Carbonated soft drinks are not good for your health, but why are many people still addicted?

Decoding the irresistible appeal of carbonated soft drinks - Photo: HAVARD HEALTH

But what makes carbonated soft drinks so appealing?

According to researchers, the answer lies not only in the sweet taste, but also in the special feeling that the bubbles bring in the mouth.

Stimulating feeling from air bubbles

According to data from the Norwegian Health Service, the average Norwegian consumed 43 liters of sugary soft drinks and 72 liters of sugar-free soft drinks in 2023. While sweetness plays an important role, fruit juice – which also tastes sweet – is not as appealing.

The reason lies in the bubbles created by carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ). Under high pressure, CO ₂ dissolves in water and forms carbonic acid. When the lid is opened, the CO ₂ gas escapes, creating the characteristic bubbling effect.

"Carbonation is a kind of tactile sensation in the mouth," researcher Valérie Lengard Almli from the Nofima Institute (Norway) shared on Science Norway . These gas bubbles stimulate the trigeminal nerve - which is responsible for detecting pain, heat, cold and spicy foods.

Professor Tom Finger - a taste and smell researcher at the University of Colorado School of Medicine (USA) - said the feeling from carbonated water can be compared to riding a roller coaster.

“On one hand the nerves signal that this could be a dangerous situation, but the brain perceives it as safe,” he explains.

"However, not everyone likes this feeling. Some people find the strong fizz of soda unpleasant. "My partner doesn't even like drinking champagne. She says the bubbles are not only unpleasant but also sour," he added.

Does caffeine make soda more irresistible?

Some carbonated soft drinks have the added appeal of caffeine - Photo: CNN

In addition to the sweet taste and fizzy feeling, some soft drinks also contain caffeine, a factor that can contribute to "addiction" in consumers.

"As far as I know, no one is addicted to carbonated orange juice. That shows there is another element in this drink," Almli said.

In fact, sales of sparkling mineral water, although also fizzy, cannot compare with those of sugary or caffeinated soft drinks.

This suggests that the combination of sweetness, bubbles, and mild stimulants like caffeine may be the special "addictive" formula of popular sodas.

A 2018 study published in Oxford Medical Case Reports documented a remarkable case: A 48-year-old obese man had a habit of drinking up to seven cans of soda a day.

To help him kick the habit, doctors prescribed a drug that eliminates the feeling of bubbles. The results were surprising: the man almost stopped drinking soda and lost an average of 1kg per week.

Although carbon dioxide is not an addictive substance, it clearly plays an important role in the appeal of carbonated soft drinks.

Perhaps it is the unique excitement that bubbles bring that makes many people unable to resist every time they open a cold can of soda.

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