There are several people that are not going to like what I'm about to say, but I still feel it should be said. Before you read on, let me warn you. I'm about to defend a product that has drawn so much controversy in recent years and has become the arch nemesis of health nuts, nutritionists, and food activists across the nation.....soda.

Now, before you roll your eyes and stop reading this article, let me clarify one thing. I'm fully aware that soda is very unhealthy and drinking it frequently can lead to several health problems like obesity and dental issues. What I do want to articulate though, is that you shouldn't feel guilty or put others down for enjoying a soda every once in a while. Over the past few years, I've started to be more serious about what I put into my body. I try to eat a balanced diet, take vitamins, stay hydrated, and walk just about everywhere for exercise. The one catch? I drink a few sodas every week.

Healthy living has become a growing trend amongst teenagers and young adults. Everywhere you look, you hear things about detox waters, becoming vegan, ways to incorporate kale into your diet, and the importance of buying locally. Even with this health craze, most people I know still love to indulge on some junk food here and there. I've seen people who are extremely health conscious eat things like tubs of ice cream, cheesecake, and just about every baked good imaginable. Junk food is great if enjoyed in moderation and paired with exercise and a balanced diet. Based on what I've seen, most people agree with this statement.

Here's where the irony comes in. It seems to me that in many young people's eyes, not all junk foods are created equal. People are perfectly alright with occasional feasts on junk food, but when it comes to soda, it seems to get a lot of hate, and I'm not exactly sure why. If we've established that some junk here and there won't hurt you, then why do so many people roll their eyes when they see someone order a soda, or brag about how long they've gone since the last time they drank one? I can't even remember the last time I saw a friend order a soda at a restaurant, which I shamelessly do almost all of the time.

I know that this doesn't sound like a big deal, but I've always been intrigued by what exactly makes soda so low on the junk food totem pole. Many of the people I know who turn the other cheek at a good old fashioned glass of pop are the same people waiting in a long line at a coffee shop for a sugary and creamy caramel drink that contains just enough coffee to still call it coffee. I know other soda shamers who smoke tobacco regularly. I even know people who are one hundred percent fine with going on late night fast food runs, but heavens forbid part of that meal includes a soda. I'm also still trying to find out what soda has in it that violates a vegetarian or vegan diet, because I've never seen a vegetarian or vegan drink one.

I've been looking at this phenomenon for a number of years now. Even though it's still a regular observation I make, soda seems to be slightly more socially acceptable since I've started college. In high school, so many of my fellow classmates had a problem with soda that I felt embarrassed whenever I was seen in public drinking one.

So why is not all junk food created equal? Why is cake and ice cream fine but soda isn't? To me, junk food has always been junk food, and too much of any of it isn't good for you. In moderation, though, a little junk won't hurt you, and that includes soda.