Coke Vs. Pepsi – Which Is Better?
By: Angela Ho, Grade 9
Have you ever wandered through the drink aisle in the supermarket, wondering what the difference is between a can of
Coke or Pepsi? Being a fan of neither of the sodas, I don’t see the difference.
Coke or Coca-Cola was invented in a drugstore in 1885 by John Pemberton. It was originally called “Pemberton’s French Wine Cola”. Coca-Cola was initially sold as a medicine, and was popular in the United States due to the belief that carbonated water was good for health.
First known as “Brad’s Drink” in 1898, Pepsi gained popularity during the Great Depression, after the introduction of the 12 ounce bottle. Prior to the release, the Pepsi-Cola Company entered bankruptcy twice.
So what is the difference between these two sodas? They’re both dark in colour, fizzy, and sweet. Coke is in a red can, and Pepsi is in a blue can. Even when comparing the nutrition facts, there were only a few distinctions. In a 355mL can of Coke, it has 160 calories. In a can of the same size, Pepsi has 150 calories. Coke has 40mg of Sodium, whereas Pepsi has 15mg. Further down the list, both drinks ring in with a whopping amount of sugar; Coke contains 42 grams of sugar, Pepsi has 41. Although there is no fat, sugar could be converted and stored as body fat when more calories are given to the body than it actually needs. It’s futile to even think of snagging a bit of protein in either sugar-full beverage.
On second thought, why am I even analyzing the nutrition facts of soda? Unless you need 41 to 42 grams of sugar inside of you, or 150 calories to burn off, there isn’t anything nutritious about these two beverages at all. Sure, you’ll get the amazingly great feeling with all that sugar running through your veins but you’ll stay up late with the amount of caffeine in the drinks.
Below the nutrition facts, there is a list of the ingredients that don’t sound the least bit appetizing. Phosphoric acid is a clear colourless liquid, used in fertilizers, detergents, and is used for food flavouring, found in Pepsi and Coke. How on earth is “flavour/natural flavour” an ingredient? For all I know, “flavour” is just another way of hiding what corporations don’t want us to know.
Another type of beverage on the market is diet sodas. First of all, a diet is what we consume, and not just what we eat/drink when we are watching our weight. Just because diet soda has fewer calories, it doesn’t mean you might drop some weight by turning to the diet instead of the regular. Diet soda is sweetened with aspartame, which is a low calorie chemical. Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar, thus giving the drink a sweet flavour without using sugar. Now, let’s say you drank a 355mL can of Classic Coca-Cola each day, and then switched to Diet Coke. By reducing your consumption of sugar, the body wouldn’t convert the extra calories into body fat. Theoretically, by changing your habits, wouldn’t it be possible to reduce weight? However, diet sodas elicit a hormone which blocks the ability to burn fat, making weight loss difficult. Bottom line: if you are watching your weight, reduce or eliminate your intake on soda, or try to find a balance between a sugary drink and exercise. Just drinking diet soda isn’t going to get you anywhere.
For years, people have been debating which soda tastes better. Ultimately, it comes down to your own opinion. Some say that Coke is better, because they claim that Pepsi has an “oily aftertaste.” Others say that Pepsi is better, as Coke is “too fizzy” or because of Pepsi’s “original taste”. For me? Neither.
coke and pepsi is full of crap. what’s the point in drinking either? this crap tastes like dog crap and people go mental when drinking this crap.
November 13, 2010 at 10:06 AM
I agree that soda isn’t good for you but to me it tastes great and I don’t go mental when I drink it. COKE for life and pepsi when you run out
November 29, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Uhhh Coke all the way! (: Pepsi tastes like a flat coke that has been left out all day!
March 21, 2011 at 1:25 PM
i think coke is better jus because it has a better fresher taste to it for me but everyone tastebuds are different .
October 21, 2011 at 9:14 AM
I think COKE IS the best pepsi is boring;)
November 9, 2011 at 4:01 PM
Well Santa drinks Pepsi when he’s on vacation.
November 11, 2011 at 11:23 AM
pepsi is better than coke
November 22, 2011 at 12:26 PM
coke taste really bad pepsi is betterby far true talk
December 8, 2011 at 6:03 PM
at least pepsi has a soda with natural ingredients aka sierra mist natural
if i was in a desert with miles away from water and there is a coke or mello yello there beside me I would just kill myself just remember kids Coke is Bitter, Pepsi is Better!
January 15, 2012 at 6:46 PM
Dr. Pepper wins.
January 16, 2012 at 6:31 PM
Spread the Word! This is a great post. I loved reading this.
January 22, 2012 at 4:04 PM
This web site is really cool with excellent info.
January 23, 2012 at 5:47 PM
pepsi all the way.
January 24, 2012 at 9:44 PM
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February 8, 2012 at 12:23 AM
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February 8, 2012 at 10:26 PM
I got here by googling sugar content. I’m hypoglycemic and have to watch my sugars. For some reason I can drink Pepsi but not Coke (without getting sick) I’m just trying to figure out why & what’s the difference. From your findings, it doesn’t look like it’s the sugar grams.
February 27, 2012 at 5:07 PM
If you like pepsi, then you like men
March 28, 2012 at 7:03 AM
i just read all of that just to hear you say that you don’t know which is better? the title is “which is better?” and you don’t even answer. horrible writing on your part. but for the record i like Coke better.
March 28, 2012 at 9:26 PM
Aborted baby parts are put into all pepsi, kraft, and nestle products. :(
April 1, 2012 at 5:29 PM