Researchers claim that people are unable to taste the difference between caffeinated and uncaffeinated soft drinks. This means, they conclude, that soft drink manufacturers are intentionally trying to addict their customers.
Nonsense, huffs and puffs the National Soft Drink Association. It’s all about flavor. Besides, a bunch of people in the test were smokers, and we know how addiction-prone poor they are at tasting things.
As a dedicated caffeinated soft drink drinker (Coke, Pepsi, and Barqs, primarily), the assertion by the manufacturers is just goofy. It’s not a detectable taste.
On the other hand, I’m not a big conspiracy theorist. And caffeine, while mildly addictive, is not addictive enough to make me think that’s wht’s going on here.
No, the bottom line here is that people like to drink caffeinated drinks because they enjoy the caffeine buzz. It is, if you will, America’s dirty little mood-altering secret. Caffeine gives you a buzz. It perks you up.
What, you think folks drink coffee because it tastes good? You think people really like the taste of black tea that much more than green tea? Same diff.
But the manufacturers can admit that, because it makes them sound like drug pushers. They are, of course, but I, for one, am eagerly lining up for my fix.
Green tea is gross. Black tea is the taste I crave. I drink regular coke and diet pepsi (twist is good.)
I have never understood why decaffeinated coke tastes so bad. What does caffeine taste like? How come ‘decaff’ pop always tastes different?
I don’t drink caffeinated root beer. You have to draw the line somewhere, I guess.
I need caffeine to the extent where it is an 48 hour headache, coming off the stuff… bad, bad, bad…
But I chose it, and if I have to, I can quit. Cold turkey. Without the decade long withdrawl symptoms and cravings my mom went through when she kicked her 3 pack a day habit. (Now she is asmatic, can’t climb a single flight of stairs without stopping for air, and gets represcribed to antibiotics every 4-8 weeks for chronic brochial infections… related to her smoking? the tobacco companies will tell you ‘absolutely not.’ Right.)
I was just about to post about the hellish headache you get when trying to quit caffeinated drinks. I gave up Dr. Pepper when I did the Atkin’s diet some time ago….and I’ll never go back.
I used to drink nothing but Dr. Pepper (with Mr. Pibb thrown in now and then)…and I mean nothing. I didn’t have milk or OJ for breakfast. I had soda. I drank it all day at work and I’d go to bed with a glass on the night stand. I never drank water, juices, etc…..just soda.
On good thing……your pee will fizz after the first year…..LOL
MUST…HAVE…CAFFEINE!!!!!! If I didn’t have it I’d be asleep at my desk. I don’t think its addictive though.
It might be slightly addictive, I know when I quit caffeine while nursing I had headaches for about a week, but it’s not to the point where if I didn’t have something caffeinated I’d go shoot someone.
As for coffee, I don’t drink caffeinated coffee anymore for a variety of reasons, but I still drink it even though it doesn’t give me the buzz. Maybe it’s habit, or maybe I like the taste – I must since I drink it without sugar *gah*
On a side note, I bought something called Java Bits at our local job lot store which are basically “caffeine enhanced” mint M&Ms. Each individual serving bag has the caffeine of two cups of coffee. Tim and I split half a bag and I was wired.
I’ve done some research into caffeine in the past, and I know I’m in the “consumes enough coffee (let alone other caffeinated drinks) to get headaches if he tries to go cold turkey” category. But I can take care fo that by simply drinking more coffee, so it’s no problem.
I can quit anytime. Really.