Contained cocaine: where the name Coca-Cola came from and what it means

Coca-Cola is a classic carbonated beverage enjoyed by millions – perhaps billions – around the world.

But most of them have no idea where its name comes from, even though the brand is over 100 years old. For many, it was a real revelation to learn that the name of the popular drink comes from a banned substance, OBOZ.UA writes.

Coca-Cola was originally sold as a kind of health drink, and its name refers to two main extracts: coca leaves and cola nuts. Coca leaves are taken from the same plant used to make cocaine, while cola nuts give it its characteristic flavor and contain natural caffeine.

Although the exact recipe for Coca-Cola used today is highly classified, the drink still contains coca leaf extract.

In 1886, an Atlanta pharmacist invented Coca-Cola as a brain-stimulating tonic that combined cocaine and caffeine-producing kola nut extract.

Coca-Cola eliminated cocaine from its recipe around 1900, but the secret formula still calls for the use of cocaine-free coca extract produced at the Stepan Co. factory in Maywood, New Jersey.

The cocaine-free extract is sold to the Coca-Cola Company for use in soft drinks, while the cocaine is sold to a pharmaceutical firm, particularly for topical painkillers.

In addition, Coca-Cola also has another legal exception – it is the only brand allowed to have two trademarks for the same product.

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