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A look at Utah's trending soda culture

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Cars line up for one-dollar drinks at the Cedar Hills Swig. Swig started running this promotion days after Fiiz opened its doors about a block away. (Sydnee Van Woerkom)

In 2024, Utah's soda culture became a trending topic on social media, cementing the stereotype of Utahns as avid soda drinkers.

Soda shops in Utah are famous for selling "dirty soda" with add-ins like flavored syrups, fresh fruit, creamers, etc.

Although most Utah soda shops have been open since the early to mid-2010s, Utah's soda shop culture has only recently gained recognition from the general public. It garnered attention after local soda shops were featured on "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," a reality show that premiered on Hulu in September 2024.

"Utah is like the land of the Mormon bar — which is all of the soda shops we have," Jessi Ngatikaura, one of the stars, explained in the show.

Since then, interest in Utah's soda shops has been a topic of much interest on TikTok and Instagram. App users have been creating videos of themselves attending soda shops, trying the reality stars' favorite drinks and even trying their hand at homemade dirty sodas.

Demi Engemann explained in the show that since practicing members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abstain from drugs and alcohol, soda is one of the only vices left available to them.

"I'm addicted," 21-year-old college student Rebekah Shepard admitted bluntly.

Shepard explained that going to Swig is a part of her daily routine. On Sundays, when Swig is closed, she'll go to the gas station to get her soda fix.

Jourdan Dean, a 35-year-old mother of four, explained that she goes to Swig once or twice a week but thinks of it more as a reward or something fun to do.

Both Shepard and Dean didn't drink soda regularly as children but developed these soda habits in adulthood.

Allan Measom, a 35-year-old father, doesn't go to Swig. Instead, he gets his 44-ounce Coke from the gas station.

Shepard, Dean and Measom's go-to drinks are all caffeinated, yet none of them claimed this as the primary reason for their regular soda-drinking.

"It's definitely like a companion," said Measom, describing his relationship with soda.

Measom explained that he believes part of the reason soda is so popular in Utah is because a large percentage of Utahns are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"It's really easy to exploit something that's not 'bad,'" stated Measom. "You asked any of these people in this area to stop drinking soda, they (would) probably have just as bad as panic attacks or withdrawals as (they) would (if they were alcoholics) that needed to stop drinking. But they don't recognize that it's a problem because it's not a drug or alcohol."

Drinking soda regularly does have its own health hazards, though. Dr. Sarah Bellini, an associate professor of nutrition, dietetics and food science from BYU, explained that the recommended daily percentage of calories coming from added sugar is 10%, which is 200 calories out of the average 2,000-calorie diet. This equates to about 12 teaspoons of added sugar per day.

Although a 12-ounce can of Dr Pepper has about ten teaspoons of sugar, soda shops usually only offer 16-, 24-, 32- and 44-ounce cups.

Bellini explained that many studies show that soda or sugar-sweetened beverages are one of the most significant contributors when it comes to increases in weight in adults and children. This can lead to becoming overweight or obese, which can, in turn, lead to chronic diseases like type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease. She explained some of the other dangers include developing gout, cavities, and non-alcoholic liver disease.

"In and of itself, (soda is) not going to necessarily cause the problem. But it's that consistent intake of that — especially if someone is consuming this on a daily basis — that is more concerning," stated Bellini.

Bellini said that diet soda is a better option than regular soda because it is made without sugar but also acknowledged that the current research about its effects on health is mixed.

Swig's own website states, "It's important to remember that nutrition is about balance. While Swig drinks might not be the healthiest choice for everyday consumption, they can certainly be enjoyed as an occasional treat."

Some regular soda drinkers do try to find a healthy balance. Shepard explained that she made a rule for herself which requires that she drink more water than soda. Bean has recently reduced her soda intake to only once or twice a week. Though Measom doesn't make regular efforts to regulate his soda intake, he did say that when he did the 75-hard challenge, he eliminated soda from his diet and saw himself shed pounds of weight quite quickly.

Utah's soda market appears to be ever-growing, and the joke that there is a soda shop on every corner has more than a kernel of truth to it.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, Fiiz opened its new location in Cedar Hills, Utah. To celebrate, they offered select drinks for free. Approximately .2 miles down the road, its competitor, Swig — which had been open for years — was coincidentally offering a similar deal. Swig announced to its customers via text message that its Cedar Hills location was offering free drinks all day.

Another soda shop, Sip-N, sits about half a mile away from the other two. These three soda shops are all within one mile of Lone Peak High School.

Although the development of Utah's soda culture has been attributed to the predominance of Church members in the state, it is not just these individuals who partake in it.

In 2021, Olivia Rodrigo, who lived in Utah while filming "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series," posted a picture of herself holding a swig cup. Other celebrities have since joined in on the dirty soda trend. This fall, Caitlin Clark and Lexi Hull posted a video on Hull's TikTok where they both tried sodas from Swig for the first time while in Indianapolis.

Soda shops like Swig and Fiiz may have originated in Utah, but they are not confined to this state alone. According to their websites, Swig has operating shops in 15 states and Fiiz in 11 states.

Shepherd stated that, from her experience growing up in Utah, the soda-obsessed stereotype is 100% accurate. "I think it's just our thing," Shepard stated. "I don't know why we are, but we are."