Japan has a reputation for its wild range of snack foods, and you probably have a mate who simply won’t shut up about those matcha-flavoured Kit-Kats. But Coca-Cola’s latest government-approved foray into healthy soft drinks could be one of the weirdest yet – and it’s reportedly become super bloody popular.
The Wall Street Journal has reported on the nation’s apparent adoption of Coca-Cola Plus, a variant on the ubiquitous fizzy bev which contains a hefty dose of dietary fibre. Read: there’s now a version of Coke tailor-made to keep you regular.
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Each 470mL bottle of Coca-Cola Plus, which is distinguishable from the regular Coke by its white label, contains five grams of indigestible dextrin. The brand also touts the drink as capable of suppressing fat absorption. Because of that gut-friendly addition, the Japanese government has officially recognised it as a health food, complete with a flash gold seal.
A CNN review of a limited edition of the drink released in 2009 said “it is like drinking an ultra-sweet cola-flavored jelly with a heavy dose of faux citrus and a biting carbonation,” but the newer iteration is reportedly more in line with traditional offerings.
The paper reports that despite being reluctant to hand over sales figures, Coca-Cola says the drink has been a success. That sentiment has been mirrored by a fair few fizzy aficionados, including one Mr. Iwaya, who said “when I brought it home, I thought no one would drink it. I was mistaken.”
There are some obvious issues with the drink, though. The Wall Street Journal reports people who weren’t aware of the drink’s not-insignificant laxative properties have complained about the aftermath, and Coke Japan’s executive vice president for marketing and new business Khalil Younes explicitly said “you may have loose bowels from overconsumption.”
So, that’s great news for everyone who has been slamming Coke and Laxettes independently, like absolute chumps. Catch you in the loos in Osaka, pals.
