Things you didn't know about 7-Up

7-Up has been consistently popular since the 1920’s, so while you might think that you already know all there is about this popular lemon-lime blend, the soda actually has a long, storied, and occasionally sordid history. Let's start with what you've probably already got covered, knowledge-wise: chances are that your mom gave you 7-Up when you were feeling sick as a kid — it’s been a popular folk remedy for upset stomachs since it first came on the market.

We’ll also bet you played the rainy-day classroom game "Heads Up 7-Up" when you were a kid. Although in retrospect, this game involves a lot more blind trust than we think reasonable. If you were one of the lucky kids who had a Sega or Game Boy, it’s likely that you had a copy of the completely awesome "Cool Spot" video game back in the late 1980’s, which featured 7-Up's odd little red-dot mascot (who flexed his inexplicable arms, sneakers, and sunglasses). You probably tried Cherry 7-Up when it came out, and you might have given the 7-Upside-Down a shot when it debuted in the early ’00’s.

Remember Fido Dido, that super chilled-out cartoon with the killer hairstyle? If you ever owned a "Fido is for Fido, Fido is against no one," t-shirt, then you definitely remember he’s been schilling for 7-Up since the height of his popularity. Live-action endorsers include the famously difficult-to-impress McKayla Maroney (who was reportedly quite impressed with the bubbly beverage) and musician Cee-Lo Green.

You may also be familiar with the popular cocktail 7 and 7, which refers to a blend of Seagram’s Seven Crown Whiskey and 7-Up. Known as a toothachingly oversweetened "girly" drink, the 7 and 7 got a hilarious shout-out in a scene of the movie Bridesmaids. When Becca (the young ingénue) and Rita (the older, experienced cousin of the bride) begin to bond as they sit next to each other on a long flight, Becca begins to tell Rita about her adorably naive bedroom problems with her husband, and then innocently asks the flight attendant, "Could I have a glass of alcohol, when you get a chance?"

Rita briefly gives her seatmate a look that says, "Oh, you poor, uninitiated thing," and tells the stewardess knowingly, "Two double seven and sevens."

Becca blanches a little at the order and asks, "—is that?" before Rita cuts her off, waves her hand in Becca’s direction, and dimisses her with a curt, "You’ll like it; it’s sweet."

And so another girl becomes initiated into tipsiness on the syrupy blend.

So you might already feel like you’re up to speed on even the more mildly risqué aspects of 7-Up. The soda may have a cute-meets-cool image now, but did you know that this popular kids' drink used to be packed with a mind-altering drug? True story. Take a look below to find out more.

1. Good for Baking

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7-Up can be used in baking to make your cake light and fluffy: popular recipes include 7-Up-infused pound cake, biscuits, buttercream sugar cookies, pie crust, fruit salads, and brownie glaze.

2. ...And Cooking!

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Even crazier, 7-Up has been featured in plenty of savory recipes: everything from basting a turkey to marinating pork chops to stir frying shrimp. We can’t vouch for the tastiness of these culinary concepts, but they do exist.

3. Packed With Mood Stabilizers

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The drink contained Lithium Citrate until 1950. Yup, the same pharmacalogical lithium that’s used to treat people with bipolar disorder. Sounds like a great thing to give to kids, right?