Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils, and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imitated by other manufacturers. Most colas originally contained caffeine from the kola nut, leading to the drink's name, though other sources of caffeine are generally used in modern formulations. The Pemberton cola drink also contained a coca plant extract. His non-alcoholic recipe was inspired by the coca wine of pharmacist Angelo Mariani, created in 1863.
A glass of cola served with ice cubes
MOJO is a cola drink brand in Bangladesh
Bottles of Berry Cola, a soft drink produced in Indre, France
A small glass bottle of Coca-Cola, the first cola
A soft drink is any water-based flavored drink, usually but not necessarily carbonated, and typically including added sweetener. Flavors used can be natural or artificial. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a sugar substitute, or some combination of these. Soft drinks may also contain caffeine, colorings, preservatives and other ingredients.
A glass of cola served with ice cubes
Soft drink vending machine in Japan
Bubbles of carbon dioxide float to the surface of a carbonated soft drink.
Equipment used by Joseph Priestley in his experiments on gases and the carbonation of water