Laxative Coca-Cola is catching on in Japan as a heath drink
Japan is famous for some pretty wild foodstuffs, like cheese smoothies, cough drop-flavored Kit Kat bars, and Nicolas Cage corn puffs. So it comes as no surprise that country has welcomed Coca-Cola Plus as a health drink - because it makes you poop.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the fizzy drink contains a high-fiber substance called indigestible dextrin, which increases the body’s ability to remove waste. As a press release from Coca-Cola explains, the beverage is designed “help suppress fat absorption and help moderate the levels of triglycerides in the blood.”
The Japanese government last year gave the no-calorie beverage a gold label certifying it under the Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU) designation. Each product in this category, which accounts for $6 billion in sales each year, is characterized as having a particular health benefit. Coca-Cola Plus is the nation’s third “healthy” cola.
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But some people think the healthy label is inappropriate. Michicko Kamiyama, a lawyer for Food Safety Citizens’ Watch, is concerned about the government endorsing sodas as healthful.
“If you have a well-balanced diet and do an appropriate amount of exercise then you don’t need them,” the 77-year-old told The Wall Street Journal. “I personally think it is totally ineffective.”
On the other hand, Tominaga Ozawa drinks the pop at least once a week after finishing 18 holes of golf. Even though he has his doubts, he thinks “it’s good.” But the 70-year-old prefers to drink in private, because “in Japan, your image can suffer if you say you drink cola,” he told the paper.
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As far as side effects go, Seiji Miyata says to go easy on the guzzling.
“The only caveat we have is that if you drink too much - it is in there, that you may have loose bowels from overconsumption,” the 54-year-old art director told the paper.
We’re just going to stick with water.
To see what else Japan is snacking on, here are 10 things you can buy from a Japanese vending machine.
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