Yet more new studies prove we probably shouldn't be drinking the stuff, this time because that whole "diet" claim is apparently worthless. So why does soda remain so popular? Esquire's Answer Fella discovers it probably has something to do with all the caffeine.
Does caffeine added to soft drinks do anything other than wake us up?
According to Thomas Critchfield, an Illinois State University professor of psychology and coauthor of a study titled "Caffeine Reinforcement Demonstrated in a Majority of Moderate Caffeine Users," "Caffeine makes us feel better. Stimulant drugs - including caffeine and close chemical relatives in coffee, tea, and chocolate - tend also to improve the focus of attention and enhance mood. Not only are we awake, but we tend to like the way we feel on caffeine."
Plus, Critchfield notes, "Caffeine is dependency producing. I imagine that this fact puts little dollar signs in the eyes of beverage manufacturers. One more wrinkle: A handful of studies suggest caffeine may cause us to like the flavor of a beverage more than if the beverage were decaffeinated."
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