Soda or soft drink is a common items in our day-to-day life. This sweetened fizzy drink has become a norm for us to have whenever we go out to eat or have a hangout or have guests to entertain. As soda has become a part and parcel of our everyday life, we have slowly become aware of not only the advantages but also the disadvantages of sodas. However, whether it is the advantages that outweigh the disadvantages or vice versa, depends on the individual’s perspective.
Holding onto this fact, let’s look at the rich history behind the invention of soda. It will not be wrong to say that since the dawn of time, soda has been available. When the industrial revolution bloomed, during the middle ages, the water was heavily contaminated and therefore, was not safe to drink. As such, low-alcoholic beers were seen to be brewed to serve as an alternative for the poor to stay hydrated. In the 1600s, spa towns became famous as these establishments provided sparkling water for the public to bathe. Yes to bathe, not to drink!
However, around a century later, this spa water was sold in bottles, and the public started to buy and drink this bottled spa water for its rumoured medicinal benefits. Furthermore, it was around this time that homemade fruit punch recipes had become well-received among the populace. The main reason behind it was to enrich the palate of sick patients. It was not until the 1760s when Dr Joseph Priestley invented carbonated water artificially that the commercial manufacture of fizzy drinks started to become hugely popular. And thus, now in 2021, we can see major soda companies around the world, such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, Mountain Dew, Sprite, and others, firmly grasping this market and keep on dominating the market.
Next, let us move on to why soda is so popular among people, regardless of age. The main reason is that sodas go so well with Western fast-food and deep-fried dishes such as burgers, pizza, french fries, pasta, steak, and many others. However, sodas are largely popular with Chinese, Japanese, and Korean dishes as well. For example, chow mein, fried rice, pad thai, wonton, dumpling, sushi, tempura (deep-fried vegetables or seafood), yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), spicy kimchi, Korean BBQ, and others. There are even people who love to have sodas with their ramen. Furthermore, if we look at Bengali dishes, such as Biriani, Polao & Roast, Kacchi, Khichuri, Naan & Grill Chicken, and Kebab, we can find various kinds of sodas being served along with them.
The thing we tend to forget most of the time while drinking soda is the fact that this whole drink is made out of sugar. In the making of soda, sugar is the main ingredient after carbonated water. many of us are very much concerned with our weight gain. Especially the pandemic and the long period of lockdown have heightened the fear of weight gain. Therefore, it should be highlighted that soda, even diet soda, can cause weight gain because of the large number of calories and sugar in it. Most sodas are acidic. Thus, these artificially sweetened drinks are erosive and have the risk of dental caries or cavities. In other words, a long period and continuous drinking of sodas can erode the tooth enamel. That is why it is often advised by dentists to drink soda with a straw so that the liquid will come less in contact with the teeth. Sometimes drinking sodas can lead people to suffer from some shocking and serious diseases. But, as drinking soda has become a habit for many of us, it is quite hard to quit it overnight. As such, cutting low on the intake of soda or choosing a low-sugar soda or organic juice as an alternative might be a better option that one can consider.
The secret behind having soda or soft drink as a must secondary item alongside the main menu is that the carbonation in the beverage permeates the stomach so that the gases inside can free up and remove the existing air, and make room to consume the remaining food. Furthermore, it cannot be denied that having a sip of soda, now and then in the middle of eating and towards the very end, can freshen our mouth and leave a pleasant aftertaste. Even without consuming soda as a secondary item, we can see a common picture of people drinking sodas, especially iced sodas, be it in their houses or cafes and restaurants or out in the street, in the summertime to do away with the excessive summer heat and to stay hydrated.
