Summary feedback
Big Cola from the Peru based AJE group is a huge success in the Cola market in Latin America and is striving hard to get Indians to love it as well.
It is said to be the world’s first non-caffeinated cola beverage, but the high amount of sugar in it and also the fact that it is a sweetened carbonated beverage without any nutrition makes it a product you can skip if you want to be healthy and avoid obesity.
The use of preservatives, colouring and added flavouring are further reasons to avoid consuming this product.
foodnetindia rating for this product:
foodnetindia safety rating: 2 – (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unsafe to very safe)
Not recommended for people to drink in large quantities because of high sugar content and the empty calories from sugar. Also kids and young people are developing childhood obesity which is due to mindless consumption of HFSS food or food high in fat, salt, sugar, this is a glaring example of an HFSS food and should be avoided to maintain good health.
foodnetindia wholesomeness rating: 1 – (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unbalanced nutrition profile to excellent nutrition profile)
There is no nutritional value in this beverage, but it has high sugar, artificial colouring, and preservatives in it, which could all be detrimental to health.
Ingredients of concern in Big Cola–
- Sugar
- Permitted Natural Colour
- Added Flavour: Natural Flavouring Substances
Sugar
This food product does not specify which sugar has been used. This is important because different sugars have different metabolic effects. For example, Sucrose (Cane Sugar) is very different from Fructose (Fruit Sugar). Some foods use high fructose corn syrup which may be harmful in much lower quantities than sucrose. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to not clearly state what ingredients have been used.
Sugar is a carbohydrate found naturally in a host of different foods from lactose in milk to the fructose in fruit and honey. In fact, we need some sugar in our diets to supply ready energy to fuel our muscles and keep our brains active. The problem is that many processed foods have added sugar which supplies energy in the form of calories – and very little else. This means our body has to draw on the nutrients from the rest of our diet to process it and this can affect our health, including our immunity – leaving us more prone to bugs and colds. A high intake of sugar causes our blood sugar levels to shoot up, giving us that feel-good ‘high’ followed by a crashing slump which leaves us tired, irritable and craving more sugary foods. It’s a vicious cycle that may be contributing to our weight problems as well as health concerns like diabetes and heart disease.
Permitted Natural Colours
We believe that it is irresponsible for a brand to not write the chemical names and quantities of added flavoring substances or colors. In this case, the brand fails to mention the names or quantities of the colours added.
Added flavours including natural, nature identical and artificial flavouring substances
This food product does not specify which flavours or flavouring substances have been used. The flavours should be specified as some of them have serious side effects and may not be suitable for infants, pregnant women or people who are allergic. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to avoid clearly stating what ingredients have been used.
By not specifying what these flavours and substances are, we are forced to consider what they are hiding and why would they be so reluctant to mention what they have used in the food product!
By this behaviour, these manufacturers expose people to possible allergens or toxins that could be avoided if consumers knew what they were.
Other ingredients that are in the product but not a major source of concern in our opinion are:
Disclaimer – The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information. foodnetindia encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
The ingredients list of the product may have changed since this page was published. Consumers are encouraged to read warnings, labels, ingredient lists, etc.
Replies, if any, from the brand, will be published here ‘As is’