Calories in Coca-Cola
Source: USDA FoodData Central · Original · Data verified by CaloriesCalc
41
kcal
per 100ml
0.0
g
Protein
0.0
g
Fat
10.6
g
Carbs
10.6
g
Sugar
146
kcal per can (355ml)
41
kcal per 100ml
98
kcal per glass (240ml)
🥤
Source: USDA FoodData Central · Original · Data verified by CaloriesCalc
* % Daily Value based on a 2,000 kcal diet.
| Component | Amount | % Daily Value | Bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 10.6g/100ml | High | |
| Caffeine | 34mg/can | — | |
| Sodium | 10mg | 0% | |
| Phosphorus | ~14mg | 1% | |
| Potassium | 0mg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 0mg | 0% | |
| Magnesium | 0mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin C | 0mg | 0% | |
| Iron | 0mg | 0% | |
| Protein | 0g | 0% |
| Volume | Calories | Sugar | Carbs |
|---|
Pure sugar and water — zero protein, fat, fiber, or vitamins. 39g sugar per can = 10 teaspoons. 34mg caffeine per can. GI ~65 — rapid blood sugar spike. High-fructose corn syrup in US; sugar (sucrose) in most other countries.
A meta-analysis of 17 cohort studies found each additional daily serving of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with a 26% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. The mechanism is primarily the large, rapidly absorbed fructose load: fructose is metabolised in the liver where excess amounts increase liver fat, reduce insulin sensitivity, and promote de novo lipogenesis (fat synthesis). Even without weight gain, regular sugar-sweetened beverage consumption independently impairs insulin sensitivity.
Coca-Cola has a pH of approximately 2.5 — more acidic than vinegar (pH 2.9) and approaching battery acid (pH 1.0). This extreme acidity directly dissolves tooth enamel (which begins dissolving below pH 5.5). Combined with 39g of sugar per can (feeding bacteria that produce further acid), regular cola consumption is one of the most damaging dietary habits for dental health. Drinking through a straw and rinsing with water after consumption reduce but do not eliminate this risk.
Sugar-sweetened beverages are uniquely problematic for weight management because liquid calories do not trigger the same satiety signals as solid food — the brain responds to liquid sugar as if it were water, creating a 'caloric blind spot'. Multiple Evidence suggests people do not compensate for beverage calories by eating less. This makes SSBs disproportionately fattening compared to equivalent calories from solid food.
At 34mg per can — less than half a cup of coffee — Coca-Cola's caffeine content is modest and the least concerning of its ingredients. The caffeine provides mild alertness effects but is not meaningfully addictive at this dose level. The bigger concerns are the sugar, phosphoric acid, and the absence of any nutritional value.
Nutrition values from USDA FoodData Central. Not medical advice.