We Watch What We Eat—But What About What We Drink?

By Danielle Smith, Master Herbalist at Carolina Holistic Tea Farm

We’re in the middle of a major food shift.

People are paying more attention to what they eat than ever before—checking labels, choosing organic, cutting back on ultra-processed foods, and becoming more aware of how what we consume affects our health.

The FDA’s recent decision to ban several artificial food dyes is part of that shift. It’s a response to growing scientific evidence, yes—but more importantly, it reflects a growing public awareness: people are questioning what goes into their food.

But here’s something I rarely hear anyone talk about…

What about what we drink?

We Clean Up Our Plates—But Ignore Our Cups

You’ve probably noticed how much effort we put into eating cleaner. We swap out seed oils, avoid sugar, and opt for locally grown produce when we can. We’re finally moving away from the idea that fast, cheap, and artificial is “just fine.”

But when it comes to beverages, it’s like all that progress disappears.

Even health-conscious folks often reach for sugary sodas, diet drinks with artificial sweeteners, and brightly colored “hydration” drinks without asking what’s in them. These aren’t just empty calories—they’re often loaded with chemicals that influence our metabolism, nervous system, and gut health.

We know soda isn’t good for us. We’ve seen the studies, felt the crashes, maybe even struggled with caffeine dependence. But for some reason, we still normalize it.

Why is that?

Soda Isn’t Just a Drink—It’s a Habit

Despite everything we know, soda remains one of the most consumed beverages in the country. And the reasons go far beyond taste:

• Cultural Norms: Soda is everywhere—at barbecues, restaurants, vending machines, birthday parties. It’s been marketed into our daily routines for generations.

• Emotional Comfort: For many, soda is nostalgic. It feels familiar, comforting, and tied to memories of childhood, family events, or social rituals.

• Biochemical Hooks: These drinks are engineered to be addictive. High sugar, carbonation, flavor enhancers, and often caffeine combine to trigger a rewarding dopamine response in the brain.

• Accessibility: Soda is cheap, convenient, and readily available. Healthier options, by contrast, often take more effort to prepare.

This isn’t about willpower. It’s about patterns—and the systems around us that reinforce them.

What Happens When We Drink Soda (and Similar Beverages)?

Let’s look at the effects of regular soda and similar sweetened drinks from a health perspective:

• Blood Sugar Spikes: The high sugar content causes rapid increases in blood glucose, followed by crashes that lead to fatigue, mood swings, and cravings.

• Digestive Disruption: Artificial sweeteners can disrupt gut flora. Carbonation and acids can interfere with digestion.

• Inflammation: The combination of high sugar, phosphoric acid, and chemical additives contributes to systemic inflammation.

• Brain Fog & Sleep Issues: Caffeine and blood sugar imbalance can disrupt focus, increase anxiety, and impact sleep cycles.

• Mineral Depletion: Phosphoric acid and caffeine can deplete calcium and magnesium, which are vital for bone and muscle health.

So even if you’re eating a clean, organic diet—those effects from daily drink choices can still hold your health back.

Shifting the Culture Around Beverages

Changing drink habits isn’t just about switching to water. It’s about reshaping our relationship with beverages in general—how we think about them, use them, and experience them.

Here are some ideas that support a cultural shift:

1. Understand the Role of Ritual

Drinks are often tied to routine: the afternoon pick-me-up, the celebration toast, the social get-together. If we want to shift habits, we need alternatives that feel just as meaningful.

That might mean creating new rituals—brewing tea after work instead of grabbing a soda, or sipping a cooling herbal infusion on a hot day instead of reaching for sports drinks.

2. Choose Beverages that Support the Body

Instead of thinking about drinks as just flavor or hydration, we can start thinking of them as tools that support wellness. Herbal teas, mineral-rich infusions, and naturally flavored waters all offer ways to hydrate while also supporting digestion, energy, sleep, and immune health.

The bonus? They don’t come with a crash or long-term damage.

3. Make Health the New “Normal”

Soda isn’t “bad” because it’s evil—it’s just a product of an outdated idea that pleasure and health can’t go together. But they can. And when healthier drinks are beautiful, delicious, and satisfying, they become something we actually want to reach for—not something we feel guilty about.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about creating new norms, one cup at a time.

Final Thoughts: What’s In Your Cup Matters

Our awareness about food is growing. We’re reading ingredients, learning where our food comes from, and holding the industry more accountable. But we can’t forget about what we drink.

Our beverages play a huge role in our health—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

This isn’t about fear or restriction. It’s about awareness and intention.

So the next time you reach for a drink, ask yourself:

• Does this hydrate me?

• Does this support my body?

• Will I feel better after drinking this—or worse?

The more we ask those questions, the more power we take back over our health.

And over time, the better choices become the default ones. Not just for us—but for our families, our communities, and the generations that come after us.