Coca-Cola is the most popular soft drink in the world. It's sweet, fizzy, a little tart and usually cold. The drink was developed in the 19th century as a medicinal product due to the coca leaves. But that was only half the story- there were also the kola nuts that contributed half the drink's name. Kola nuts have twice the caffeine found in coffee beans. Combine them with cocaine, and you have products like "forced march tablets" that serve as nature's speed.
The kola nut has an interesting history of its own. Considered sacred in many West African cultures since ancient times, it figured in some of the darker parts of our history. Does Coca-Cola still use kola nuts in their signature drink? No one knows for sure, because unlike cocaine, the kola nut isn't illegal. This TED-Ed video explains the lesser-known side of Coca-Cola's original recipe. -via Geeks Are Sexy
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