The Horse's Epic Expriment! Must be read by all humans!

@TheHorse (203666)
Walnut Creek, California
June 27, 2017 11:53am CST
Yesterday, I went to my favorite local burrito place. When I went to the cooler to get my ritual Coke, there were no Cokes--only these green cans that contained what is called "Coca-Cola Life." At the bottom of the can the print proudly proclaims "Sweetened with Cane Sugar and Stevia." A bit about my background: I am a Coke snob. I love Coke. Give me a Pepsi, and I will wrinkle my nose slightly but drink it politely. Give me anything "Diet," and an I will give you a look that would suggest you had tried to serve me porcine placenta. Mexican Coke is known to be sweetened with cane sugar, but it comes in a bottle. I like the feel of a frosty Coke can in my hand. The ladies behind the counter offered to give me a soda fountain Coke instead. I said no, I am going to conduct the mother of all experiments. I told them I'd report back to them next time I came in. As I set up my burrito as my desk, I saw the words "Reduced Calorie Cola" near the top of the can. My heat sank a bit, but I persevered. I took a perfect bite, with red salsa and one grilled pepper piece on top, and then reached for the can. I took my first sip. It tasted... Terrible! It was as if the sweeteners were battling for dominance on my palate. The familiar Coke taste was missing in action. I blame the stevia. It must be some new "reduced calorie" sweetener. I gave a small sip to my pet laboratory rat, and he keeled over and died instantly. The verdict: Avoid Coca Cola Life at all costs! I'd take a Pepsi over this product any day, and I might even prefer Diet Coke to this product. What a disappointment.
24 people like this
24 responses
@paigea (35511)
• Canada
27 Jun 17
Stevia is a sweet plant. You can even use the stevia leaf directly to sweeten. Doesn't mean it belong in coke. But I do use stevia
5 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
I saw on the can that it mentioned "stevia leaf." I wonder why it just didn't work in Coke.
2 people like this
@paigea (35511)
• Canada
27 Jun 17
@TheHorse I tried that Coke but I am no help as I really don't like pop at all so my opinion doesn't count.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
@paigea I drank a lot of soda as a kid.
3 people like this
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
27 Jun 17
How about an ice cold water
3 people like this
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
27 Jun 17
@TheHorse much better and much safer :=)
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
i keep cold water in the fridge these days.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
@jaiho2009 But I love a nice frosty Coke now and then!
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
27 Jun 17
Is it true the best Coca-Cola comes from Atlanta, Georgia? And I agree, the zero-cal or reduced sugar stuff is usually vile. Someone told me Dr Pepper only tastes good when from a particular region in the US, damned if I can remember which, though. What colour flowers should I send (for your ex-rat, might I add!)?
2 people like this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
27 Jun 17
@TheHorse Algernon? That's a bit, well, Biggles, or Jeeves and Wooster ;) Still, Algy gave his life for the cause, and is now pushing up the daisies. Requiescat in pacem.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
@pgntwo Jeeves in my idol. I sometimes shimmer in and observe things, unobserved.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
Oh, my precious Algernon liked...um...daisies.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323652)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jun 17
Vince can immediately taste any of the artificial sugars in any foods. We've never been fans of coke. I've seen what it can do to a dirty penny.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
What does it do to a dirty penny?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
@JudyEv I give Coke credit for the fact that I'm never sick. I think it shined up my tummy and ate away all the bad bacteria.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323652)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jun 17
@TheHorse As long as it hasn't eaten the good bacteria as well.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116876)
• Anniston, Alabama
27 Jun 17
Being a diabetic I do drink Diet Coke and I have become a coke snob too, but diet. I sen this green can and as I read " Pure cane sugar AND Stevia I walked away because to me its contradiction, Cane sugar is super sweet, stevia is super sweet. BUT stevia leaves this after taste that I just cannot get used to.... When I see the word stevia I tend to walk away, although I have some in the pantry it will be for guest only that use it. Green canned Coke = Big fail!
3 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
Agreed. It's probably supposed to represent stevia, which I think comes from a leaf. But it doesn't work for me either.
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
27 Jun 17
That's a bummer. I thought it looked promising, but good to know it isn't. Will you drink Dr Pepper or Spite or anything else?
3 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
I prefer 7-Up, but I don't mind Sprite. Dr. Pepper doesn't do it for me.
• United States
27 Jun 17
I hate that stevia..it does taste gross to me too. Yes I will take a coke a cold frosty bottle of coke any day over anything else.
2 people like this
• United States
28 Jun 17
@TheHorse Yes its horrible stuff at least to me, I am not a fan of it Horse.
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
Ah, a person of taste. What else is stevia in?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
@TiarasOceanView I will look for it on those pink and blue packages of low-calorie sweeteners. I'll put on a hasmat suit first, though.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
27 Jun 17
My body reacts to Stevia the same was it does to Splenda, badly!! I wouldn't touch a diet or calorie reduced Coke on a dare so I am glad you tested it for me!!
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
27 Jun 17
@TheHorse Thank you, I will be eternally grateful!!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
@BelleStarr I just read that stevia can be used as a contraceptive. My mind is reeling.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
My aim is to save others from the pain and trauma I suffered yesterday.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jun 17
i reckon such 'twas most disappointin' 'n i hope ya gave yer pet rat a proper burial 'n 'pologized profusely fer 'ts demise. our taste buds 're purty conditioned 'n new schtuff most oft 'tis horrible. i 'twas addicted to pepsi 's coke killed my kidneys fer some reason, dr. pepper sent me runnin'. when i'd the need to rid myself 'f caffeine 'n high fructose corn syrup, i tried the caffeine free 'real sugar' one. talk 'bout hurl 'n gag. yer jest gonna need to do's i used to, hon. i always packed a cooler to avoid such defeats.
2 people like this
• United States
28 Jun 17
@TheHorse whoa hoss! too much info, lol. i packed a cooler, always. did such to go 'nto town also 's such 'twas mostly'n all day affair. used frozen bottles 'f water to keep 'em ice cold 'n if'n the day proceeded to be a scorcher, i'd also water to drink. used to drive the young'uns nuts coz i also pack food.
@KristenH (33355)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
27 Jun 17
I don't drink Coco-Cola much. But I do love Pepsi from time to time. Sorry to hear about that epic fail on Cola.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
Yeah, I was bummed. I may have to buy one of those 12-packs of Coke to de-traumatize myself.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
@KristenH Oh, now I'm drooling.
1 person likes this
@KristenH (33355)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
27 Jun 17
@TheHorse Maybe.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20368)
• Fairfield, Texas
28 Jun 17
I don't drink sodas anymore @TheHorse , but when I did, it was Big Red.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
Is Big Red Coke?
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20368)
• Fairfield, Texas
28 Jun 17
@TheHorse Could be; it's been so long now that I don't remember.
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
27 Jun 17
Thanks for the review, but I gave up soda years and years ago. Coke and Pepsi are trying to come out with a less fattening and healthier version of their products. Stevia is much better than those other diet additives, but too much sugar is no good, too.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
I love sugar. Give me sugar! Give me Coke! Give me pancakes with maple syrup! Give me chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream! Sugar sugar sugar!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
28 Jun 17
@TheHorse You sound as if you're on a sugar high, or is it something else!
@just4him (303324)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
27 Jun 17
As much as I now prefer Stevia to sugar cane, I would never touch that can of coca cola life. It doesn't even sound like it tastes good. BTW - stevia is a natural sweetener - no calories and tastes just like regular sugar.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
So what made that green Coke so nasty? Stevia is way more powerful than sugar, you can use less. I guess that's where the reduction in calories comes from. I reduce calories by getting off my fatty acids and doing something!
1 person likes this
@just4him (303324)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
28 Jun 17
@TheHorse You definitely don't need much Stevia, but it's naturally no calories no matter how much or little you use. I don't know what they hoped to accomplish by adding both cane sugar and Stevia to the soda. That would indeed make it nasty.
• United States
27 Jun 17
Maybe a little TMI, but diet, reduce calorie, zero, free, one anything in my soda has always just given me the runs. I like a plain coca cola, no ice. Mexican coke aint too bad though. Nothing like a good burrito though
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
My burrito was yummy! Diet stuff just tastes terrible to me. I'll have to check my bowel and bladder function next time one is forced upon me.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
@librarygeek1980 Thank goodness I'm not alone.Diet soda makes me pee at right angles.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jun 17
@TheHorse diet anything also wrecks havoc with my bladder too...
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98515)
• India
28 Jun 17
Jesus...you just cost Coca Cola company such a lot of loss that it would have to shut down. Then you would be left with nothing but Pepsi..
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61308)
• United States
28 Jun 17
How do you compare the cane sugar Cokes with the corn syrup Cokes? Which one tastes better? I can smell Coca-Cola. It has a very distinct smell, compared to the other soft drinks.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
I've had a "Mexican" Coke, with real cane sugar, and it WAS good. But could I tell it from an American Coke in a "blind" test? I'm not sure.
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25820)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
28 Jun 17
I avoid soda, except the occasional hard soda, and diet soda. The chemicals in the drinks do all kinds of nasty things to the body and have 0, zip, nadda, none, no positive benefits to the drinker. At least hard soda has the benefit of making me forget why it's bad for me.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
I drink my cabernet because it keeps me from getting oxidized, whatever that is. And I drink Scotch because it...um...reduces my lower back pain. Guinness, of course, is consumed only to help with my guitar playing of Irish music.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (72494)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Jun 17
Sounds like poison to me Here is a link I found. Even if you will never drink this again you might bump into Stevia again so take a look.
Stevia is a sugar substitute that comes from a plant, and has no calories. But is it good for health? Here's a look at what the research says about stevia.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
Thanks. I'll check it out. Do people eat porcine placentas? I'm willing to try one now.
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
28 Jun 17
O the Humanity! The Coke has been through many incarnations and this one sounds as bad as the time they added, what was it, lemon? lime? It tasted like short. I mean, shirt. Oh you know what I mean. . .
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jun 17
I Most certainly do Do you remember when they went to a sweeter formula, to try and be like Pepsi? And then good old Coke was called Classic Coke for awhile? I wonder if that was a "publicity stunt" of sorts.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jun 17
@TheHorse It could well have been for publicity. But since when does Coca-Cola need publicity? Also might have been one of those "pipe dreams" that looked good on paper. Honestly, I don't think there's a cola that tastes as good as a frosty Coke.
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
27 Jun 17
I haven't even seen this yet. I think I'll pass.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 17
That's the only place I've seen it.
1 person likes this