Dirty sodas, a fast-growing beverage trend made with soda, syrups, creamers and sweet toppings, can contain far more sugar than recommended daily limits and may raise concerns for blood sugar control and long-term health.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A fast-growing drink trend known as dirty soda is drawing warnings from doctors and nutrition experts who say the sweet, creamy beverages can deliver dessert-level sugar in a single cup.
Dirty sodas typically combine traditional soft drinks with flavored syrups, creamers, fruit juices, ice and garnishes. The drinks are often served over pebble ice and marketed as customizable alternatives to coffee, cocktails or milkshakes.
Health experts say the ingredients can quickly turn a standard soda into a high-calorie beverage loaded with added sugar and saturated fat.
A single dirty soda can contain between 250 and 400 calories and 55 to 70 grams of sugar per serving. Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital that the sugar content can more than double the American Heart Association’s recommended daily limit for added sugar.
Palinski-Wade said the drink “is more like a dessert beverage than a soft drink, even if people use diet soda as the base.”
The concern extends beyond calories. Experts say the mix of fast-absorbing sugar and cream can trigger sharp blood sugar spikes followed by crashes, which may contribute to hunger, fatigue and increased insulin demand. The risk can be greater for people with insulin resistance, prediabetes or diabetes.
The trend began in Utah, where specialty soda shop Swig opened in 2010 and helped popularize customized sodas. The drinks gained traction among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many of whom avoid alcohol and coffee.
Kelly O’Rourke, marketing director for FiiZ Drinks, a Utah-based soda chain founded in 2014, told Fox News Digital that for many customers, “It’s their version of a coffee ritual.”
The drinks have since spread nationally, helped by social media and the reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” Swig now operates more than 150 locations in 16 states. FiiZ has more than 65 locations in over 10 states and plans to expand into Connecticut and along the East Coast.
Major beverage and restaurant brands have also moved into the trend. Coca-Cola introduced Coca-Cola Cherry Float, a drink designed to mirror the soda-and-cream experience. PepsiCo has offered Dirty Mountain Dew Cream Soda. McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Sonic and Dunkin have added dirty soda-style options to menus. Crumbl has also launched a version made with several sweet ingredients added to an already sugary soda base.
Some physicians have criticized the drinks as an example of excessive sugar consumption disguised as a novelty item.
Dr. Mark Hyman wrote in a recent social media post that Crumbl’s dirty soda contains 186 grams of sugar, which he described as “the equivalent of eating 19 Krispy Kreme donuts.” He called the drink “a metabolic disaster” that “should be illegal.”
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital that dirty sodas are “very unhealthy” because they are loaded with processed sugar, empty calories and saturated fats. He also warned that they can be “highly addictive, especially because of the high sugar content.”
Doctors say regularly consuming high-sugar beverages may reinforce cravings by repeatedly stimulating the brain’s dopamine and endorphin pathways. Over time, frequent intake of sugary drinks has been linked to higher risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
Dr. Kenneth J. Perry, an emergency physician in Charleston, South Carolina, said dirty sodas are part of a broader pattern of highly sweetened beverages. Their effects are short-lived, he said, which can lead people to consume more. Each additional sugary drink consumed daily may increase the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease.
Nutrition experts say people who want a festive nonalcoholic drink can reduce sugar by starting with plain seltzer water instead of soda. Even when mixed with some flavoring or fruit, a seltzer-based drink will generally contain less sugar than a soda-based version with syrups and creamers.
Palinski-Wade said dirty sodas should be treated like cake or a milkshake: an occasional dessert, not an everyday beverage.
The popularity of dirty sodas reflects a broader shift in beverage marketing, with drinks increasingly positioned as customizable experiences. Health experts say the body still processes the sugar the same way, whether it comes in a dessert or a cup topped with cream and fruit.
For consumers, the central warning is moderation. Doctors say dirty sodas may be enjoyable as an occasional treat, but drinking them regularly can add large amounts of sugar and calories to the diet while increasing strain on metabolic health.
Source: Natural News
Original article
Comments