Why Is Soda Just 3 Flavors?

Author

Lea Lite
August 29, 2025

In partnership with

Morning Soda Poppers!

Wait a minute…

Is it ‘soda’ or ‘pop’?

Eh, doesn’t matter.

I’m a ‘soda’ guy myself.

Which begs the question. Why is like 90% of soda just...

These 3 flavors??

Lemon-lime. Cola. Root beer.

That's really... it.

Turns out there's a wild reason for this.

And it starts in the 1700s with rich people being all dramatic about water.

Let's go back.

Ya, that’s about the right time period.

Okay, let’s go there then.

Ya, these people thought naturally occurring carbonated spring water was literal medicine.

Who’s that?

BOOM. 

He comes up with the first soda machine:

Now everyone's drinking Schweppe's delicious bubble water at drugstores, but there's one tiny problem:

It tastes like...

absolutely nothing.

Just bubbles.

So drugstore guys start getting creative:

Boom! Ginger ale.

Boom! Root beer.

...Whoaaaa there, John…

Ya. Okay.

And that's how we got our first 3 basic soda flavors!

But here's the thing...

That cocaine cola? It took off in a way more sinister way than anyone expected.

Like, world domination sinister.

Stay Cute,
Henry & Dylan ðŸŒˆ

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