Coca-Cola has always maintained an air of mystery about its supposedly secret recipe, which is claimed to be carefully hidden away in a safe in Atlanta... Then along came the TikTok community, whose members have apparently found a way to recreate the drink with just two basic ingredients. Better still, TikTokers say they have discovered the key to making a "healthy" Coke recipe!
Visually, there's no denying that the TikTok drinks have a similar appearance to the famous branded cola, with a brownish tint and small fizzy bubbles that stick to the sides of the glass. You could perhaps be mistaken, if seeing the drink out of context...
In video after video, TikTokers are reveling in the fact that they've supposedly discovered the secret of making a Coca-Cola alternative that won't make them pile on the pounds. First, they fill a glass with ice cubes, then they grab the key component of this so-called miracle recipe -- balsamic vinegar -- which they pour in generously.
To complete the concoction, users reach for sparkling water -- some preferring lemon flavored, some cranberry, and others keeping it plain. When the time comes to taste what these TikTokers call their cola "hack," it's the same story: they are surprised to sip a sweet-tasting drink with a flavor strangely similar to that of their favorite cola. For some TikTokers, this so-called healthy version could even be comparable to Diet Coke.
Yet this recipe -- which can score more than eight million views with a single video -- is far from being nutritionally sound. Many of the online mixologists use a balsamic cream or glaze to obtain this syrupy texture. Contrary to the genuine balsamic vinegar of Modena -- protected by an official appellation and obtained after cooking grape must and observing a fermentation period of at least 12 months in wooden barrels -- this industrial version incorporates exactly the same coloring agent as found in a can of Coca-Cola. This is the famous E150d, an additive with a caramel taste that is also found in many alternatives to "the real thing." This DIY option is therefore by no means the "healthiest" cola alternative out there. In fact, you just have to check the number of calories in balsamic vinegar products listed by the Open Food Facts platform. For 100 ml, the amount varies between 100 and 200 kcal, depending on the brand. Carbohydrate content is between 30 and 45g.
Worse, some poorly made balsamic sauces and glazes also use glucose syrup, which has been criticized by nutritionists for its high calorie content. And this could well be what lies behind the distinctively sweet Coca-Cola-like taste identified by TikTokers.
