In college in the late 80s, amid a global movement to avoid doing business with companies doing business with apartheid South Africa, I stopped buying Coca-cola products.

Years later, Mandela became president and my conscience felt clear about buying their products. They make a lot of products, so I had to research all their stuff.

I thought,

I remember why I stopped drinking coke, but I don’t remember why I started in the first place.

I couldn’t think of a satisfying answer so never restarted.

I don’t think I’ve had a coke product since. Soon after I stopped drinking any sodas, sweetened or not. I think I may have drunk Minute Maid products before finding out how deceptive they are, as I wrote in When 100% orange juice isn’t: Pepsi, Coke, and agribusiness turn fruit into chemical concoctions.

I love delicious food, but nothing about soda connects with either deliciousness or food in my mind.

I never started drinking bottled water either, for its environmental damage.

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