From its roots in Civil War medicine to a global flavor mystery, cola is more than just Coke or Pepsi—it’s Christmas in a ...

It's a fun yet familiar fact that Coca-Cola, one of America's oldest soft drinks, contained actual cocaine in it until 1904.

He was also inspired by the coca-leaf-infused French wine Vin Mariani, which at the time was quite popular — and legal without a prescription — for restoring "health and vitality." He ...

It was this beverage that the Coca-Cola’s founder — a morphine-addicted, down-on-his-luck Civil War veteran named John Pemberton — decided to copy, creating Pemberton’s French Wine Coca.