What product was Coca-Cola originally invented as?

You might not believe it, but Coca-Cola was originally a medicinal syrup, or something akin to a health tonic.

Its inventor was a pharmacist who, at the time, aimed to create a supplement that could refresh, relieve headaches, and alleviate physical fatigue. So, the earliest Coca-Cola was not a beverage found on supermarket shelves at all; instead, it was sold cup by cup, mixed with soda water, in pharmacies, and was regarded as a "refreshing tonic" capable of curing headaches and minor ailments.

It was only later, through formula improvements and commercialization, that it gradually transformed into the carbonated drink everyone knows today.