Right, here’s what the ‘heavy soda’ trend actually is, and why it’s all over TikTok

TikTok won’t shut up about “heavy soda” right now, and most people seem either completely baffled by it, or completely disgusted by it.

It’s the kind of phrase that seems oddly familiar, even if you’ve never heard it before. That’s probably because, at face value, it sounds like it’s just the opposite of diet soda, but there’s a bit more to it than that.

What actually is ‘heavy soda’?

Basically, drinks machines have this little toggle where you can adjust the ratio of syrup and water. The balance between the two is normally pretty standardised, but some petrol stations in the US are turning up the amount of syrup, making for a sugary beverage that has every dentist in a 10 mile radius covering their eyes.

It’s not just Coke, either. You can add extra syrup to make a heavy soda version of a whole range of brands like Sprite, Dr Pepper, and Mountain Dew.

Though the drink is having a serious moment right now, it isn’t actually a new phenomenon. According to TikToker Early Pete, this is an established way of serving fizzy drinks in the southernmost part of Missouri. Weirdly though, it’s super specific to that particular area, so some Americans in the north of the state don’t know of its existence.

The name, Pete explains, echoes pushback from Budweiser’s “Bud Light” label. When that drink was released, people started calling the original version “Bud Heavy”, and advertising labels soon cemented it as a standard term, encouraging customers to “heavy up now”. Stick it to diet culture, I guess.

@earlypete

Heavy Soda Explained! #missouri #soda #pop #regionalfood

♬ Blurry – Puddle Of Mudd

Do people really drink this stuff?

As with so many trends, TikTok is divided. Some see it as an encapsulation of “the most American culture”, with another commenting: “Proof that Missouri is NOT real”.

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One guy on TikTok even claimed that, while working at a cinema in Colorado, his co-workers used to drink straight from the Mountain Dew syrup fountain.

But a lot of people have actually taken to the comments section to point out the economics behind the trend. When the syrup-to-water ratio is increased, the drinks take much longer to dilute as the ice melts.

So basically, you can buy one XL cup and it stays sweet all day. Or, for seriously thrifty queens, you can even top it up with ice and water as you drink, and you won’t lose that sugary hit for hours.

Health experts definitely aren’t on board with the heavy soda trend though. Dr. Jeremy Manuele, a Las Vegas orthodontist, told Fox News Digital you’re at much greater risk of cavities and enamel erosion if heavy soda becomes a habit.

According to the doctor, some of the same bacteria linked to gum disease has also been connected to heart disease and other health problems, so while we want to make “our soda fix exciting”, it can lead to a lot of long-term complications.

In Pete’s explainer TikTok, he urges any users who “are not at risk of diabetes” to go ahead and “try yourself a heavy soda.”

I mean, I can’t say I’m not curious. But for the sake of my enamel, I think I’m going to have to pass on this one.

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Featured image via Canva and @earlypete on TikTok