You’ve heard the remedy a million times: Coke for a sour stomach. It’s basically a global folk cure, right up there with chicken soup.
The idea is that the carbonation helps with nausea. And the sugar gives you a little energy boost when you’re feeling wiped out.
Plus, back in the day, Coke actually had trace amounts of cocaine in it. That probably quieted down a stomach bug real quick. Sorry, no luck there anymore.
What Coca-Cola Actually Does to Your Poor Stomach
Let’s be real for a second. You’re chugging a can of high-fructose corn syrup, phosphoric acid, and caffeine. That’s a chemist’s dream and a digestive system’s nightmare.
When you have diarrhea, your body is losing fluids and electrolytes like crazy. You need water, salt, and potassium. You do not need a sugar bomb.
That sugar? It’s osmotic. That’s a fancy word for “pulls water into your intestines.” More water in your guts = more liquid poop. So, you’re basically feeding the problem. Brilliant.
