I’m a life long Coke addict. By Coke, of course, I mean carbonated beverages in general – what some people (for some reason) call “soda” or “pop.” Of course, for me, Coke is, in fact, the actual beverage that has been a part of my life and diet forever. I don’t drink coffee so, in addition to being a beverage that tastes good, Coke became my source of caffeine also. In college it was not uncommon for me to have coke at all three meals (when I actually ate breakfast) and maybe in the evening with a snack. While not drinking it to that extreme since then, it has continued to be a part of my daily eating habits. I gave up Coke for about nine months last year, but reacquired the habit around the time Asa was born (see: caffeine).
So I’ve done a little Google search to learn about the effects of Coke on the body. Here is one guy’s list of the five worst foods you can eat. Here is another interesting article that notes, among other things, that in the 1950s the standard coke bottle was 6.5 ounces, whereas today it is 12 ounces. Interesting stuff. Of course there’s also a financial incentive. When you eat out too much like we do, drinking water instead of Coke will save you a decent amount of money over the course of a month. Finally, I can only say that I just feel better. I can’t quantify that or describe to you in a scientific way why that is the case, only attest to the fact that I feel better, especially after meals.
So I’m kicking the habit. I reserve the right to eventually have a coke or sprite or something on rare occassions, but will no longer do so regularly.