The Cola Wars Continue

July 6, 2009 /

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgq4knffRKc[/youtube]

We’ve been hearing a lot about High Fructose Corn Syrup vs. Sugar lately, and we decided to do a very low-tech cola taste test on Saturday. I went to my local grocery store, where I procured one Pepsi, one Coke, one Mexican Coke (aka, Coke with sugar), and one Pepsi Natural (aka, Pepsi with sugar). Ted wanted to try some other cola brands as well, but at $7.80 for four sodas, we decided that four were enough.

We decided that a blind taste test was best, so I marked the bottoms of some paper cups with the four varieties, and we each had a sample of all four. We then wrote our preferences on the front of the cups, ranking them a 1 for our favorite, and a 4 for our least favorite.

The chips are to cleanse your palate…what better to cleanse a palate of cola than a tasty Ruffles Natural? Nothing.

The results? Inconclusive. None of us agreed on which were best, or worst. It should be noted that neither Ted nor Maya care for cola much, whereas I am sadly addicted. But my addiction is with the Alzheimer’s drink of choice, Diet Coke. I’m not sure if that changes how you feel about our votes or not. Judge for yourself.

Maya
1st place: Pepsi Natural
2nd place: Coke with HFCS
3rd place: Pepsi with HFCS
4th place: Coke with sugar

Ted
1st place: Coke with HFCS
2nd place: Pepsi with HFCS
3rd place: Coke with sugar
4th place: Pepsi Natural

Julie
1st place: Coke with sugar
2nd place: Pepsi Natural
3rd place: Coke with HFCS
4th place: Pepsi with HFCS

So, ignoring the debate over how your body metabolizes HFCS vs. Sugar, the super prevalence of HFCS in places it ought not to be (aka, bread, crackers, etc.), and going on taste alone, and based on the results of our very small sample, we can’t say which is the ‘best’ soft drink.

Anyone want a glass of milk? Or perhaps some lemonade?

14 Comments

  • Autumn's Mom

    July 6, 2009 at 9:36 am

    Funny! Lynn, John and I tried Pepsi natural and Pepsi Throwback. We all preferred Pepsi Throwback…there was a weird taste to the Pepsi natural. I guess our palates aren’t ready for any all natural drinks at this time 😉

    J and Lynn are pepsiaholics. You know my preference is Dr. Pepper. And I don’t want any changes to that beverage!!

    • J

      July 6, 2009 at 9:41 am

      AM, they didn’t have any Throwback at the store. Damn them! Or at least, not a single bottle I could buy. Maybe that would have made a difference? It was the pepsi natural that was SO Fizzy in the cups.

  • Donna

    July 6, 2009 at 11:44 am

    I don’t drink soda at all. I used to only drink it when I was out eating or at parties, but don’t even do that now. Strictly water or iced tea for me for a very long time now.

  • Wanderlust Scarlett

    July 6, 2009 at 2:00 pm

    I’ll have an earl gray, thank you!

    I am avoiding everything with HFCS in it, as much as possible, but I am avoiding sugar as well, in an effort to maintain a healthful body.

    Great video!!

    Scarlett & Viaggiatore

  • Sabrina

    July 8, 2009 at 9:05 am

    I like diet coke too. I think my choice would be either the Mexican Coke or the Coke made in India. Good stuff. I had to laugh with Maya’s reactions. She and Zoey are definitely in the teen zone. 🙂

  • Jimmy

    July 8, 2009 at 4:59 pm

    Oh wow!!!! What an neat little video. Very good production and quite entertaining. What is this about Ted being a racist????LOL!!!
    Has he made one too many “off color” remarks around Maya???LOL!!!I’m a culturalist!!!! Clash of the cultures!

  • J

    July 8, 2009 at 8:05 pm

    That was funny, huh Jimmy? Maya zinged him because he was anti-Mexican coke. HA! But Gen got a chip at the end, which of course, made her very happy.