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Coca-Cola Once Contained Cocaine
It sounds like an internet myth.
But it's true.
When Coca-Cola was first introduced in 1886, its original recipe included coca leaf extract.
At the time, this wasn't considered unusual.
A Different Era
In the late 1800s, coca leaves and cocaine were commonly used in medicines and tonics around the world.
The health risks were not yet fully understood.
Atlanta pharmacist Dr. John Stith Pemberton created Coca-Cola as a medicinal beverage, combining coca leaf extract with kola nuts, which supplied caffeine.
The Recipe Changed
As scientific understanding grew and laws became stricter, Coca-Cola gradually changed its formula.
By the early 1900s, the company had removed the cocaine from its beverage.
Today, Coca-Cola still uses specially processed coca leaf extract for flavoring in certain markets, but all cocaine is removed during processing before the ingredient is used.
One of the World's Best-Kept Recipes
The exact Coca-Cola formula remains one of the world's most closely guarded trade secrets.
Only a handful of people reportedly know the complete recipe at any given time.
From Medicine to Global Icon
What started as a pharmacy tonic eventually became the world's most recognizable soft drink.
Its unusual origin is a reminder that many everyday products have surprising histories hidden behind familiar labels.