Coca-Cola ‘comparable to heroin’ in how it stimulates the brain’s reward and pleasure centers
According to Naik, the intense sweetness of Coca-Cola as a result of its high sugar content should make us vomit as soon as it enters the body. However, the phosphoric acid in the beverage dulls the sweetness, enabling us to keep the drink down.
Blood sugar levels increase dramatically within 20 minutes of drinking the Cola, explains Naik, causing a burst of insulin. The liver then turns the high amounts of sugar circulating our body into fat.
Within 40 minutes, the body has absorbed all of the caffeine from the Cola, causing a dilation of pupils and an increase in blood pressure. By this point, the adenosine receptors in the brain have been blocked, preventing fatigue.
Five minutes later, production of dopamine has increased – a neurotransmitter that helps control the pleasure and reward centers of the brain. According to the infographic, the way Coca-Cola stimulates these centers is comparable to the effects of heroin, making us want another can.
