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Soft drink

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Soft drinks are a huge category of tasty beverages that do not contain alcohol.

Tumbler of cola with ice
Tumbler of cola with ice

People often call them "soft" to show they are different from "hard" alcoholic drinks. Most soft drinks are carbonated, which means they have tiny bubbles inside. These bubbles come from a gas called carbon dioxide. To make these drinks, makers often mix flavored syrup with carbonated water.

Soda bubbles macro
Soda bubbles macro

They use many sweeteners like sugar, fruit juice, or corn syrup. Some people even choose diet sodas made with sugar substitutes. You can find many flavors like cola, orange soda, or ginger ale.

Making a fizzy drink is a very interesting thing that happens with gas.

Carbon dioxide gas is injected into the liquid under high pressure. Because the gas does not like to stay in the water, it wants to escape. When you open a bottle, the pressure is released. The gas then turns back into bubbles, which makes the drink look effervescent. This is why your drink looks fizzy and bubbly. Some drinks have a lot of bubbles, while fruity drinks might have fewer.

Soft drinks have a very long history that goes back many centuries.

Priestley Joseph pneumatic trough
Priestley Joseph pneumatic trough

In the medieval Middle East, people drank fruit drinks called sharbat. These were often made with honey, sugar, or syrup. They used tasty things like pomegranate, mint, and lemon. In Tudor England, people drank a sweetened lemon drink called water imperial. Long ago, vendors in Paris even carried tanks of lemonade on their backs. They would pour cups of the drink for people walking by.

Many famous scientists and inventors helped shape the drinks we know today.

(1883) SCHWEPPES MINERAL-WATERS
(1883) SCHWEPPES MINERAL-WATERS

In 1767, Joseph Priestley discovered a way to make carbonated water. He found that adding gas to water made it taste very refreshing. Later, J. J. Schweppe started the Schweppes company in 1783. He began selling the world's first bottled soft drinks. Many famous brands started in the 1800s, like Dr Pepper in 1885 and Coca-Cola in 1886.

Image-Codd bottle
Image-Codd bottle

Inventors also worked hard to keep the bubbles inside the bottles.

Today, soft drinks are part of life all over the world.

016 Coca-Cola vending machine at Kyoto Station, Japan - コカコーラ 自動販売機
016 Coca-Cola vending machine at Kyoto Station, Japan - コカコーラ 自動販売機

You can find them in cans, glass bottles, or plastic bottles. They are sold at fast food places, movie theaters, and vending machines. People in different places even use different names for them. In the United States, many people say "soda" or "pop." In the United Kingdom, they often say "fizzy drink." In South Africa, people call them "cool drinks." No matter the name, these drinks are enjoyed by many people everywhere.

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🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Tumbler of cola with ice.jpg
Tumbler of cola with ice.jpg
File:016 Coca-Cola vending machine at Kyoto Station, Japan - コカコーラ 自動販売機.JPG
016 Coca-Cola vending machine at Kyoto...
File:Soda bubbles macro.jpg
Soda bubbles macro.jpg
Carbonated soft drink - japan - 2022 oct 20.webm
File:Priestley Joseph pneumatic trough.jpg
Priestley Joseph pneumatic trough.jpg
File:(1883) SCHWEPPES MINERAL-WATERS.jpg
(1883) SCHWEPPES MINERAL-WATERS.jpg
File:Image-Codd bottle.jpg
Image-Codd bottle.jpg
File:New York utility lines in 1890.jpg
New York utility lines in 1890.jpg
File:7-Up Bottlers Flavor jug.jpg
7-Up Bottlers Flavor jug.jpg
File:Hartwall Jaffa Greippi & Appelsiini.jpg
Hartwall Jaffa Greippi & Appelsiini.jpg
File:Soft drink shelf 2.jpg
Soft drink shelf 2.jpg
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