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Margot Sanger-Katz reports in the NYT that soda consumption is experiencing a serious and sustained decline as sales of full-calorie soda in the United States have plummeted by more than 25 percent over the past twenty years. Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they are actively trying to avoid the drinks that have been a mainstay of American culture and bottled water is now on track to overtake soda as the largest beverage category in two years. The changing patterns of soda drinking appear to come thanks, in part, to a loud campaign to eradicate sodas. School cafeterias and vending machines no longer contain regular sodas. Many workplaces and government offices have similarly prohibited their sale.
For many public health advocates, soda has become the new tobacco — a toxic product to be banned, taxed and stigmatized. "There will always be soda, but I think the era of it being acceptable for kids to drink soda all day long is passing, slowly," says Marion Nestle. "In some socioeconomic groups, it's over." Soda represents nearly 25% of the U.S. beverage market and its massive scale have guaranteed profit margins for decades. Historically, beverage preferences are set in adolescence, the first time that most people begin choosing and buying a favorite brand. But the declines in soda drinking appear to be sharpest among young Americans. "Kids these days are growing up with all of these other options, and there are some parents who say, 'I really want my kids to drink juice or a bottled water,' " says Gary A. Hemphill. "If kids grow up without carbonated soft drinks, the likelihood that they are going to grow up and, when they are 35, start drinking is very low."
(Score: 2) by VLM on Sunday October 04 2015, @04:01PM
The unhealthy acid bit is in reference to citric and phosphoric acid in most fruit juices and colas being very bad for the teeth, long term. So for better luck, go google up those specific terms rather than "acid is bad" or whatever.
Fructose is a good solid punch to the liver, its almost as hard to metabolize as alcohol although it doesn't get you high, so LOL at the "food babe" level science of "fruit juice is natural and healthy". No its pretty much crap, just not quite as bad as Mt Dew. Consumed occasionally as semi-solid fruit, the juice in fruit isn't as unhealthy because the fiber dramatically slows adsorption rates plus the acids in the fruit can't corrode your teeth if they're in the center of an orange or whatever and therefore never contact your teeth.
Its interesting to speculate on some kind of healthy canned drink that isn't just bottled water. Some electrolytes would be handy, a modest amount of salt. Maybe some vitamins. If you liked paying $1 for a bottled water, you'll love the $3 health food store vitamin water products that are relatively pH neutral so no dental erosion and are more or less pedialyte rehydration formula remarketed for adults.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 04 2015, @07:44PM
> Some electrolytes would be handy, a modest amount of salt.
Salt is an electrolyte. In fact, all that bullshit marketing about electrolytes isn't about much more than a little sodium in the drink.