The Life of … a Soda

How Is Soda Made?

Do you drink soft drinks? Maybe where you live you call them "soda." Or you say "pop" or "cola."

While they may taste good, sodas are not good for you. Why? Let’s see how they are made.

A soda starts out as water. Sounds healthy, right? After all, water is a healthy drink.

A Lot of Sugar Is Added

Here’s where healthy water begins to turn into an unhealthy soda. Sugar is added to the water. Sodas have lots of sugar. One can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar. That's more sugar than in two scoops of chocolate ice cream! 

All that sugar isn’t healthy. Eating too much sugar can make you gain unhealthy weight. 

Flavor and Fizz Are Mixed In

Next, vanilla or cinnamon can be added as flavors -- or lime, lemon, or orange. Sometimes color is added.

Then the water is mixed with a gas called carbon dioxide. This gas makes the drink bubbly and fizzy.

Caffeine Comes Next, but It’s Not Good!

Soda also can have caffeine in it. But caffeine is not good for you.  

Caffeine can give you a headache. It can make you cranky. 

Caffeine can make it hard to pay attention. It can make it hard to fall asleep. 

It’s best not to drink sodas or energy drinks that have caffeine.

Soda Goes in the Can and to the Store

The soda is squirted into cans or bottles. Tops are put on right away to keep the soda fizzy.

Labels are added to bottles. Labels tell you all the stuff used to make your soda.

The cans and bottles are put on trucks and shipped to stores.

Thirsty? Skip Soda

Now you know how soda is made. Healthy water turns into an unhealthy drink choice because sugar and caffeine are added.

Be good to your body and brain. Don't drink soda everyday. 

Did you know there are delicious, healthy drinks to choose from when you are thirsty?

What Should You Choose? Try Water or Low-Fat Milk

Water helps your whole body work well, especially if you are playing sports. You don’t need sports drinks unless you’re playing hard for more than an hour.

Skim milk is another great drink choice. It has calcium, which builds strong bones and teeth.

Want more drink choices?

Make Your Own Drink

Put slices of lemon or orange in your glass. You can also use apple slices, strawberries, or frozen berries. The fruit will add flavor to your drink. Next, pour regular water on top of the fruit until you fill your glass. 

Like fizz? Use sparkling water or seltzer water instead of regular water. Enjoy!

See Chef Lizzie make a Fizzy Fruit drink.

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