TikToker Amanda (@mandadawn93) has gone viral after sharing a surprising remedy for norovirus. As she sat in the car, Coke in hand, she said to viewers, “I don’t know if you guys have seen this Tiktok trend going on that if you have norovirus and you do not feel good, or you feel like you’ve been around people who have had it, get a McDonald’s Coke.”
“I will take any excuse to get a McDonald’s Coke because that is the one thing that always makes me feel better when I don’t feel good,” she added. “Like, McDonald’s Coke always sounds good. So, I was around people this weekend. After we left the trip, everybody started throwing up, getting sick. So, cheers to a Coke. Go get one.”
In the comments, users highlighted how Coke syrup in particular had helped them in the past.
“Am I the only one whose mom bought Coke syrup from the pharmacy when I was sick?” one asked.
“My mom used to give us straight Coke syrup (without the fizz) when we had a stomach bug and it worked,” another added.
While a third shared, “We used to get Coca-Cola syrup when we were sick as kids in the 70s.”
Although Coke syrup is a lot less widespread these days, the product remains available online if McDonald’s Cokes aren’t your thing.
The video was viewed 293,200 times. Amanda didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
Does Coke help heal norovirus?
A study cited by LiveScience looked at 24 research papers focused on using Coke to treat stomach upset and blockages. As this study points out, Coke contains carbonic and phosphoric acid, making it highly acidic with a pH of 2.6. In turn, the researchers claimed that the drink mimics stomach acids that help to digest fiber. Furthermore, the carbon dioxide bubbles and sodium bicarbonate found in Coke are meant to assist the dissolving and digestive process further.
The researchers wrote that “Coca-Cola ingestion should be the treatment of choice considering that less endoscopies and accessories are needed and patients stay less at the hospital.”
“Moreover, availability, low cost, rapid way of action, simplicity in administration and safety renders Coca-Cola a cost-effective therapy for gastric phytobezoars,” they wrote.
How is McDonald’s Coke different?
According to AllRecipes, McDonald’s Coke is a cut above the rest because, while the majority of restaurants have Coca-Cola syrup delivered in plastic bags, McDonald’s has theirs delivered in a special stainless steel container. As the outlet points out, “The special tanks keep the syrup fresh and protect it from light, temperature, air, and anything else that might take away from its delicious flavor.”
AllRecipes also points out that McDonald’s Coke has a superior filtration system. This is because McDonald’s has water before it is added to the soda fountain, giving it added freshness. McDonald’s also pre-chills both the syrup and the water before it reaches the machine. Moreover, the outlet explains that there’s a higher syrup-to-water ratio in McDonald’s Cokes because it accounts for melting ice.
So, ultimately, you’re getting a more chilled, less polluted, and higher volume of that all-healing Coca-Cola syrup at McDonald’s than you would anywhere else.
@mandadawn93 #fyp #flu #utah #idaho #sick #cold #mcdonalds #coke ♬ original sound – Amanda
McDonald’s and Coca-Cola didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via email.
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