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Emerging Topics
2012 February 2 -- Disgust at claims sugar as dangerous as alcohol (Commentary)
The Australian, February 02, 2012, By Leigh...
Energy Drinks in Canada Brochure
Energy Drinks in Canada What are they? Who are they...
Letters to The Editor
2011 July 20 -- Sports, energy drinks shouldn't be confused
In a recent wire story "How to beat the heat; STAYING SAFE" Dr. Amber...
2010 November 18 -- National Post - Energy Drinks and Responsible Marketing
In response to the November 18th article "Health Minister takes aim at energy drinks, with...
The term soft drink is derived from the phrase "soda water," dating back to 1798. At that time, soft drink creation and soda fountain manufacturing were handled by local pharmacists because of their experience with chemistry and medicine. In 1835, the first bottled soda water was produced in the United States.
As the local drugstore evolved into the central attraction in most North American towns and neighborhoods, the pharmacist was integral in providing beverages that were part pharmacology and part refreshment.
By 1876, root beer entered the marketplace, but it wasn't until five years later that the first cola-flavored beverage was unveiled in the USA.
It would be more than 70 years before the first "official" diet soft drink was introduced in 1952, but others soon followed. In 1958, RC Cola introduced Diet Rite®, the first nationally distributed diet soft drink. Tab, Fresca® and Diet Pepsi® entered the marketplace in the 1960s; Sugar-free 7UP was introduced in 1970; and Diet Coke® made its debut in 1982.
According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the 2006 Canadian carbonated soft drink market totaled 35.8 million hectolitres with a value in excess of $2 billion.