur just said "there was an error" and crashed when I submitted it earlier on my phone. Usually does that when OP's post is deleted or hidden.
ChloeRed
US friends visiting me in the UK, drinking pepsi "How come you get the good stuff, and we keep the shit for ourselves?"
albinomuntjac
If you want cane sugar Coke at non-Mexico glass bottle prices, keep an eye open for 2L bottles with a yellow cap, particularly around major Jewish holidays. HFCS cannot be certified as kosher so Coca Cola runs the real sugar version into the 2L & puts a yellow cap on those for easy identification.
cropduster5000
In case anybody was wondering, high fructose corn syrup is inherently not healthier than sugar. It is cheaper, but it spikes your blood sugar levels higher and also mildly interferes with how insulin process blood sugar
Besamel
Australian here. We had a vending machine in the office and staff started noticing that the Coke didn’t taste as good, and the cans were smaller. Turns out the vendor had started buying American Coke as it was cheaper but was still charging us the same. After enough protest, he switched back.
VibratingNipples
American vs European Fanta
echonite
European version looks like orange juice. Us version looks like it tastes like the color orange. That's what fanta is supposed to taste like.
Cranbananarama
Might explains why the label says "Made with orange juice."
mirhagk
"is supposed to taste like" - ah so you don't know why they made the Nazi joke lol.
Fanta was created because Germany couldn't get the syrup for coca cola during the war period, so they made an alternative drink. German Fanta is what it's "supposed to" taste like, because the Germans made Fanta.
echonite
I am aware of Nazi Coke's history, thanks.
ariania
"100% natural flavor" is not "taste like orange". And according to the company themself, its suppose to taste like carbonated orange juice.
TripleDane
There is a reason science has so many rules to eliminate personal bias.
Because it dumb, for anything else than your personal preference.
WillTheFifth
Moved from San Diego to Germany back in September for grad school. European Fanta is basically carbonated orange juice. And it's amazing. As is Fritz Kola, Spezi/MezzoMix/SchwipSchwap, and Apfelschorle.
KleptoKea
Fritz also made coffee cola which I used to love while living in Hamburg
VibratingNipples
I recently tried the EU version off of Amazon. I like the EU version better, wish we can get more in the US. Only if it wasn't so damn expansive here in the US
justheretocommentonce
Apfelschorle und mezzomix, danke.
Yetiphobia
Schnell, schnell! Make mit de zoda drinks
Daes1283
I visit my east neighbours monthly and get my mezzomix crates from Kaufland... Love them
TheMindEntropic
I've had both. European tasted "saltier" to me, but I still loved it. I liked both, tbh. They are different things wearing the same coat to me.
Mlatimudan
Jezus it looks like someone put Agent Orange in water.
RuminatingYak
Stale piss vs fresh piss
SyllogismeJazz
OlympicPenguin
You guys are getting piss?
SirBonSama
Well, yeah... How else are we going to be doing golden showers in a group setting?
Camelspotting
You may want to get that checked out.
HearMeFart
Do they taste as different as they look?
MantisTobagganMD
Yep. While in Edinburgh as a teen I had my first taste of real (orange) Fanta. It is faaaaar superior. Actually tastes like a citrus drink. Streets ahead.
astrangehop
Like an orangina?
MantisTobagganMD
I had Orangina for the first time in the Netherlands. Damn good stuff. If memory serves... similar? But Orangina is probably more "fresh fruit juice" tasting. I don't know, it was decades ago.
SpamYarBlockers
That’s because if you want a radioactive orange colored soda in Edinburgh you can get Irn Bru
MantisTobagganMD
Which I also discovered and fell in love with. Then, years later, tried again. Not really a fan anymore. I mean.... It's ok.
olafthrig
https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1Zmt5NGtlb3Fxb3ZxOGg2cjR1Nm9janAzbHA1N3k0Z2x0OHE2ZTlseSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/WiyczarN2XMm4/200w.webp
MantisTobagganMD
https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1eTE2cG44cnZhOG5ieXd4am9uNG8xMXdjdmFsZ2wwdTZodjd3Nms3YiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/7MX9p2zYexCKI/200w.webp
olafthrig
https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1Zmt5NGtlb3Fxb3ZxOGg2cjR1Nm9janAzbHA1N3k0Z2x0OHE2ZTlseSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/kaGUvDOUCqDo4/200w.webp
lonelyrangerofthedreams
And the European one already tastes like a not-that-bad orange flavored medicine.
I don’t even want to try to imagine how much of the chemical formula you can taste in the American one.
skibbyAU
Australian Fanta is like American Fanta. I can only assume European Fanta is like Orangina.
IAmRandyButternubs
Is that similar to Orangussy?
Somethingwittyandunique
It is not because Orangina has pulp; both are good but Orangina has the edge in my humble opinion, but you have to buy it in Europe. In the UK they don’t put sugar in it, it’s fake sugar garbage now because of the sugar tax. French Orangina is still delish because it’s real sugar (in line with the OC)
skibbyAU
I had Orangina in French Polynesia, so I can only presume it was the French version.
mychesthairlookslikeacatsass
I seriously thought you made a metaphor out of the nectar of female oranges
Clayman8
The simple fact you mentionned Orangina makes me respect you a bit more.
DryAgedPopsicle
Orangina Rouge/Blutorangina ftw!
Whatdoyousaytoanicecupoftea
Orangina in the small round bottles is the best
Clayman8
I remember those. Loved them
DryAgedPopsicle
They are still sold in the glass bottles, but the boxes take lots of space, so many stores pivoted to the not-so-round plastic bottles instead.
ForlornFennec
God I haven't been able to get Orangina in years, my store stopped stocking it... I miss that stuff.
Clayman8
Worth a shot to ask if they can order it actually. Depending on the store, they might indulge
ForlornFennec
Alas, I work there, I know they absolutely will not.
JerzeeTomato
+1 for the Cormac McCarthy shirt!
KilroyLichking
hecho en mexico glass bottle coke is superior.
yeahhedugit
Either one is going to give you the diabetes.
CeoHuntingSeason
yeah but wasting your health in exchange for a slightly more pleasurable existence is like the motto of mankind, so yeah, avoid coke if you care about health, but if you don't care enough at least get the best value for your health decay.\
ProjectDA
i cant verify it, but ive heard that mexican coke is specifically made for export to the US. coke in mexico is just like in the US, HFCS.
slopwizard
Yeah, do even Americans prefer American Coke? There's just no choice because HFCS is in everything
Malak224
We don’t. Mexican Coke is a treat for us.
Sticklebrickk
People will literally go out of their way during the holidays to pick up Mexican coke. The reason for the holiday stuff, is, of course, because the CocaCola branding that comes with Santa, the Coke Train, the polar bears......
Corporations will withhold whatever they want and sell it at a premium price during demand instead of just giving it to us years round. That really says a lot.
KilroyLichking
its available at the Mexican grocery store near me and by the pallet at Gordon's food service, its also available in Meijer food of the world section for like a 1$ more than i can get at the mexican grocery store but im pretty sure that is a "your shopping at meijer so you can afford it" and not corporate coca cola saying drink our hi fructose syrup so that leviathan can eat you
Sticklebrickk
I am a regular grocery store customer.
I don't think about CocaCola until season.
I see CocaCola everywhere.
I must buy CocaCola because of the ads.
I see a smiling bear/Santa holding a CocaCola.
I see glass instead of plastic.
I must buy 4 pack CocaCola for $10 because I can see it and it is there and it'll only cost $10. I know I can buy it for $1 each somewhere else.
The Santa/Polar Bear smiles and waves.
American consumerism.
darksamus8
most people I know prefer it. But glass is more expensive to manufacture and ship than plastic, and cane sugar is more expensive than corn syrup. In the USA, in both cases, the latter (plastic and corn syrup) are DIRT cheap.
PTKrieg
In my mind, the ranking is Mexican Coke > McDonalds fountain Coke > normal ass American Coke.
PorterPickUp
We don't but Mexican coke costs 50%-80% more per bottle.
arewenotkingsandqueenstogether
Most people I know prefer Mexican Coke, but it's a lot harder to find. It's like a fun treat.
sinskittles
There is no chemical difference between the HFCS coke and cane sugar coke. The other ingredients in the coke break down the sugars the same way into the same component parts. Now with that said, glass is waaaaaay better for you and the environment than plastic.
ballisticks
As someone who's tasted coke both in the UK and North America, the NA version is a lot more cloying. UK coke is sweet yes but it's different.
I like diet coke over them both anyways
zFUBARz
And yet they taste different even during blind tests.
16KTS
American Coke: yeah we put Corn syrup in here for our taste.
Mexican: Fancy Coke. Made of real
Cane sugar.
gablestout
Fun fact: Coke made in Mexico and sold in Mexico now contains corn syrup. Only their Mexicoke export uses sugar.
And...ironically, Coke announced last year they are going back to cane sugar as the sweetener for Coke sold in the U.S.
Sonicschilidogs
Nah, we put HFCS in there because we produce ass loads of corn, and we subsidize the shit out of the industry, so HFCS is cheaper than Cane Sugar stateside.
dinosaurbutt
Had fanta in ireland and it actually taste like orange juice. I haven't had a fanta since I came home
Ventorath
I don't know a soul in the US who is buying Fanta expecting it to taste like actual fruit. It's like Gatorade flavors basically.
Nusete
Why do americans eat/drink as if they had free healthcare?
SlavaUkrainisaysSteveBuscemi
CrowBones4505
We try to enjoy things where we can, while we can
rezpawner
Same reason they vote as if they are billionaires. They are idiots.
Cyrakhis
No. Because under the crushing weight of their world trying to flatten them a little treat helps them get by the day. Sometimes a big treat. Also commercialization.
spiderjohn36
Do you all have Fresca in the EU? My favorite Coke product by far.
neithermenoryou
Haven't seen Fresca in Germany but I'm also not too often in bougie stores in bigger cities. We do have Fritz Kola here though, and that shit slaps. Though the other local brands of cola are also all worth checking out, unless it's the cheap swill in 3l bottles, those all just taste like the leftover chemicals they use to clean the cola tanks with.
KleptoKea
I used to live and work in Hamburg. LOVED the Fritz cola and the Fritz limo. I keep a bottle here with me in NZ as a momento :)
Emjayen
Never heard of it in Australia, however maybe it's marketed different here.
JonnyTightlips
Sugar free grapefruit soda....so fucking good
Easykehl
Fresca is pretty much the only soda I drink these days. Now you have me interested to try it overseas!
Krashtestdummy
spiderjohn36
Ask for the peach Fresca. Trust me. Lol
KilroyLichking
would you like a fresca
spiderjohn36
I kinda say that as a joke, because it's one of the least favorite Coke products, but I do love it.
KilroyLichking
im referencing the boys and the cult that the deep fell into
KleptoKea
I'm a Kiwi so I can't speak for them, but we don't have Fresca here in NZ. We have Karma Cola which we make here, which I like way more than any other brand.
spiderjohn36
I'm from Tennessee (the southestern U.S.) and I'm wondering how much differently we pronounce "Karma". LOL
KleptoKea
To you guys us Kiwis might sound like we're saying "Kahmah"
spiderjohn36
And we would sound like "carmah". We have those hard "R"'s.
IHaveGreatKittenRecipes
https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1ZTd3MThyYm0yd3BmM3NiMGczdGtnZTJkMndpMHRlMmJxenhqYzBxNSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/3cWdJ89fJCqaI/200w.webp
Malak224
That looks like some old school soda and must taste amazing!
DongleDingler
My favorite soda is bottled by Canada Dry, but I think it's only available around NYC and surrounding states. I got hooked on Dr. Browns black cherry soda at my first job at a Jewish country club, and now find it at ShopRite. Has anyone outside of the Northeast US tried or heard of it?
an0therthr0waway
Once a friend brought me a 6-pack of Cel-Ray after a trip to LI ...and was a little disappointed that I already knew it existed ...and then very happy when I told her how much I liked it. :)
DongleDingler
I've never seen the celery soda for sale, I only found out about it an hour ago when searching for the reference picture
spiderjohn36
Hell yeah. I love Dr. Brown's. You can't find it everywhere down south, but Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Trader Joe's usually do.
Volpe42
Its here in PA in variety type stores. Ocean state job lot, dollar tree.
DongleDingler
Good to know. If you're in PA, you've probably seen my second favorite soda around then too
Volpe42
You can only find that in a few tourist trap locations, we don't really drink that here. Weird thing is everyone has it on tap in OCNJ
an0therthr0waway
that's great stuff. I still miss Frozen Run BB tho.
TheOvy
I know it's a joke, but it was immediately paired with a fact: high fructose corn syrup IS cheaper, but it is NOT healthier. What's more, that high fructose corn syrup is so cheap means that companies can put it in everything (cereal, fast food, ketchup, flavored yogurt, snack bar including your protein bars, candies, most anything ultaprocessed) and so is a major driver of diabetes in Americans. Like, even our tomato sauce has tons of HFCS in it, so pasta is far healthier in Europe.
realGeorgelucas
I remember years ago seeing a video of a guy in California that only sells fizzy drinks, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPbh6Ru7VVM - this was in a "best of youtube" video podcast thing that I was subscribed to 13 years ago. It always stuck with me.
Kinsa83
Yep. As someone with fructose malabsoption. Its not impossible to avoid it completely when you prep your own food at home, but I dont bring anything with HFCS into my house. But that means I accept I get exposed to it eating out of the house, but its low enough amounts and infrequent enough that it doesnt trigger my body's reaction. It takes alot of ingredient list reading to navigate. Food with Organic labels are more likely to not have HFCS in them.
TheOvy
That sounds like a nightmare! You have my condolences.
Kinsa83
At first it was, but after awhile it just becomes second nature. Discomfort is just not worth it.
RecurringNightmare
its only cheaper because the corn lobby pushes the government to keep cane and beet sugar prices artificially increased way above world market level...
AlienHitSquad
yay legalized bribery!
mirhagk
Also because corn itself is subsidized through various programs.
ukalliq
We can grow a buttload of corn domestically. We cannot grow a buttload of sugar cane.
mirhagk
Yeah so if you wanna double down on wasting money, subsidized and isolationist.
KuldFyt
The HFCS is 1- not the source of the "chemical" flavor (that's the plastic it's bottled/canned in), and 2- has a 55/45 fructose/glucose ratio instead of the 50/50 that cane sugar has. Also the second step of glucose metabolism is to convert it into fructose, so it's really dubious whether there is any disparity between the health effects of the two sugars, and overwhelming majority of the health impact of HFCS is that it's refined sugar and you're eating/drinking it, which we should all do less.
Kinsa83
Define chemical taste. Cause I can taste when something is made with HFCS vs not. I was diagnosed with fructose malabsoption 27 yrs ago. I avoid it at home, but accept that I get exposed to it when I do eat out. There is a taste difference. I also cant taste monk fruit and stevia tastes horribly chemical. HFCS has this extra acidic tang that feels like it burns my throat and that happens regardless of the container it comes in. Not everyone tastes everything the same. Genetics is weird.
KuldFyt
That's true, and it's not even always down to genetics. But the plastic releases acetaldehyde into the soda, which the majority of people taste fairly well and is often described as being similar to paint thinner/stripper.
Kinsa83
Ok cool, but im talking about all food. Even spaghetti sauce in a glass jar. If it has HFCS in it I can taste it.
gablestout
I invite you to watch, "Sugar: the Bitter Truth", a lecture by Dr, Robert Lustig, UCSF, on YouTube. He breaks down, to your point how sucrose and HFCS are "the same", and the real reason HFCS is, in his words, "evil".
Hint: It might have something to do with the relative price of cane sugar and corn syrup and microwave dinners...
@ByThePowerofScience you will enjoy the bichemistry and the sheer genius of how he lays the argument out in his lecture.
HelpfulCorn
Lustig and his carbohydrate insulin hypothesis has been thoroughly debunked
gablestout
I understand he is controversial, but I'm not talking about his carbohydrate–insulin hypothesis. What I'm looking at here is the economics of sugar. When you measure cost against sweetness, corn syrup is 35-40% cheaper than cane sugar (sucrose). It became so cheaper to sweeten everything that it became a default. Fats and fiber were removed from ultra-processed foods, and replaced with sugar. That's the problem. Too much simple carbohydrates, not enough natural fats and complex carbohydrates.
mohammadbinsalmon
that guy is a really bad source of information and any credible nutrition scientist does not think highly of him
gablestout
Oh he is super controversial, but my sticking point fro that lecture was the economics of sugar. Corn syrup is 40% cheaper than cane sugar (sucrose), which made it cheap to add sugar to everything. I'll give you a very straightforward example: go to the grocery store. How many sliced breads contain corn syrup? It's everywhere now. Bread, sauces, cereals, condiments. Consumers prefer them because of the sweetness. And the sweetness is there because it's a cheap way to drive taste preference
mohammadbinsalmon
oh honestly i think i misread what you said. i agree with the point you made here. sorry for the confusion!