Soft drink consumption

[Chad]

Probably 5-8 cans a year and those are for mixed drinks.

[George the original one]

Total consumer here! Was occasional treat until my mid-thirties, around 1996, and then as my job evolved, the daily habit became entrenched. Been diet-only since about 2002.

[bottlerocks]

My died soft drink consumption is insane, I average over 2 cans/day during the week and probably 1/day during the weekend.

I don't enjoy coffee/tea so I guess this is my caffeine replacement. I've found that almost anything carbonated/caffeinated will fit my needs but diet soda in bulk seems to be the cheapest fix.

I've stopped drinking it for durations of >3 months multiple times but don't really find many health benefits. I always go back because I use them in the same way I do lunches, to break up my work day. If I didn't work I'd only eat one meal per day and imagine that would reduce my soft drink consumption as well. It's an obvious item to cut out of my life as it constitutes about 10% of my food spending.

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Edit: Might be worth mentioning something health data points:
I'm 170lbs at <15% body fat, eat ~2000kCal per day when I'm sedentary.

[James_0011]

Yes everyday. I'll offer a contrarian view here in that I believe coke with real sugar is actually pretty healthy. The way the media portrays sugar is completely false imo, and there are a lot of anti-inflammatory compounds used in coke. Also, there are a lot of health benefits from the carbonation.

[7Wannabe5]

Not very often. I might order a cola if I am also having chili-cheese-fries, but that doesn't happen very often. I will occasionally have an aloe or basil seed drink. My preferred sugar delivery system is in the form of a cookie with my black coffee.

[bryan]

Drank a lot in high school, gave it up in college. Why? Had to pay for it myself

Since then the only time I indulge has been for mixing w/ liquor or at sporting events as a spectator (soda seems to help with the hoarseness from yelling).

[Dragline]

No, not regularly -- maybe a few times a month. Is this a new ERE metric?

I'd be curious to see what the "consumes at least 2 soft drinks per day and watches reality TV" demographic looks like.

[Bankai]

I believe coke with real sugar is actually pretty healthy.

Yeah, and since it contains vegetable extracts, you can count each can as one of 5-a-day...

[The Old Man]

It has been decades since I had a pop (or a soft drink). I probably drink too much coffee, though.

[James_0011]

I believe coke with real sugar is actually pretty healthy.

Yeah, and since it contains vegetable extracts, you can count each can as one of 5-a-day...

The coca leaf and cola seed extracts are valuable antiinflammatories.” — Dr. Ray Peat

"Coke dropped cocaine from its recipe around 1900, but the secret formula still calls for a cocaine-free coca extract produced at a Stepan Co. factory in Maywood, N.J…” —Washington Times (2004)

[Lucky C]

I drink soda maybe a couple times of year. Since I normally don't have much caffeine or sugar, it has a bigger effect on me than on most people, like alcohol for someone with low tolerance. I confess that once in a great while I can get an urge to have a big fast food combo and stuff my face while watching something stupid or funny on TV - a true American experience. The high from the sugar, caffeine, fat, and overstimulating TV show can be pretty powerful if you're not numbed to that kind of thing. It's like a reset after every few months of working hard and eating healthy(ish) foods.

The other 99% of the time, tea without any sweeteners is my favored caffeinated drink.

[Smashter]

I drink it very rarely, and always in the context of an alcoholic beverage.

As a sidenote, I've found kombucha to be a tremendous replacement for soda if you are using the soda simply to add some sweetness to a drink. I have tried this on my college aged sister to make sure she approves, and it passed the test. Although it could just be the case that neither of us are cocktail connoisseurs.

I like to make my own kombucha, and it's come in handy in a pinch when friends have demanded chasers only to realize the two drinks in my fridge are water and kombucha.

[CECTPA]

No, I'm too much of a health freak. I don't consume anything containing high fructose corn syrup (labelled as "glucose/fructose" in Canada) or artificial sweeteners.

[steveo73]

Yes everyday. I'll offer a contrarian view here in that I believe coke with real sugar is actually pretty healthy. The way the media portrays sugar is completely false imo, and there are a lot of anti-inflammatory compounds used in coke. Also, there are a lot of health benefits from the carbonation.

I agree that sugar isn't really that bad. It's not good though. It's like something that you use as an additive and in those scenarios it's okay.

In stating that soft drinks to me are just empty calories with no benefit at all.

[James_0011]

Yes everyday. I'll offer a contrarian view here in that I believe coke with real sugar is actually pretty healthy. The way the media portrays sugar is completely false imo, and there are a lot of anti-inflammatory compounds used in coke. Also, there are a lot of health benefits from the carbonation.

I agree that sugar isn't really that bad. It's not good though. It's like something that you use as an additive and in those scenarios it's okay.

In stating that soft drinks to me are just empty calories with no benefit at all.

If you're interested in learning more lookup a man named "ray peat" and read his writings about sugar, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[Papers of Indenture]

I might drink 1 soda per month on average.

My weakness is sweetened Ice Tea.

[Riggerjack]

If I'm drinking a soda, it's because I'm eating fast food. Carl's Jr, is my wife's favorite. Usually only happens on road trips, or an occasional all day work day at one of our rentals.

I'm much happier drinking beer. I don't know that it's better for me, but I certainly like it more.

[steveo73]

If I'm drinking a soda, it's because I'm eating fast food. Carl's Jr, is my wife's favorite. Usually only happens on road trips, or an occasional all day work day at one of our rentals.

I'm much happier drinking beer. I don't know that it's better for me, but I certainly like it more.

I will drink alcohol because of the enjoyment factor. I'd put money on it that alcohol is worse for you than soft drinks but I get basically nothing out of a soft drink whereas I love beer and wine.

[CS]

Don't drink any. Get headaches from the diet stuff - and the sugary kind makes me dizzy. Club soda (aka seltzer water) is the big splurge when I want some carbonation.

[BRUTE]

I'd put money on it that alcohol is worse for you than soft drinks

the saving grace is probably that it's hard to drink as much alcohol as some humans drink sugary drinks without becoming a non-functioning wreck. from a metabolic perspective they have surprisingly similar long-term effects.