by Debbie Robus

Created on: September 28, 2009

When most people think of a "soft drink," they envision a carbonated beverage - Coca-Cola, Sprite, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, 7-UP and others. So what, exactly, is in a soft drink? First, most soft drinks contain refined cane sugar or corn syrup. They also contain water and carbonated water, which gives the drink its "fizz."

Colas comprise the largest segment of the soft drink industry. Colas are made from the cola nut, which comes from the Ivory Coast of Africa. If you have ever wondered why a cola can help soothe an upset stomach, it is because the cola nut contains alkaloids in the form of caffeine and theobromine. These stimulate digestive juices. The carbonation speeds digestion. Put these two together, and the end result is a soothed upset stomach.

Most soft drinks have switched to high fructose corn syrup as a sweetener instead of sugar. High fructose corn syrup is sweeter, so less is required - and it is cheaper. Diet sodas use aspartame most often, but some brands contain sucralose, neotame, and acesulfame.

Some soft drinks add acids, such as phosphoric acid, for an extra "bite." Others that have a more citrus flavor use critric acid. Carbonated water also has a mild acidity, and caffeine adds a bitter taste. As cola companies strive to create a sweet product, is it any wonder many of our colas are loaded with more than the USDA recommended daily allotment (RDA) of added sugars - more than 10 teaspoons for a 2000-calorie diet?

In order to keep fatty flavors suspended in the liquid, gums and modified food starches are sometimes used. Glyceryl abietate, the waxy substance used in eyebrow pencils, is sometimes used for this purpose. A good example of a glyceryl abietate (or glycerol esters of wood rosin) used in a soft drink is orange soda, which often contains this ingredient.

Soft drinks also contain preservatives, such as sodium benzoate to inhibit bacteria, molds and yeasts, sodium citrate to buffer the acids and keep the pH low, potassium sorbate to inhibit yeasts and fungi, and ascorbic acid - Vitamin C - an anti-oxidant. Soft drinks also use colors, such as caramel coloring for colas, and Red 40 for fruit flavored drinks.

There is little to no nutritional value in a carbonated soft drink. An unfortified soft drink may contain food coloring, preservatives, emulsifiers, and artificial flavoring. Some also contain caffeine. What they do NOT contain is protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber or other essential nutrients. Many households have substituted cheap, tasty soft drinks for more nutritious beverages such as milk and fruit juice. Additionally, overconsumption of soft drinks has been linked to a number of health concerns, including an increase of type-2 diabetes and obesity in teenagers, tooth decay, loss of bone density, and heart palpitations.

Today's soft drinks are so much more than a concoction of sugar, flavoring, carbonation, and a perhaps a little caffeine. Colorings, additives, preservatives - and possibly an artificial sweetener - combine to create something that may be tasty and fizzy, but nutritionally devoid. When we stop and think about these ingredients, along with the potential health concerns that have been attributed to soft drinks, one has to wonder... why do we drink them?

Resources:
http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/soft_drinks.html
http://www.solarnavigator.net/solar_cola/soft_drink. htm

Learn more about this author, Debbie Robus.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.