Chemicals added in to foods, be it for freshness, color, or flavor, quite honestly scare me. Endless shelf lives and attractive facades certainly have their draws, but not for the price paid by the consumer. Artificial colors and dyes essentially come from gasoline- Why on earth would I want that in my body? Not once will you see a fake ingredient in any of my baking or cooking, and I make a point of purchasing the most wholesome packaged foods possible, although I will be the first to admit that the term “healthy processed foods” is almost always an oxymoron. Being so vehemently against these foreign substances, the last thing you would expect to find in my home would be a sizable collection of those franken-food products, residing quietly like live bombs just waiting to go off. And yet… My friends, I must admit- This is exactly the case. Cola, and especially diet cola is my guilty pleasure, so deadly addictive that not a day goes by that I can resist the cravings for that fizzy chemical cocktail.
Attempts to wean myself off of the questionable drink have all ultimately failed, and come noon time I’ll inevitably start seeking out my daily fix, going as far as it takes to satisfy the urge. Whole shopping trips have been orchestrated as an excuse to simply buy another case of the cold, metallic cans, loading up the shopping cart with fruits and veggies with only one real item on the grocery list: Soda. Yes, I know that other drinks are wonderful too- Tea is in an endless supply here and I would be nothing without a cup of coffee in the morning, but midday when I need just a tiny kick of caffeine and some sweet bubbles to tickle my taste buds, nothing else comes close to a tall glass of that brown, carbonated soft drink.
But tell me, doesn’t everyone have bad habits? Aren’t I allowed some downright non-nutritious, completely health-unconscious treats, too? Besides, on a hot summer day with no end in sight, you just can’t beat a frosty cola straight from the bottle. Maybe someday I’ll kick this craving, but for now… It could be much worse, don’t you think?
[Knit cola inspired by this pattern for a knit beer]