Soft drinks and health

Recently, I heard someone say that scientists don't know where the chemicals that are in diet soft drinks go, but at least they know where the sugar in regular drinks goes.  I have never been much into soft drinks, preferring unsweetened sun tea, but I admit that I drank Diet Coke for a long time. Once I heard that comment, I tried to switch to regular soft drinks.

Thinking that because I liked Diet Coke (and Diet Coke with lime in particular) I'd like regular Coke, I tried that again.  I hadn't drunk regular Coke since I was a teenager at best.  I took one swig of it and hated it.  I don't know why, but I just did.

I'd always liked Dr. Pepper.  So I opted for Dr. Pepper as my drink of choice.  I drink about two cans of that a day when I'm at the office because I have nowhere to keep a pitcher of iced tea.  I will admit that I can drink about a gallon of iced tea a day, and in an office setting with a shared refrigerator, it's just not possible to keep a pitcher of iced tea.

While I'm on the topic of iced tea, is there a more vile drink than sweet tea?  It's positively wretched. I know I've just offended almost the entire portion of the southern United States with that comment, but it's the truth.  It's like drinking syrup with a hint of tea flavor.

But I also like ginger ale.  Karen hates the stuff, which simply means there's more for me.  I also like 7-Up.  I don't know if this ruins my street cred or not, but I've like Fresca since I was a little kid.  I hear that now if you drink Fresca as a man it telegraphs, supposedly, one's sexual orientation. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Nowadays, energy drinks are all the rage.  Things like Red Bull just don't attract me.  What's more, people put them in glasses with vodka or other spirits.  They may well taste good, but I'm not that adventurous.

I never liked Gatorade.  I just don't like its taste.

As far as alcoholic beverages go, for whatever reason I detest champagne.  Wine's all right, but I'm a snob and only drink domestic or Spanish wines, especially the latter.  Beer is really just a couple: Sam Adams, Miller Genuine Draft or Guinness, which is really porter.  I don't drink much hard liquor but will sip whiskey occasionally.  I'd like to try brandy, bourbon and cognac.  Mixed drinks do nothing for me, although I have had a Long Island Iced Tea or two.  Oddly enough, I've never had a martini. I remember our Grandma used to drink Old Fashioneds.

For now, I'm either drinking a ton of water, a Dr. Pepper or two or iced tea.

And that's just fine with me.

(c) 2013 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles