Do you prefer regular Coke or are you more of a Coke Zero kind of person? The debate about the different types of Cokes can sometimes be divisive.
Some people think that one is “healthier” than the other because it’s made with artificial sweeteners rather than real sugar. Regardless of where you might fall on this debate spectrum, there is a new report that shows your body can actually tell the difference between the original Coke and the Coke Zero.
We all know that Coke Zero comes with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium. It is meant to replicate the sweet taste of the original Coke but without adding pounds to our waistlines since the drink contains zero calories of sugar.
While it might be diet-friendly, many people still claim to be able to tell the difference in taste. But it isn’t just our taste buds that can note the difference. In fact, studies show that while the drinks might be close in comparison, the difference between real sugar and artificial sweeteners is one that is also detected by the human body upon ingestion.
According to a study conducted by the researchers at Duke University, it was found that the human body’s gastrointestinal tract is what distinguishes the difference between regular Coke and Coke Zero – not necessarily the tongue.
According to the findings which were published in a new study, there are neuropod cells in the stomach and intestines which send signals to the human brain alerting that there is a difference between sugar and artificial sweeteners.
The vagus nerve in the brain then processes these signals within two-millionths using neurotransmitters such as glutamate and ATP. That is how we’re able to tell when we’re drinking regular Coke versus Coke Zero.
Pretty cool, right? Did you know you had neuropod cells inside your stomach? Which flavor do you prefer, regular Coke or Coke Zero? Let us know!