Diet sodas are currently in the scanner for the presence of aspartame, an artificial sweetener. The World Health Organisation (WHO) could very soon declare aspartame as a carcinogen, a cancer-causing agent. For diet soda drinkers, this may come as a shock. And if you’re also wondering what you can replace your fizzy drink with then this homemade cola recipe has got you covered.
Avoid Aspartame-Filled Diet Sodas & Try This Soda Recipe!
MasterChef India Season 4 runner-up and Instagram’s favourite recipe curator, Neha Deepak Shah, revealed a delicious homemade cola recipe. Healthier than many sodas and diet sodas in the market, this homemade cola recipe on the @nehadeepakshah Instagram page, is an eye-opener. With aspartame concerns circulating among regular diet soda drinkers, this can come as just a healthy remedy.
However, unlike buying a ₹35 Diet Soda can and instantly drinking it, this requires a bit more hard work as it involves preparing the syrup from scratch. Nevertheless, it definitely looks worth it. In her caption, Neha calls this an amazing alternative to the classic cola available in markets. And says it’s healthier for kids.
Also Read: Is Aspartame, The Artificial Sweetener In Diet Sodas A Possible Carcinogen? WHO Shares Deets!
Homemade Cola Recipe
So, check out her Neha Deepak Shah’s homemade cola recipe below.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Dark Jaggery or Coconut Sugar
- 1/2 cup Water
- 2 tbsp Sugar (for caramel)
- 1/4 tsp Coriander Seed
- A pinch of Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon powder
- The peel from 1/2 orange, 1/2 Lime & 1/2 Lemon
- 6 to 7 drops of Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp of Citric Acid or Nimbu ke phool
- The juice of 1/2 orange, 1/2 lime & 1/2 lemon
Method
First, take 2 tablespoons of sugar and let it caramelise to give the cola a natural deep-brown colour. Then, add the dark jaggery and water to the caramel to make the base syrup. Keep stirring it as it’s cooked on the gas. Then, squeeze orange, lemon and lime to extract the juices and keep this aside. Meanwhile, the peels (orange, lime and lemon) and add coriander seeds, cinnamon powder and nutmeg to the base syrup on the gas.
Also Read: 5 Shocking Reasons Why Diet Soda Is Worse Than Regular Soda
For sourness, add nimbu ke phool and for sweetness, vanilla extract. Let the mixture come to a slow boil and then take it out of the gas. Let the thickened mixture cool down before you add the extracted fruit juices into it. Strain the syrup, pour a little into a glass. Add the soda and enjoy it cold! Your homemade cola is ready!
What do you think of Neha’s homemade cola recipe? This healthier homemade version of a soda drink has definitely piqued our interest.
Cover Image Courtesy: @nehadeepakshah/ Instagram