The recipe for NukaCola, a popular soft drink that comes from the Fallout video game series, calls for a mixture of several potent ingredients including carbonated water, sugar, caramel color, caffeine, phosphoric acid, and 17 different fruit and spice extracts.
What Is The Recipe For NukaCola?
NukaCola is one of the most well-known drinks in the Fallout universe, as it was first featured in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006) before being introduced to the public as an actual beverage in Bethesda’s 2008 action roleplaying game Fallout 3 (2008).
As mentioned above, the recipe includes some fairly powerful ingredients such as caffeine and various fruits and spices.
To put this concoction into context, it contains more than half the recommended daily intake of caffeine per serving — roughly 2 mg or 1/8 th of a cup of coffee.
That’s enough caffeine to give you a jittery feeling if consumed at once.
The other ingredients include:
- Carbonated water
- Sugar
- Caffeine
- Phosphoric Acid
- 17 Fruit & Spice Extracts
In addition, there are also two preservatives found in NukaCola: sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. These chemicals are added to prevent bacteria growth while preserving the flavor of the drink. Sodium benzoate is used to preserve foods by preventing molding and fermentation, whereas potassium sorbate prevents yeast growth.
So what exactly does all this mean when it comes to how NukaCola tastes?
Well, let’s find out!
How Did The Recipe For NukaCola Come About?
NukaCola was first introduced to the gaming world as an official beverage in Bethesda’s 2001 role-playing game The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall.
This was followed by its inclusion in 2004’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which also featured a soda stand selling NukaCola alongside other drinks such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
The recipe for this soda can be found on page 37 of the game’s manual.
After these initial introductions, fans were able to purchase bottles of NukaCola at various locations across the game’s fictional universe.
In 2012, Bethesda released a free mod titled “Vault Boy – Nuka Cola” allowing players to create their own version of the drink using the same ingredients as the original formula.
This led to a surge in popularity for the new drink among gamers who wanted to recreate one of the most iconic characters from the franchise.
In 2014, NukaCola was officially added to the non-canon Fallout 4 game as well as the downloadable content (DLC) add-on Broken Steel.
While not canon within the Fallout games themselves, it has since become an unofficial part of the lore with many people choosing to include NukaCola in their Fallout cosplays or even naming their children after the character.
While there are no plans for any further DLC releases featuring NukaCola, it remains available to buy online through third party sellers.
With all this interest in NukaCola, we decided to take a look at how the drink came together.
Why Is NukaCola So Popular?
NukaCola was created by Bethesda Game Studios as an homage to Coca-Cola.
It’s been featured in multiple games since its debut in 1996’s Fallout 2.
In addition to being a staple beverage throughout the post-apocalyptic wasteland, it has also become one of the most iconic drinks in gaming history.
If you’re wondering how many calories are in a bottle of NukaCola or just want to learn more about this classic soda, keep reading!
How Much Sugar Is In A NukaCola?
Nuka Cola contains approximately 3 grams (0.1 ounces) of sugar per 12-ounce can, which translates to about 15 teaspoons full of sugar if you were to consume it all at once.
But what about the amount of sugar found within each individual ingredient?
To find out, we need to know how much sugar there is in each one of these things individually:
- Carbonated water: 1 teaspoon of sugar
- Sugar cane juice: 10 teaspoons of sugar
- Brown sugar syrup: 4 tablespoons of sugar
- Cane Syrup: 8 teaspoons of sugar
- Dextrose: 2 teaspoons of sugar
- Fructose: 6 teaspoons of sugar
- High fructose corn syrup: 13 teaspoons of sugar
- Lemonade concentrate: 5 teaspoons of sugar
- Maltodextrin: 0.5 teaspoons of sugar
- Orange juice concentrate: 4 teaspoons of sugar
- Pineapple juice concentrate: 7 teaspoons of sugar
- Raisin extract: 4 teaspoons of sugar
- Vanilla extract: 4 teaspoons of sugar
When you add up all of this information, you get an approximate total of 34.8 teaspoons of sugar in a single serving of NukaCola!
That’s more than half of your recommended daily allowance.
If you’re concerned about adding even more sugar into your diet, consider making your own homemade version of NukaCola with some fresh fruits instead of using bottled versions.
What Are The Side Effects Of Drinking Too Much NukaCola?
NukaCola has been featured as part of many games set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of New California Republic (NCR), so it’s no surprise that players have tried to recreate this beverage at home.
But what do these ingredients actually do when combined together?
What happens if someone drinks too much of them?
Are there any potential health risks associated with consuming this sweet concoction?
Carbon dioxide
When you open a can or bottle of soda, you release some air into your mouth along with the liquid.
This gas causes bubbles to form on top of the liquid, which gives Coke its fizzy taste.
Carbon dioxide also works by causing our bodies to absorb fluid more quickly than normal, resulting in an increase in blood pressure and heart rate.
This increased blood flow makes us feel thirsty because we need more fluids to keep up with our higher metabolic rates.
When we drink too much carbonated soda, however, this effect overwhelms our thirst mechanism, making us even hungrier than we already were due to all the extra calories from all those sugars.
If you consume enough NukaCola, you could experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and dehydration.
In rare cases, people who drink too much NukaCola may develop kidney damage, liver failure, or seizures.
Sugars
NukaCola contains over 25 grams of sugar per serving!
That’s way more than most sodas and energy drinks, which typically contain around 5 grams each.
Sugar raises blood glucose levels, which means your body needs to burn more fuel just to maintain the same level of energy as it did before eating something sugary.
As a result, your body becomes less efficient at burning fat, leading to weight gain.
Since high blood glucose levels cause insulin resistance, people who eat large amounts of sugar will likely suffer from diabetes later in life.
Eating foods high in refined carbohydrates increases risk of developing type II diabetes, while whole grains help reduce risk.
Caffeine
In addition to being found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa powder, and chocolate, caffeine is one of the main components in almost every soda out there.
It stimulates your central nervous system, increasing alertness and concentration.
Caffeine also speeds up your metabolism, allowing you to burn through more calories faster.
Unfortunately, caffeine also affects your brain in ways that make you crave more food and drink.
So not only does it speed up your metabolism, but it also makes you hungry.
Combined with other ingredients like sodium benzoate, caffeine can lead to severe anxiety and agitation.
Phosphoric Acid
Phosphoric acid is another key ingredient in NukaCola.
It acts as both a preservative and flavor enhancer.
Phosphoric acid prevents bacteria and fungi from growing within canned beverages, especially ones that come in glass bottles rather than cans.
It also adds a nice tangy citrus note to the mix.
While it doesn’t have any negative effects on your body, excessive consumption of phosphoric acid can irritate your stomach lining, possibly causing abdominal pain and gastritis.
Acidic pH
Another important component of NukaCola is phosphoric acid, which helps prevent spoilage.
However, the acidic nature of phosphoric acid can be problematic for people sensitive to acids.
If you don’t tolerate acidic substances well, then NukaCola might be a bit much for you.
Although phosphoric acid isn’t harmful by itself, it can interact with certain medications, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, to create potentially dangerous chemical compounds known as “suicide products.”
These chemicals bind to proteins inside cells, blocking their ability to function normally.
As a result, they can cause serious tissue damage and even death.
Tartrazines
Tartrazine is a dye used in the coloring process of NukaCola.
While tartrazine is considered safe to ingest, studies suggest that it can trigger allergic reactions in individuals who are highly sensitive to dyes.
Is NukaCola Bad For You?
NukaColas have been around since the 1960s, but they’ve only recently become widely available to Americans through grocery stores under their own brand name (the “original” NukaCola was made by PepsiCo).
Today, there are more than 100 flavors available across all major retailers throughout the country, with new ones popping up each month.
That means if you want your kids to try them out before buying one for yourself, it’s hard to know what is safe or unhealthy for children to consume on a daily basis.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common ingredients found in NukaCola, along with whether these ingredients are actually harmful when consumed on a regular basis.
Keep reading below to find out about the risks associated with consuming NukaCola every day.
Carbonation Level
One of the primary differences between NukaCola and other soda alternatives like Coca-Cola is its high level of carbon dioxide.
According to the website Cokefacts.com, “Coca-Cola has an average CO2 content of 1.5 percent while Nuka Cola has a whopping 2.5 percent!”
This higher amount can lead to headaches, nausea, vomiting, and even seizures in sensitive individuals who may not be able to tolerate such strong levels of gas.
However, this doesn’t mean that everyone will experience negative reactions to the product.
In fact, many people report feeling energized after drinking a few cans of NukaCola per day.
Fruit and Spice Extracts
Just because something contains natural flavorings does not necessarily make it healthy.
Some brands use artificial flavoring agents to create their products instead.
For example, NukaCola uses 13 different types of fruit and spice extracts as part of its base formula.
Many of those fruits contain potentially dangerous chemicals like cyanide and thallium.
Thallium sulfate is used to give NukaCola its signature purple hue, so it is likely present in large quantities in the finished product.
Cyanide is also present in many fruits, which could pose problems for people who suffer from kidney troubles.
Other additives include acetic acid, formaldehyde, hydrochloric acid, lactic acid, and sulfuric acid.
All of these compounds have the potential to cause harm, especially over time.
In addition to being toxic themselves, many of these compounds are known carcinogens that can cause cancer.
While no studies have proven that NukaCola causes any health issues, experts recommend avoiding the beverage altogether if you don’t enjoy eating fruits and spices on a regular basis.
You should also keep an eye on how often you purchase NukaCola over time.
Phosphoric Acid
According to the FDA, phosphate salts are commonly added to processed foods to help preserve them.
They’re also used in toothpaste to prevent plaque formation, and they enhance the taste of food items like soups and sauces.
Phosphates can also be found in medications and supplements, so patients need to avoid taking them if they already struggle with heart disease or diabetes.
Since NukaCola is considered a diet soda, however, it shouldn’t pose a problem for anyone with normal digestive functions.
Still, we do recommend limiting your intake of phosphorus-rich sources like meat and dairy in order to protect your overall health.
If you prefer to eat healthier, consider making your own homemade sodas using fresh fruit juices without any additional additives.
What Are The Ingredients In NukaCola?
Nuka-Cola has been around since 1997 when it was first introduced to the public as an official product of Bethesda Softworks.
It’s one of many drinks featured in the Fallout universe, but unlike most sodas, this particular beverage only exists within the confines of the game world itself.
According to the Fallout wiki, Nuka-Cola is “the result of years of research into the effects of certain chemicals on human physiology.”
While there isn’t much information available about what goes into making this particular soda, we do know some things about the process involved in creating the flavor profile.
- Carbonated water – This ingredient is used to create bubbles in the finished product. Carbonated water contains dissolved CO 2 gas which gives soda its fizzy quality. In addition to being able to add bubbles, carbonated water can also be used as a solvent to dissolve other compounds or to help blend flavors together.
- Sugar (or high fructose corn syrup) – Sugar is the primary sweetener used in Nuka-Cola. A 1/3 cup serving size of Nuka-Cola will contain approximately 20 grams of sugar, compared to Pepsi at 15 grams per 1/3 cup serving. If you’re worried about your health, however, keep in mind that even though Coca-Cola contains more sugar than Nuka-Cola, it does not have any artificial sweeteners added to it.
- Caffeine – Caffeine is widely known as a stimulant, so naturally, Nuka-Cola includes it. There are two forms present in Nuka-Cola: natural caffeine found in coffee beans and synthetic caffeine called Erythritol. According to the FDA, erythritol is safe for consumption by humans because it doesn’t cause adverse reactions like those associated with traditional sources of caffeine such as coffee and tea.
- Phosphoric Acid – Phosphoric acid is another commonly used additive in soda products. This chemical helps reduce flatulence while increasing the sweetness level of the final product. Phosphoric acid also acts as a preservative during processing.
- 17 Different Fruit & Spice Extracts – These include cinnamon extract, cocoa powder, vanilla bean extract, orange peel extract, cherry extract, raspberry leaf extract, blackberry extract, blueberry extract, strawberry extract, peach extract, apple extract, pear extract, apricot extract, coconut extract, rose hip extract, and clove bud extract.
How Is NukaCola Made?
Nuka Cola is one of the most recognizable drinks in the Fallout universe. It’s also a real product that was introduced to the world by Coca-Cola during World War II as part of their “Victory” campaign.
In fact, it has been sold in American supermarkets since around 1950.
According to information on the Nuka Corporation website, the company’s founder, Miles Dyson, invented NukaCola after he had an experience where he drank a bottle of regular Coke and felt like there wasn’t enough flavor or taste contrast between the two beverages.
He then decided to add his own secret formula to make a more flavorful soda.
“Dyson’s original formula consisted largely of sweetened condensed milk with added flavors (including coffee) blended into a syrup base,” reads the official history page linked above.
“At some point, Dyson realized that if he combined this syrup with carbonated water, the result would be something much better than either item alone.”
As far as how exactly the process works, that’s still classified information — but here’s what we know about the basic steps involved in making NukaCola.
- A mixture of concentrated juices called concentrates is used to create the syrup. These include orange juice concentrate, grapefruit juice concentrate, pineapple juice concentrate, cherry juice concentrate, raspberry juice concentrate, strawberry juice concentrate, apple cider vinegar solution, and vanilla extract. This mixture is then mixed with cane sugar before being sent through a centrifuge machine which separates out any sedimentary particles that may have formed while the syrup was stored.
- After the syrup is filtered again, it is then poured over ice chips and stirred until it becomes clear. Next, it is transferred into a large metal tank containing carbon dioxide gas. Once all of the carbon dioxide has dissolved, the syrup will begin to bubble up, forming bubbles which float upward toward the top of the liquid. As these bubbles rise they become saturated with CO₂, creating a foam layer that floats to the surface of the beverage. At this stage, the syrup is bottled and sealed for shipment overseas.
- When the syrup arrives in Europe, it must be pasteurized so that it can withstand long periods of time without spoiling. During this process, the temperature inside the bottles rises to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, causing the liquid to expand due to its increased volume.
- Once the syrup cools down, it is transported back across the Atlantic Ocean, arriving at the bottling plant in Atlanta, Georgia. Here, it is diluted with additional water and carbonated using a special machine known as an alkaline injector. Then it is filled into glass containers and shipped off to stores throughout America.
In addition to the standard NukaCola recipe, the Fallout games offer three other variations that use a different type of mix.
These include Nuka Cola Classic (which uses only orange juice), Nuka Cola Vanilla (which adds vanilla extract to the syrup), and Nuka Cola Cherry Limeade (which combines both cherry and lime juice).
Can You Make NukaCola At Home?
It’s easy to get your hands on some of these ingredients if you live near an area with many grocery stores.
However, it may be difficult to find all of them in one place (unless you’re willing to spend $200 or more).
And even then, there are some specific flavors of NukaCola that aren’t available anywhere else but in the real-world version.
In addition to being expensive, these specialty drinks can also taste like they came out of a science lab rather than a bottle.
It just doesn’t have the same appeal as something that can be found at any store.
If you’d like to try making your own version of this soda pop, here’s what you’ll need to know about how NukaColas are made – and whether you should bother trying to recreate them yourself.
What Is The History Of NukaCola?
Nuka-Cola was first introduced by Bethesda Softworks to help promote their hit role playing games.
In 1997, the company released two original PC titles – The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall and Morrowind.
To advertise these new releases, they created a fictional soda called “Nuka-Cola” which featured all sorts of exotic flavors like blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, lime, orange, cranberry, etc.
These sweet drinks were available exclusively through mail order, but quickly became wildly popular with gamers.
As a result, Nuka-Cola was soon sold on shelves across America.
By 2001, Nuka-Cola had become one of the top selling beverages in the country, prompting the creation of many imitators who copied its formula and packaging design.
In 2003, Bethesda took matters into their own hands by creating an official line of Nuka-Colas.
These cans came in seven varieties: vanilla, cherry, lemonade (with or without vodka), melon, root beer, grapefruit and ginger ale.
All Nuka-colas contained the same mix of fruits, spices, and other flavorings as their predecessors, except that each can also included a shot of whiskey.
This change signaled a shift away from the fantasy theme of the originals towards more modern sensibilities.
Today, Nuka-Cola remains very popular among fans of the Fallout franchise, though it has largely been replaced by similar sodas made by third parties.
It is still possible to buy Nuka-Cola online, however, so if you are looking for a drink that tastes just like the real thing, this article will show you how to recreate it yourself.
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 bottle Cream soda
- 1 bottle Coca-Cola
- 1 bottle Mountain Dew
Instructions
- Put Coca-Cola in a punch bowl after measuring. In a punch bowl or serving pitcher, pour one 16-ounce (473 ml) bottle of Coca-Cola. Any soft drink with cola flavour will do if you don’t have Coca-Cola on hand. Keep the beverages cool by using chilled Coca-Cola.
- Fill the bowl with Mountain Dew. Pour the Mountain Dew, Mello Yello, or Sprite from a 16-ounce (473 ml) bottle into the Coca-Cola in the punch bowl. Pour carefully to avoid the soda fizzing up too much.
- Stir the Nuka Cola while adding the cream soda. A 16-ounce (473 ml) cream soda bottle should be cracked open and added. Utilizing a long spoon, gradually whisk the mixture to include the liquids.
- Bring out the Nuka Cola. Set out serving ware so that visitors can serve themselves to this sparkling beverage. Use a funnel to pour the cola into the bottles if you want to serve it in bottles to prevent the Nuka cola from losing its carbonation.
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Nutrition
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