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Just what Makes a Cola a Cola?

It's not the sweetener, acid or caffeine - you can find those in many soda pops. No, the drink gets its name, and at least part of its taste, from the African kola nut. You won't find it in any list of ingredients, because it falls under the top-secret heading: "natural flavors." But you can be sure it's a part of every cola you drink. A cola's just not a cola without it - never has been.

Back in 1886, a druggist in Atlanta whipped up a concoction in the kitchen of his store, using extracts from the Andean coca leaf and the African kola nut. He meant to create a new medicine, but when the syrup was mixed with soda water, he found it made a pretty tasty drink. His bookkeeper dubbed the concoction Coca-Cola. The rest is history. And what a history it is! Today cola is far and away the nation's top-choice drink.