Few soda companies can be considered as influential as Coca-Cola. In some parts of the country if you order a “coke” they immediately give you a Coca-Cola without asking. With a brand name like Coca-Cola, and such a distinctive flavor, how can I be pitting two bottles against each other? The sweeteners, of course! The Coca-Cola sold in the United States is made with that ever-present sweetener, High Fructose Corn Syrup, otherwise known as “HFCS”. There are, however, certain places where the more traditional cane sugar is preferred.

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Various people have brought up the idea of a “soda tax”. The idea behind this is that by adding a tax to sugary drinks this will help fight obesity in today’s youth, raise funds to pay for health-care, and cover budget shortages. While this tax is being touted as the savior of all our troubles, one has to ask; how will consumers respond.

There’s no doubt that America has a problem with obesity. A study by the National Center for Health Statistics from the CDC found that 17.1% of children and adolescents between 2-19 years were overweight. That same study also found that 32.2% of adults were obese. While there are claims that soda plays a big part in America’s obesity, there are many factors that lead to overeating. Food manufacturers over the years have added more food to their products, the Triple Baconator from Wendy’s anyone? (more…)