I'm addicted to Coca-Cola: doctor says it can't hurt
Annick is addicted to Coca-Cola. Although everyone around her expresses their concerns, Annick happily continues to drink. At least 2 liters a day. ‘I really panic if I don't have Coca-Cola in my fridge.’
‘My love for Coca-Cola started when I was young. We were on vacation in Slovenia and I drank Cockta. I thought it was really tasty. Once home, I was about eight years old, I got a bottle of Coca-Cola. Maybe that sounds strange, drinking soda at eight, but it was more normal back then. There wasn't such a fuss about carbonated drinks for kids. I also just took Coca-Cola to school. You can't do that now! Crazy, you'd immediately get Youth Care on your back.
Coca-Cola collection
I was really a fan of Coca-Cola. I had a Coca-Cola room with a red wall where my father had painted a white Coca-Cola swoosh. I slept under a red and white striped duvet. Girlfriends collected stamps and I collected Coca-Cola stuff. Stickers, cups, posters; I liked everything as long as it had Coca-Cola on it.
I have always found Coca-Cola very tasty, but in recent years, I am now 57 years old, it has really become an addiction. I have no other addiction, I don't smoke, never have, and I don't drink alcohol, never have either. But if I don't have Coca-Cola in my fridge, I really panic. I always have a few bottles in my trunk for work and cans for on the go. In a small fridge, because it's best cold. I drink until I go to bed. And yes, that's at least 2 liters of Coca-Cola a day. Often much more. Office parties, birthdays, festivals... While other people drink alcohol, I have another Coke.
No Pepsi!
I stopped drinking regular Coca-Cola years ago. It has a lot of sugar in it. I switched to the light variant and now it's been zero for a while. And yes, there is really a difference between light and zero. Even my grandchildren point out Coca-Cola zero in the supermarket: ‘that's grandma's cola,’ they say. They also call me ‘grandma cola.’.
I don't drink Pepsi. When I go out to eat or drink, my first question is whether they have real cola. Coca-Cola, that is. Otherwise, I prefer Ginger Ale. I'm not a food barbarian and I don't eat Whoppers. On the contrary, I really love good food. At Michelin-starred restaurants, I dare not order Coca-Cola. Cola with your food is not always accepted. At least, that's how I feel.
Coca-Cola on sale
Coca-Cola used to be very cheap. I remember a Greek vacation, I was about sixteen, a bottle cost 30 cents! Try to beat that now. ‘Coca-Cola on sale’ is my most popular search term on Google. I keep a close eye on the deals and I drive around for good offers. Because it's not cheap. Not at all! A one and a half liter bottle costs 2.38 euros and then there's an additional 0.25 cents deposit. It's not good for my wallet and it's not healthy either.
I know that Coca-Cola is used to remove rust from screws, for example. It has a very high acidity and is therefore bad for your teeth – even though it doesn't contain sugar. It does contain aspartame. My daughter says that sweetener is carcinogenic. When I tell her, ‘You have to die of something, right?’, she gets really angry.
High amounts of aspartame
I recently went to the doctor, but he only reassured me. According to my GP, you need to consume very high amounts of aspartame for it to be harmful. I don't think I need to worry. And it's approved by the FDA, right?
Despite going to the doctor, my children keep saying I should stop. Or at least cut back significantly. My friends have been saying it for years too. But what's the problem? I'm never sick, I never have bloating, and I don't have cavities in my teeth. At most, I don't have perfectly white teeth anymore, but I don't even know if that's because of Coca-Cola. If this is my only guilty pleasure, let me enjoy it!’
