One of the most important changes I made to my diet was to remove liquid calories. It was the easiest move I’ve ever made for my health. At least for me, if I’m regularly drinking sugary caffeinated beverages I seem to carry an additional 10-15lbs automatically. This change can be very difficult for most people because of the way these drinks are marketed and distributed in our society today.

In this ode to becoming a soda connoisseur from Art of Manliness:

Soda is really not that bad for you despite what the nutritionist fear mongers proclaim. Temperance involves the principle of moderation. Soda was intended to be a delicious treat. It was never intended to be gulped from a 64 ounce mug. It was not intended to wash food down your gullet. Nor was it intended as such a cheap beverage that free refills were a possibility. It was meant to be tasted, savored, and enjoyed. When used that way, soda can be enjoyed regularly. If anything should be blamed for the rise in American obesity, it’s high fructose corn syrup. There is a striking relationship between the growing use of HFCS and obesity. Stick to the real stuff and savor every sweet drop.

This really hits the nail on the head, although I don’t consider myself a “nutritionist fear monger”. Our relationship with soda—and sweetened beverages in general—is based on the marketing and distribution tactics of the major beverage companies. When you walk into a restaurant what is the first beverage on the menu offered by the waitress? I bet that 99% of the time, you’ll first hear, “We offer coke/pepsi products.” At the very end of the list come things like lemonade (still sugary), milk, coffee or tea. When these drinks are shoved in your face at every opportunity throughout your life, it can be difficult to resist. The easiest drink for you to order is a soda, and it also happens to be the most unhealthy due to the amount you are encouraged to drink. A “good” waitress, will bring you a fresh glass of soda before you’ve even finished the first. You can easily consume 48-60oz of soda at a meal without even thinking about it. That’s almost equal to how much water you should be drinking every day, in one meal!

Soft drinks are first on the list at In and Out BurgerSource: Roadfood

The remarkable homogeneity between the mega-corp soda offerings, combined with their aggressive marketing and distribution tactics lead us to view these drinks as something we should be consuming constantly. For the companies, it’s just good business, but it has serious implications for our health. As the quote above mentions, moderation is key. Sugary beverages should be a treat, not a regular accompaniment to every meal, or something you mindlessly gulp while sitting at your desk. I’m not saying that you have to cut them out altogether, but if you reset your “beverage worldview” and treat these drinks as more of a special dessert, you will be healthier and able to treat yourself to a higher quality craft soda that will most likely be twice as delicious.

Stay tuned, in part two I’ll talk about the different groups of beverages, and what you should be consuming.