A Different Pepsi Challenge

Scott Hardie | February 10, 2008
Do any soda-drinkers here refuse to drink the caffeine-free varieties? I have known a number of people who defiantly take that stance, and it always baffles me. The National Institute of Health says the low dose of caffeine in soda has no taste (link) and a study at Johns Hopkins found that only 2 people in 25 could correctly identify which soda sample had caffeine (link).

If you want the energy boost, that's one thing. But I've known people who consider the caffeine-free soda "nasty" and would rather drink nothing. Is this marketing? Mass delusion? Or are their taste buds just that sensitive?

Tony Peters | February 10, 2008
can't really answer that I've been drinking Jones Cream Soda for the last year, I only get my caffeine fix from bean juice or on occasion RedBull

Aaron Shurtleff | February 10, 2008
I don't mind drinking the caffeine-free version of Pepsi, but I'm usually in it for ther rush, so... Plus, I usually get my soda either from a restaurant (they don't usually offer caffeine free colas) or from a 16 oz. bottle (I don't see that offered in many convenience stores). If I was buying a 12-pack, though, I would get the caffeine-free...usually.

Lori Lancaster | February 11, 2008
[hidden by request]

Kelly Lee | February 12, 2008
Blah. I try not to drink much pop, though living with Scott now means there is pop in the apartment all the time, which is strange for me because I mostly drink water, juice or tea. I don't like caffeine free or diet drinks, cause, well i wouldn't drink them that often before, and if I'm going to drink a soda, I'm going for the full experience. I personally don't like caffeine free stuff because it "could" taste different, not because it does. And most restaurants don't serve it.

I also get annoyed by Super Diet Caffeine Free Chocolate Vanilla Cherry Chocolate Chip Mint Creme Brule Amaretto Cheddar Cheese Flavored Orange Drink Two Turbo drinks out there.

Pick a flavor!

Amy Austin | February 13, 2008
Word! And if y'all want to seriously drop pounds, eliminating soda (or pop) is a most excellent first step -- I've known *many* who did nothing else but and lost up to 15-20lbs... switching to water and/or tea is that effective a method.

For the most part, I really think that if you gave one of these "nasty"-declaring folks a caffeine-free soda without telling them, they'd never even notice -- I think it's mostly mental, and I'd really like to see a double-blind comparison challenge in action. However... I can also believe that the differences might become more noticeable the more things you go mucking around with (i.e., "diet" *and* "caffeine-free"), and I am also very definitely one who is "going for the full experience." In particular, though, I am in it for the sugar and the carbonation... the caffeine is only something that gives some semblance of an excuse for drinking soda in lieu of coffee as the stimulant beverage of choice. (I hate coffee, and although I don't require a morning soda instead, its availability is nicely convenient.) Therefore, I can live with or without the caffeine, and I have been known to buy the caffeine-free "just because", but... 1) I do feel slightly odd about it, like I'm betraying soda or its intended purpose... like "faux" somehow, and 2) what's the point? Is caffeine-free soda really *that* much better for you in the big picture of your willingness to drink something akin to battery acid? Something that rots your teeth, depletes your bones and -- outside of some sick masochistic taste preference -- generally does *nothing* whatsoever to add to your health or quality of life??? I guess maybe if you really do consume too much caffeine and need to moderate your intake. But considering the sources of caffeine, it probably means that you drink way too much coffee or soda to begin with and ought to seriously consider cutting those down and/or out anyway. (And since I am in it for the sugar and carbonation, I don't know *what* the hell the diet/caffeine-free crowd is in it for! Is it just like the Diet Coke commercials always used to proclaim... "just for the taste of it!"???) I don't know... it strikes me much the same way as "Light Twinkies" -- I laughed my ass off when I heard had to be convinced that such a thing truly existed! ;-D