At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.
How Do I Choose the Best Drinking Soda?
It is difficult to determine what the best drinking soda is for every person, because each individual has different preferences. In general, however, the best option for most people will be the one that tastes the best. Many people, however, also consider sodas based on their sugar and calorie content and seek options that have less sugar and fewer calories. You might also consider the artificial ingredients that a drink contains. Additionally, you can analyze caffeine content when making your choice.
Taste usually is a priority when it comes to choosing the best drinking soda. You might, for example, enjoy the rich, sweet taste of a cola or prefer the fruity flavor of an orange or grape soda. Sweet flavors such as birch or root beer might interest you most, or you might prefer a lemon-lime soft drink. You can even try flavors such as orange cream or blueberry vanilla for a twist. The point is to choose a soda based on the flavors that you like best, although your soda flavor preferences might change from day to day.
Many people limit the amount of refined sugar that they consume on a daily basis, in an effort to enjoy better health. If this is your goal, the best drinking soda might be one with a low sugar content. Most sodas do contain a good deal of sugar, but you can find some that contain less sugar yet still provide the flavor that you crave.
Calorie counts also might influence your choice of the best drinking soda. Usually, sugar content directly relates to the number of calories in a soft drink. As such, you might find choosing soda with less sugar to be helpful when you want to lose weight or maintain your current weight. If you really want to ensure that the soda you drink won't cause you to gain weight or impair your efforts to shed extra pounds, you might consider buying one of the many diet sodas on the market.
In choosing the best drinking soda, you might also consider whether it contains artificial ingredients. You might prefer an option that contains all-natural flavors and colors. Although the artificial ingredients that are commonly found in soda are considered safe for human consumption, some people prefer to maintain a natural diet.
Caffeine is another consideration when you are choosing a soda. Some drinking sodas contain caffeine, and others are caffeine-free. A moderate amount of caffeine generally is not considered bad for the body, but large amounts have been linked to insomnia, jittery feelings and mild addiction. If you are trying to avoid caffeine or have consumed other caffeinated beverages during the day, you might prefer to make a caffeine-free soda your choice.
Discussion Comments
@AnswerMan, I find that the best sodas are produced by smaller bottling companies. I'll shop for natural sodas at Whole Foods or other healthy grocery stores. If I can't find good sodas there, I'll go to the health food section of a regular grocery store and look for carbonated beverages that use real juice or pure sugar.
After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I had to give up drinking a soda everyday like I had been doing for over 30 years. Now I see most sodas as carbonated liquid candy. However, I still treat myself to an occasional soda, so I have a few ideas on what a good one tastes like.
To me, sodas in general tasted better before the 1980s or so. I remember citrus drinks like Orange Crush used to contain real fruit oils, which gave them a more natural flavor. When these oils were removed and the bottlers started using high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors, sodas were noticeably different. I had forgotten how different they were until Pepsi and Coke released "throwback" flavors using their original formulas.
If I'm going to drink a soda, I look for one produced and bottled in countries where sugar is still used. Mexican grocery stores often import sodas from Mexico, and the ingredient list includes real sugar.
I find that sodas made with sugar taste much more like the ones I drank as a child. I will also stock up on "throwback" sodas whenever they are available.
Post your comments