We take it to picnics, ball games and birthday parties. In fact, we've done so for years. Years ago, young people on dates shared tall glasses at the soda fountain and met for a Coke at the diner. Soda pop of all varieties is a staple of modern life.
And the varieties keep popping up all the time. There are different flavors, different sweeteners, different nutrient levels to choose from. Along with them come some health concerns.
With some information, you can choose the soda that satisfies your thirst and your psyche as well.
What to Look for
First, if you're trying to lose weight or reduce your sugar intake, skip the "high-fructose corn syrup" drinks. This type is what the Center for Science in the Public Interest has named "liquid candy."
Then again, if your soda consumption is minimal, this type doesn't raise concerns about the sweetener of the day. Although there is no conclusive evidence that artificial sweeteners on the market today are harmful in moderation, there is never a shortage of speculation about the sweetener in vogue at any time.
Either type is likely to prompt a word of caution from your dentist. Recent studies have indicted the acids in soda for slowly eroding tooth enamel. So it's better to grab a soda and drink it down than to sip continually all day.
Particularly if you are a woman over 50, a bigger concern may be osteoporosis. Some studies have shown that caffeine can cause the body to excrete too much calcium, which therefore can speed bone loss.
And as anyone knows, caffeine is a mild stimulant and it's addictive, if that is a concern to you. Caffeine is also a diuretic, which is not going to help your body when you're hot and thirsty.
Artificial colorings, particularly Yellow No. 5, have been cast under an umbrella of suspicion by some parents of children with ADD or autism. Some have noticed a worsening of kids' symptoms.
But the soft drink industry has responded to many of these charges. When public opinion hands you lemons, make lemonade. Or rather, soft drinks with possible health benefits.
Companies have stocked retail shelves with options like Diet Coke Plus, with the Plus standing for niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, zinc and magnesium. Pepsi's Tava line offers appealing fruit flavors such as Tropical Berry Blend and Passion Fruit Lime-and boasts vitamins B3, B6 and E.
Let's hope nobody is drinking diet sodas to meet a daily nutrient requirement.
Common Pitfalls
An industry that produces enough soda to supply 557, 12-ounce cans to every person in the United States certainly can be expected to flood the market with some very persuasive advertising. In choosing the sodas that are right for you, look beyond the hype. Read labels carefully. Evaluate how soda fits in to the rest of your daily diet-and then make your own informed decision.
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