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I tried 'healthy Coke,' a balsamic vinegar drink dividing TikTok, and the tangy flavor was surprisingly similar to Coca-Cola

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Maria NoyenJun 18, 2022, 15:31 IST
I tried 'healthy Coke,' a balsamic vinegar drink dividing TikTok, and the tangy flavor was surprisingly similar to Coca-Cola

Insider's Maria Noyen tried a TikTok viral drink recreating Coca-Cola with balsamic vinegar and soda water.Maria Noyen/Insider

  • I'm no stranger to trying a TikTok food and drink trend, especially when it comes to soda.
  • When I saw a TikToker touting "healthy Coke" made with balsamic vinegar, my curiosity peaked.
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A drink known as "healthy Coke" is causing a stir on TikTok, so naturally, I had to try it.

A drink known as "healthy Coke" is causing a stir on TikTok, so naturally, I had to try it.
Tiktok users are making DIY Cocoa-Cola with balsamic vinegar and seltzer.Daniel Mazilu/Getty Images

As Insider's Pocharapon Neammanee previously reported, there's a new viral trend on TikTok where users are mixing balsamic vinegar with any sparkling beverage to recreate a "healthy" version of Coca-Cola.

It started when creator Amanda Jones, who goes by @mandyvjones on TikTok and has over 50,o00 followers, posted a video on June 6 showing a recipe her pilates instructor shared with her for "healthy Coke." As of Saturday, the clip has amassed over 6.4 million views.

I'm no stranger to a TikTok trend relating to Coca-Cola. I previously tried the Diet Coke and creamer trend, a popular drink in Utah that caught my attention in May. I ended up being a fan, so I was curious to see whether I'd have a positive review of this new drink.

Jones' recipe calls for three simple ingredients that you probably already have at home.

Jones' recipe calls for three simple ingredients that you probably already have at home.
The key ingredients are ice, balsamic vinegar, and some kind of sparkling beverage.Maria Noyen/Insider

According to Jones, her pilates instructor's daily beverage tastes "exactly like Coke." The recipe calls for:

  • A splash of balsamic vinegar
  • Ice
  • A sparkling beverage.

In the TikTok, Jones says that you can basically use any bubbly beverage with whatever flavor you'd like. She opts for a La Croix Guava Sao Paulo sparkling water. For my own taste test, I kept it simple with soda water from a local grocery store.

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I started by pouring balsamic vinegar into a cup of ice. There was a level of trepidation about drinking a liquid I usually put on salad.

I started by pouring balsamic vinegar into a cup of ice. There was a level of trepidation about drinking a liquid I usually put on salad.
The first step is to pour some vinegar into a cup of ice.Maria Noyen/Insider

Maybe I'm not utilizing the full potential of balsamic vinegar, but the only time I ever really take the bottle out of the pantry is to make salad dressings. In my experience, it's a condiment usually reserved for savory dishes so it was hard to imagine it being able to recreate the sweet tanginess of Coke.

Putting my apprehension aside, I poured a splash of the dark liquid into my cup.

Then I mixed in soda water, and it immediately fizzed up in a very similar way to Coke.

Then I mixed in soda water, and it immediately fizzed up in a very similar way to Coke.
It bubbled up immediately and looked very Coke-like.Maria Noyen/Insider

I poured the soda water until it was roughly two inches from the rim of the glass. Almost instantly, the combination of soda water and the vinegar mixed together and produced a layer of pale-brown colored bubbles that was similar to what you expect when pouring Coke into a glass.

Visually, I saw instant parallels between the two drinks.

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After giving the liquid a stir, I went to take my first sip and was hit by a waft of acidic, vinegary air.

After giving the liquid a stir, I went to take my first sip and was hit by a waft of acidic, vinegary air.
After giving it a stir, I took my first sip.Maria Noyen/Insider

Unsurprisingly, a drink made primarily of balsamic vinegar also smells like balsamic vinegar. It's an acidic, potent, and tart kind of smell that you just don't really get from what it's trying to replicate in a Coke.

That said, my immediate thoughts were: "Not that bad."

That said, my immediate thoughts were: "Not that bad."
My glass of TikTok's "healthy Coke."Maria Noyen/Insider

"Healthy Coke" is definitely not Coke. But after taking my first sip or two, I saw the parallels. The acidity of the vinegar replicates that in Coca-Cola, and the overall sourness of the drink came across as quite citrusy to my taste buds.

What it lacked was the sweet, vanilla-like flavor of regular Coke — as someone with a sweet tooth, I noticed it instantly but I didn't miss it as much as I thought I would.

If anything, I thought it tasted a bit like if Coca-Cola and kombucha, a fermented lower-sugar drink rich in probiotics and antioxidants, had a baby.

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To see if I could get the standard "healthy Coke" drink's taste closer to regular Coca-Cola, I added a teaspoon of sugar and a lime wedge.

To see if I could get the standard "healthy Coke" drink's taste closer to regular Coca-Cola, I added a teaspoon of sugar and a lime wedge.
I added a lime wedge and a spoonful of sugar.Maria Noyen/Insider

The amount of sugar I added didn't do much to cut down the sourness of the balsamic vinegar, but the lime wedge did enhance the citrus notes I was getting after my first couple of sips.

If I had it in my pantry, some liquid cane sugar or simple syrup probably would have combined better than granulated sugar in the iced drink.

I ended up finishing my glass as I continued working, which speaks to my final verdict on the trend: I approve.

I ended up finishing my glass as I continued working, which speaks to my final verdict on the trend: I approve.
Maria Noyen didn't mind the aftertaste.Maria Noyen/Insider

Though there are some people like NBC's "Today Show" hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager who didn't like the aftertaste, I genuinely didn't mind it.

I offered a glass to my friend Elise when she stopped by after work and she also was a fan of the drink. She attributed the fact we both enjoyed it to our shared love of all things pickled because it's usually with brine or vinegar.

When it comes to the so-called health benefits of drinking this beverage, balsamic vinegar can lower cholesterol and blood pressure, according to Healthline, though drinking too much can cause stomach and esophagus issues.

Overall, I wouldn't say no to a glass of "healthy Coke" again, and I wouldn't be surprised if more people started opting for a version of this drink after workouts.

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