Does Drinking Coca-Cola Have Any Health Benefits?

In the United States, the Coca-Cola Company is launching four new flavors of Diet Coke, in snazzy new packaging, including Ginger Lime and Twisted Mango. In Japan, a new drink called Coca-Cola Plus has just been approved as a "Food of Specified Health Use" (known as FOSHU) -- essentially an endorsement of health benefits from the Japanese government. Each bottle of Coca-Cola Plus contains five grams of dextrin, a source of dietary fiber that is supposed to help inhibit fat absorption and to moderate the body’s triglyceride level after eating.

In perfect harmony:

• Coca-Cola Japan is marketing Coca-Cola Plus to health-conscious consumers aged 40 and older as a beverage to enjoy with food. Japan is home to the world’s largest aging population.
• Older consumers in Japan are driving the growth of the country’s FOSHU beverage market -- led by teas, followed by cola soft drinks.
• A Wall Street Journal article published on 7 January 2018 essentially describes Coca-Cola Plus as containing a laxative. Dextrin is often sold in the United States as a health supplement that can “absorb fat.”