Pepsi was named after pepsin, the digestive enzyme. Creator Caleb Bradham believed his 1898 drink aided digestion, though it actually contained papain from papaya rather than true pepsin.
Why Pepsi Is Called Pepsi: The Digestive Enzyme Connection
Next time you crack open a Pepsi, consider this: you're drinking something named after a digestive enzyme. The iconic soda brand owes its name to pepsin, an enzyme your stomach produces to break down proteins.
The story begins in 1893 in New Bern, North Carolina, where pharmacist Caleb Bradham was experimenting with fountain drinks at his drugstore. Like many pharmacists of the era, Bradham wasn't just filling prescriptions—he was creating concoctions he believed could cure what ailed you.
Brad's Drink Gets a Rebrand
Bradham's creation was originally called "Brad's Drink," a carbonated mixture of sugar, water, caramel, lemon oil, nutmeg, and kola nuts. The drink also contained papain, a digestive enzyme derived from papaya that Bradham marketed as aiding digestion.
In 1898, Bradham renamed his beverage Pepsi-Cola—combining "pepsin" (the digestive enzyme he associated with his drink's health benefits) with "cola" (from the kola nuts that provided caffeine). The name stuck, even though the drink contained papain rather than actual pepsin.
The Health Drink That Became a Soda Giant
This wasn't unusual for the time. The late 1800s saw countless "health tonics" and medicinal sodas hitting the market:
- Coca-Cola was marketed for headaches and exhaustion
- Dr Pepper claimed to aid digestion
- 7-Up originally contained lithium citrate, a mood stabilizer
Bradham genuinely believed his drink helped with dyspepsia (indigestion), and customers seemed to agree. By 1902, Pepsi-Cola was popular enough that Bradham filed for a trademark and started bottling operations.
From Pharmacy to Global Empire
The health claims eventually faded, but the name remained. Bradham's small-town pharmacy drink survived bankruptcy, the Great Depression, and decades of cola wars to become one of the most recognized brands on Earth.
Today, PepsiCo is worth over $200 billion and sells products in more than 200 countries. The digestive enzyme connection has been largely forgotten—most people have no idea their favorite soda was named after something their stomach naturally produces.
The original formula has changed dramatically over the decades. Papain is long gone, replaced by high-fructose corn syrup and a proprietary blend of flavors. But every can and bottle still carries the legacy of a pharmacist who thought he was selling digestive health, one fizzy glass at a time.
