After first going viral in 2022 for revelations related to “soft swinging,” the gorgeous crew of MomTok is finally getting their time in the official spotlight. Hulu’s latest documentary, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” brings its own fair share of drama, and it also sheds light on at least one questionable dietary choice: drinking upwards of 44 ounces of soda – often “dirty soda” – a day.
“Dirty soda” is a carbonated beverage made by combining fountain drinks with syrups and creams over ice, says Thara Vayali, ND, a naturopathic doctor, nutritionist, and co-founder of Hey Freya. That may sound strange to you, but it’s been popular – like really, really popular – in Utah and nearby states for years. Mormons are advised to avoid alcohol, coffee, and other “hot drinks.” And what is life without the occasional fun bevvy, really? Hence, dirty soda.
“The cream is what makes the soda look ‘dirty’ and gives a unique texture, and it’s often used as a fun alternative to alcoholic beverages,” Vayali explains. It’s a sweet, creamy, carbonated cousin to an ice cream float. Except, again, some of the MomTok crew admittedly drink up to 44 ounces – around 1.3 liters – of flavored soda a day. For reference, the uber-popular, uber-large Stanley Tumbler holds 40 ounces of liquid.
That’s a lot of soda, and people have a lot of thoughts about how it might affect the Mormon Wives’ health. But is a 44-ounces-of-soda-a-day habit really that bad? And in the long list of possible vices, is it all that much worse than drinking specialty coffee drinks every morning or cocktails every night? Ahead, experts weigh in on the health impacts, and how soda affects your body in the long run.
Experts Featured in This Article
Kimberly Gomer, RDN, is a Miami-based registered dietitian.
Leah Tsui, RDN, is a registered dietitian at Ciba Health.
Thara Vayali, ND, is a naturopathic doctor, nutritionist, and co-founder of Hey Freya.
Is It That Bad to Drink 44 Ounces of Soda a Day?
It’s not great to drink 44 ounces of soda a day! “Forty-four ounces of soda is a large quantity for any drink aside from water, but the general reason for this is the nutrient displacement that occurs when consuming calories without additional nutrients, vitamins, and minerals,” Vayali says. “The health impacts of regular consumption of large amounts of soda, whether that’s regular or diet, can be long-lasting, negatively affecting your bones, teeth, liver, kidneys, heart, and metabolism.”
If soda is your primary beverage, you may also be missing out on key nutrients like calcium and vitamin D that are commonly found in milk and fortified orange juice, says Leah Tsui, RDN, a registered dietitian at Ciba Health. (Some milk alternatives are also fortified with the nutrients.)
What about diet soda, you ask? Well, sugar-free alternatives are typically made with artificial sweeteners, and while this may diminish the metabolic risk, studies find the acidity and phosphoric acid still negatively affect your teeth and oral health, per a 2023 review in the journal Nutrients. Other studies even suggest that artificial sweeteners modify the gut microbiome, leading to metabolic issues and increased cravings, says Kimberly Gomer, RDN, a Miami-based registered dietitian.
How Soda Affects the Body
In general, soda has a less-than-stellar reputation when it comes to health, but the added sugar, syrup, and creamer in dirty soda compounds this risk. Regularly drinking large amounts could lead to the following health outcomes.
- Diabetes. Regular high intake of sugary sodas increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, Tsui says. According to a study published in the World Journal of Diabetes, this is because the large amount of rapidly absorbed sugar in soda causes repeated spikes in blood sugar levels, which can ultimately lead to insulin resistance over time. “For those who are already insulin resistant, the soda would also further aggravate and contribute to escalating the insulin resistance which is the cause of diabetes,” Gomer says.
- Tooth decay. Not only does the acidity of soda erode tooth enamel, which can cause tooth sensitivity and pain, but the sugar feeds harmful bacteria in the mouth, which can increase your risk of cavities and gum disease, Gomer says.
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. “Most soda contains more than half of its sugar from fructose, and fructose is stored in the liver versus the adipose tissue as fat. As those levels build up, fatty liver disease may develop,” Gomer says. Consuming large amounts of soda daily can also cause insulin resistance and inflammation, which can contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as well, she says.
- Decreased metabolism. High quantities of sugar-sweetened drinks adds a caloric load that’s not nutrient dense, which can slow down your metabolism, Gomer says. “That hit of sugar leads to a spike in insulin which elevates blood sugar and can lead to excessive hunger,” she explains. Diet soda has less of a metabolic effect, but studies show the artificial sweeteners in diet soda can alter the gut microbiome, upping the chances of poor metabolic health.
What’s Worse: Soda vs. Coffee vs. Alcohol
Soda, coffee, and alcohol are the “Big Three” when it comes to most social settings, but they don’t all have the same health outcomes. When considering how they impact your well-being, the biggest factors are sugar, the alcohol itself, and caffeine.
Tsui says the sugar in soda presents a unique risk since there’s a strong correlation between sugary drinks and diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cavities. A full 44 ounces of cola has over 140 grams of sugar, plus more if you add in syrups and creamer. That said, super-sweet coffee drinks can lead to similar risk profiles as large amounts of soda, she says. One large, flavored latte may contain around 50 grams of sugar. And while alcohol on its own (like wine, beer, and spirits) is relatively low in sugar, cocktails can get sweet, fast: a single Aperol spritz contains 36 grams of sugar. So all three drinks can carry the health risks of sugar; it just depends what exactly, and how much, you’re drinking.
“Alcohol, on the other hand, contains ethanol, which is a known psychoactive and toxic substance, so any level of alcohol consumption can bring significant health risks, such as liver diseases, heart diseases, and different types of cancers,” Tsui says. Alcohol is also inflammatory and goes straight to the liver, similar to the fructose in regular soda, both of which can cause damage, says Gomer. As a result, she recommends limiting your intake of both alcohol and regular soda.
Finally, caffeine: both soda and coffee (and certain cocktails, like the espresso martini) have caffeine, which studies suggest can worsen insomnia, anxiety, and dehydration, Tsui says. Again, quantity matters. Forty-four ounces of Coca-Cola contains over 120 mg of caffeine, about the same as a double shot of espresso; Dr. Pepper delivers more like 150 mg. Meanwhile, eight ounces of coffee has 80 to 100 mg. But get a 16- or 20-ounce coffee, and you’re entering 44-ounces-of-soda territory, caffeine-wise.
Ultimately, there are risks to each of these drinks. So if you have to pick a vice (or enjoy all three), the biggest factor is moderation. Vayali suggests limiting your intake of these beverages to around eight ounces a day. Also consider how drinks are prepared, since excessive mixers, syrups, and creams can tip a drink into the realm of health concern, Gomer says, and do your best to opt for lower-sugar options.
Of course, the very best thing you can do for your health is to choose water more often. “Infusing water with a variety of fruits, veggies, or herbs, such as limes, mint, watermelon, and cucumber, offers a refreshing sugar-free alternative that people can explore consuming in lieu of soda,” Tsui says. Sparkling water is another great option, adds Gomer.
The Bottom Line
There are worse things in life than loving soda, and ultimately, people are allowed to do what brings them joy. That said, it’s impossible to deny the fact that 44 ounces of soda is not great for you, especially if you’re drinking that regularly and especially if it’s a dirty soda. You shouldn’t feel guilty or ashamed of your drinking choice, Tsui says – but if it’s a daily habit for you and you’re interested in improving your health, it may be worth dialing it back. “Rather than thinking of it as ‘dirty soda,’ maybe we can think of it as a fun drink that we can have from time to time – and then we move on,” Tsui says. Someone tell MomTok.
Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based freelance writer and graduate from Emory University and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Her work has appeared in PS, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and elsewhere.
