Everyone is Wrong About Mexican Coke (Even Johnny Harris)

Summary

This video debunks the myth surrounding Mexican Coke's use of cane sugar. The creator investigates the claim by testing the ingredients of Mexican Coke using Benedict's test and a glucose monitor, revealing unexpected glucose levels in the soda. After consulting scientific studies, it's discovered that sucrose in Mexican Coke likely undergoes acid-catalyzed inversion, breaking down into glucose and fructose. The video explores sugar chemistry, challenges assumptions about labeling, and concludes that the difference between Mexican and American Coke is more complex than just sugar type, with no real taste difference in blind tests.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mexican Coke may not be made with pure cane sugar as widely believed. A study found no sucrose in the drink.
• 😀 Cane sugar (sucrose) is a mixture of glucose and fructose, but Mexican Coke contains both, which raises questions about its ingredients.
• 😀 Benedict's test, which identifies reducing sugars like glucose and fructose, turned positive for Mexican Coke, suggesting it contains these sugars.
• 😀 American Coke contains high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is a known source of glucose and fructose.
• 😀 A glucose monitor test also showed high glucose levels in Mexican Coke, indicating it contains more than just sucrose.
• 😀 After diluting Mexican Coke, the glucose reading remained high, confirming the presence of glucose in the drink.
• 😀 The glucose found in Mexican Coke suggests the possible use of HFCS instead of pure cane sugar, or sucrose breakdown in the drink.
• 😀 Sucrose can break down into glucose and fructose in acidic environments like soda, a process known as acid-catalyzed inversion.
• 😀 This inversion process occurs quickly in sodas, meaning that even if sucrose is used, it might not remain intact.
• 😀 Further testing of various cane-sugar sweetened drinks revealed glucose in every sample, calling into question labeling practices across beverages.
• 😀 Ultimately, both Mexican and American Coke likely contain similar sugar profiles due to the natural breakdown of sucrose into glucose and fructose in an acidic solution.

Q & A

What was Johnny Harris's claim about Mexican Coke?

Johnny Harris claimed that Mexican Coke did not contain sucrose, despite being marketed as sweetened with cane sugar.

How did the study mentioned in the video challenge the idea of Mexican Coke containing sucrose?

The study claimed that it found zero grams of sucrose in Mexican Coke and detected both fructose and glucose, suggesting that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was used instead of cane sugar.

What is the significance of Benedict's test in the experiment?

Benedict's test is used to detect reducing sugars like glucose and fructose. Sucrose does not react with Benedict's solution, while glucose and fructose do, forming a red precipitate, indicating their presence.

What did the Benedict's test reveal about Mexican Coke?

The Benedict's test on Mexican Coke showed a positive result, with a red precipitate forming, suggesting the presence of glucose and fructose, rather than just sucrose.

How did the glucose meter results support the findings from the Benedict's test?

The glucose meter indicated high levels of glucose in Mexican Coke, contradicting the label that claimed it was sweetened with sucrose. This suggested the presence of HFCS or other sugars.

What was the result when the glucose meter was used on a sucrose solution?

The glucose meter showed a 'low' reading when testing a sucrose solution, as expected, since sucrose does not contain free glucose or fructose.

What conclusion did the speaker reach after testing various cane sugar drinks?

The speaker found glucose in every cane sugar soda tested, raising questions about the accuracy of product labels and whether they truly contained only sucrose.

What does the paper by the International Society of Beverage Technologists suggest about the breakdown of sucrose in carbonated drinks?

The paper explains that sucrose can break down into fructose and glucose in the acidic environment of carbonated drinks, a process called acid-catalyzed sucrose inversion, which could explain the glucose readings in Mexican Coke.

How does the inversion of sucrose into glucose and fructose occur, and why is it relevant to the Mexican Coke debate?

Sucrose inversion happens when the acid in beverages like Coke splits sucrose into equal parts glucose and fructose. This chemical reaction happens quickly in a low pH environment and is a known phenomenon, which could explain the glucose found in Mexican Coke, even if it was initially sweetened with sucrose.

What did the taste test reveal about the difference between Mexican Coke and American Coke?

The taste test participants had difficulty distinguishing between Mexican Coke and American Coke, suggesting that the difference in taste may not be as significant as some people claim, despite the use of different sweeteners.

What did the speaker find when testing their homemade cola with sucrose and HFCS?

When testing their homemade cola, the speaker found that even with only sucrose (no HFCS), the glucose meter still showed high glucose levels, further suggesting that sucrose may break down into glucose and fructose in acidic solutions like soda.

What are the implications of the findings in this video for consumers and the soft drink industry?

The findings suggest that product labels might not always reflect the true composition of sweeteners in drinks. The acid-catalyzed breakdown of sucrose can result in the presence of glucose and fructose in sodas labeled as sweetened with only cane sugar, challenging the notion that Mexican Coke is uniquely different from American Coke.