It could perhaps be argued that Hippocrates planted the first seeds of the soft drinks industry when he wrote that mineral waters might bring health benefits.
However, he and other ancient Greeks and Romans used them, instead for relaxation and bathing.
Indeed, it was centuries later that the term “soda water” was coined in 1798.
The first patent for imitation mineral waters was issued in 1810, and they came to be considered the “health drinks” of the 19th century.
By the 1930s, pharmacists were experimenting with adding such ingredients as barks and flowers to enhance these perceived benefits, and the result was the first series of flavored sodas, including root beet, lemon and ginger ale.
Root beer was first produced for wide public sale, primarily in soda fountains, in 1876 and cola in 1881.
In 1885, Charles Aderton introduced Dr. Pepper; in 1886, John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola and in 1898, Caleb Bradham formulated Pepsi-Cola.
By early 1920s, soft drinks were sold in six packs for home consumption and in automatic vending machines.
From 1970 to 1997, production of regular, sweetened soft drinks in the United States increased from 22.2 to 41.4 gallons per person per year and the production of diet soft drinks increased from 2.1 to 11.6 gallons per person per year.
These amounts mean that the annual per capita supply of 12 ounce soft drinks in the United States is equivalent to 442 and 124 diet drinks; a cumulative total of 566 cans of soft drinks per person each year.
A brief History of Soft Drinks
