Coca Cola Plus…? What’s in Coke’s ‘Healthy’ Japanese Drink? (Video)

Some people think Coca Cola contains a secret ingredient that get us all hooked on the soda. But in Japan a new coke drink actually contains a weird ingredient. Susana Victoria Perez (@susana_vp) has more.

The Japanese government has given a “gold label” to the soda Coca-Cola Plus, a designation meant to certify the drink’s “health benefits,” The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday (Jan. 7).

Coca-Cola Plus (which isn’t available in the United States) contains an additional ingredient — one that The Wall Street Journal calls a laxative.

In fact, the zero-calorie drink contains dextrin, a dietary fiber. Although dietary fibers such as dextrin can have laxative effects, they aren’t laxatives as most people think of them. Instead, in appropriate doses, dietary fibers can help calm and regulate the human digestive system. It’s not entirely clear from The Wall Street Journal’s reporting whether the Japanese government awarded the drink the gold label because of the supposed laxative effect.