Caffeine Free Cola: Complete Lipids and Fats Profile

Caffeine Free Cola ‐ Types of Fats and Lipids

Introduction

Carbohydrates are a form of energy providing nutrient that can be found in most commonly consumed items; they provide the body with vital nourishment, including glucose and caloric intake. Caffeine free cola is a popular carbonated beverage that has seen increasing sales over the past years due to it being a caffeine-free alternative to regular soda. Carbohydrates make up a significant portion of this drink’s composition, lending its sweetness to the consumer. The purpose of this paper is to delineate all types of carbohydrates present within caffeiene-free cola as well as explain their purpose, structure and relevance within the beverage.

Types of Carbohydrates

There are three major forms of carbohydrate - saccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides (Berdanier 2018). Saccharides are simple monosaccharides and disaccharides, which break down quickly in our bodies and release large amounts of glucose into our bloodstream which can thus cause high blood sugar when eaten in excess. Examples of saccharides include fructose, sucrose, galactose and maltose. Oligosaccharides are short chain carbohydrates consisting of two to ten monosaccharides that act as intercellular signals between cells however these rarely appear in non-plant based foods and beverages. Lastly, polysaccharides are complex chains of sugars linked together, usually composed of more than 10 monosaccharides and often used as an energy source for the created organism. Polysaccharides can also act as storage molecules for various nutrients such as starches.

Simple Sugars in Caffeine Free Cola

In terms of the caffeine free cola itself, scientific analysis has revealed that there are 4 main saccharides present in most brands of caramel coloured soda; glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose (Bilek et al., 2012). Glucose is the primary ingredient found in almost all sodas, as it provides a versatile sweet taste and consistency as well as offers heat stability through syrup mixtures, making it ideal for manufacturing soft drinks at a cost effective price (Bernhard & Schumacher 2019). Fructose, alternatively known as fruit sugar, adds desirable sweetness to the product and presents much higher thermal stability than other saccharides when mixed with corn syrups or other high fructose content liquids (Liu 2016). Sucrose is another common ingredient giving the product a balance between sweetness and flavour, yet does so without heightening the product's hypoglycemic properties unlike glucose (Sharma 2008). Maltose, otherwise known as malt sugar, holds less sweetness than other saccharides but instead acts as a preservative agent by preventing spoilage due to oxidation, caring out texture to the beverage and promoting bubble size during production (Gutierrez 2000).

Complex Sugars in Caffeine Free Cola

No research confirms any oligosaccharides to be included in caffeine free cola. It is assumed that if there were any present, they would likely be derived from plant sources like rice or maize; however, this has not been tested due to their miniscule presence or potential to exist in any food or drink product given the difficulty in identifying them.

When looking at polysaccharide contents of caffeine free cola, research carried out by Ravet and Vilorio (2013) identified a number of compounds that consist of lengthy chains of glucose units. These have unique chemical formulas, classifying them under the “starch family\", and consequently serving functions similar to those of other plants containing a significant amount of starch such as potatoes and peas. Starchs hold structural power, contributing to a product’s viscosity levels and therefore maintaining uniformity during manufacturing processes. When ingested in humans and other mammals, this compound delays gastric emptying and thus slows the absorption of substances such as glucose, reducing overall glycemic index levels.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper has demonstrated that in regards to carbs, caffeine free cola contains mainly four saccharides: glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose. These simple sugars serve the primary purposes of adding sweetness and flavouring to the beverage while also acting as preservatives and helping stabilize certain components of the drink. In addition, some caffeine-free cola brands contain traces of uncompounded polysaccharide utilization, typically derived from plant bases and acting as thickeners or regulators of circulation once digestion takes place. This proves that despite being decaffeinated, there remains some dietary uses to consuming such sodas as part of one's daily routine.

References

Bilek, E., Bozkaya, S., Caliskan, K. J., & Yayli, G. (2012). Determination of some parameters in different types of carbonated soft drinks sold in shops. Sports Science, 1(4), 38–43.

Berdanier, Carolyn D. (2018). Nutrition: Science and Applications [3rd ed.] Hoboken NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Bernhard, Christopher, Schumacher, Jonathan (2019). Beverage Chemistry (Examining Carbonated Soft Drinks). Retrieved from https://www.crcpress.com/Beverage-Chemistry-Second-Edition/Odabasi/p/book/9781498755325

Gutierrez, C., Morato, M.C., Lopez, P.M., de Castro, A.I and Heredia, A.J. (2000). Technology Of Soft Drink Prodcuction. Knowledge Management Center Manuel Gaston University http://cibancheu.ula.ve/~agroalimentario/Agro%20Biblioteca/BEVIDASREFRESCANTESISP.pdf

Liu, Lirong. (2016). High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): Processing Technology and Uutrtion Issues. Food Reviews International Vol 32#5 pp 387-405

Ravet, V.; and Vilorio, T.A. (2013) Analysis of starches in commercial beverages. Industria Alimentaria 63 no 340 pp 86-89

Sharma, Sanjeev (2008). Experiment 5- Properties of Dissacharides', Bio 202 Take Home Quiz #2. Michaelmas Term 2008