Inca Kola and Guaraná Antarctica: two South American sodas

Inca Kola is a bright yellow, very sweet fizzy drink from Peru. Guaraná Antarctica is a golden fizzy drink from Brazil, flavoured with the guarana fruit. In both countries they are everyday drinks for lunch, dinner and parties, and in Poland they are mostly bought by South Americans and by people who tried them on holiday.

What is Inca Kola

Inca Kola has been made in Peru since the first half of the 20th century. Its colour is a strong, almost neon yellow that you cannot mistake for anything else. On a Peruvian table it is as ordinary as cola is in Europe.

Despite the name, it does not taste like cola. It is very sweet and fruity, and many people compare it to bubblegum, cream soda or lemon verbena. People often search for "Inca Cola", but the brand is spelled with a K.

What to drink Inca Kola with

In Peru, Inca Kola is mostly drunk with food:

• Pollo a la brasa: rotisserie chicken with chips and sauces, probably the most common partner for Inca Kola.
• Chifa: Peruvian food with Chinese roots, such as arroz chaufa (fried rice).
• Ceviche: raw fish marinated in lime juice.
• Parties and birthdays: a drink for the whole family.

Serve it well chilled. Its sweetness balances hot and sour dishes.

What is Guaraná Antarctica

Guaraná Antarctica is a Brazilian soft drink made by Ambev. Its flavour comes from guarana extract. Guarana is a plant from the Amazon with red fruit.

The drink is golden and has a gentle taste, often described as somewhere between apple, grape and a light citrus soda. In Brazil people drink it with lunch, with churrasco (grilled meat), with feijoada and at parties. Polish shops often list it as a "napój energetyzujący" or simply "napój Guarana", so look for the green can or bottle with the brand name.

Inca Kola or Guaraná: how they compare

If you like clearly sweet drinks, start with Inca Kola. If you prefer lighter, fruity flavours, choose Guaraná.

How to serve them

Both taste best very cold. In Peru and Brazil people usually drink them straight from the bottle or from a glass with ice, with nothing added. A few ideas for a party at home:

• With a barbecue: Guaraná goes well with grilled meat, sausages and grilled vegetables.
• With chicken: Inca Kola is the natural choice with roast chicken and chips, as in a Peruvian pollería.
• With spicy food: the sweetness of both drinks softens the heat, so they also suit Mexican or Indian dishes.
• Instead of alcohol: both are sweet soft drinks with no alcohol, so you can offer them instead of beer or wine.

Close an open bottle tightly and keep it in the fridge. Like any fizzy drink it slowly goes flat, so finish it within a day or two.

Other Latin American flavours

Fried plantains, the cooking bananas of Latin America, go well with these drinks. Our guide to plantain vs banana explains how to cook them. For other drinks from Africa and Latin America, including Colombian Pony Malta, see our comparison of malted drinks.

Where to buy Guaraná and other South American sodas in Poland

Little India sells Guaraná Antarctica and other South American sodas, such as Colombian Postobón Uva grape soda. Inca Kola is not in the range at the moment. Other drinks are in the fizzy drinks category. Little India has shops in Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk and ships orders across Poland.