Say "Pepsi, please!"

Today in anatomy class we mentioned that one of the primary secretions of the stomach is an enzyme precursor called pepsinogen. In the presence of acid, pepsinogen rapidly changes into pepsin, which is the enzyme that begins the chemical digestion of any proteins that we eat. Obviously, the name of the enzyme pepsin is very similar to one of the most popular beverages in the U.S.*

*Being a Coke drinker, I am hesitant to use the prestige of this blog to formally endorse Pepsi. It should be noted, though, that our school district has an exclusive beverage contract with PepsiCo. In light of that, I will give the soda overlords Pepsi the respect that it mercilessly demands deserves.

In 1893, a pharmacist in New Bern, North Carolina named Caleb Bradham began selling a soda that he called "Brad's Drink". When his drink grew in popularity, Bradham decided to give it a catchier name, and Pepsi-Cola was born.

There are conflicting reports about where the name came from, but they all relate in some way to digestion. Several sources mention the enzyme pepsin as an ingredient in the original recipe. Others say that, while the drink did not contain pepsin, it was thought to have ingredients that made it similar to the enzyme. Still others report that Bradham marketed the drink as a treatment for upset stomachs (dyspepsia) and conclude that the name came from the term for normal digestion (pepsia). Whatever the case, we can rest assured that the name Pepsi is, in one way or another, related to the digestive action of the stomach.