Season two of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" finally premiered on Hulu Thursday, and while there's plenty of new drama to unpack, one storyline persists: the cast's obsession with soda.
In season one of the hit reality show, the girls of MomTok visited Utah hotspot Swig—the drive-thru soda chain that gained TikTok fame all on its own—and shocked viewers with the sheer amount of sugary soda they consume on a weekly basis. In fact, some of the girls copped to drinking a 44-ounce soda up to six times a week.
"We don't drink alcohol or do drugs, so [soda is] kind of our vice," Demi Engemann says in the episode, before ordering her own signature drink: a sparkling water concoction with sugar-free coconut, vanilla, raspberry, pineapple, and coconut cream.
The other women are seen throughout the series sipping from the soda-fountain chain's giant Styrofoam cups, all the while professing the same stance (for the most part) on caffeine and alcohol. However, from a purely health standpoint, the soda habit isn't exactly good for you either.
Registered dietitian Lauren Manaker says that drinking regular soda, which is high in sugar and calories, can "contribute to weight gain and increase the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and tooth decay."
Not only is the sugar content concerning, but there's also the fact that they're not consuming it in moderation. Manaker adds that while it's not "necessarily harmful" when consumed on occasion, regular consumption, like what we see on "Mormon Wives," can have significant negative impacts on health.
Even the sugar-free syrup that Engemann adds to her drink could be concerning, Manaker says. Many products that are labeled sugar-free are harmful for other reasons.
"Classic diet sodas that include ingredients like phosphoric acid may pose risks to bone health over time," Manaker continues. "Artificial sweeteners present in some diet sodas might affect gut health, although more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects."
And while the cast might avoid coffee for religious reasons, it's actually healthier than all that soda. Coffee has nutrients like B12, niacin, magnesium, and potassium, as well as other antioxidants. Not to mention the high amount of caffeine in their 44-ounce sodas (between 132mg and 184mg) versus a regular-size coffee (95mg in one cup).
"Coffee, when consumed in moderation, can actually offer health benefits thanks to its antioxidants and potential positive effects on brain health and metabolism," Manaker says. "Compared to many sodas, coffee tends to be a better choice, especially when consumed with minimal added sugar or cream."
She adds that there are great soda alternatives, like Olipop and Poppi, which have prebiotic fiber and can actually support gut health instead of negatively impacting it. "Plus, it's free from artificial additives, so it won't have the same negative health implications as what we may see for someone who drinks classic diet soda regularly," Manaker notes.
