It isn’t a surprise to anyone that soda is unhealthy.

Yet thousands of people drink sodas every day without a second thought. In fact, according to a study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on sugary beverages and weight gain, “Consumption of (sodas) was shown to increase by 135% between 1977 and 2001″. (See study here)

While the list of reasons not to drink soda may well take up the pages of an entire novel, here are seven big reasons to stop drinking soda now:

1. The most obvious reason is the excess, empty calories that soda provides. According to the same study mentioned above, “In the United States, on average, a 12-oz serving [12 oz = 1 can of soda (or 1 soda) = 1 serving] of soda provides 150 kcal and 40–50 g sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup [(HFCS) is about 45% glucose and 55% fructose], which is equivalent to 10 teaspoons of table sugar. If these calories are added to the typical US diet without reducing intake from other sources, 1 soda/d could lead to a weight gain of 15 lb or 6.75 kg in 1 y” It’s seldom that we drink just 12-oz with all the available supersized soda options. Add another 10-20 ounces and hmmm, wonder why we have an obesity epidemic.

2. In addition to empty calories, sugar has been linked to such diseases as Type II Diabetes. Type II diabetes is not inherited at birth, but instead develops over time due to lifestyle and diet. It used to be called adult onset diabetes, but with our childhood obesity epidemic, the number of children acquiring the disease began to grow, and thus we had to change the name. Sugar is a carbohydrate, and carbohydrates cause your blood sugar to spike. At normal levels, your body has the ability to use the sugar it needs and store the excess as energy reserves. The problem is that many people don’t know what a “normal” amount of sugar is.  Chugging down a big gulp (in addition to other extra simple carbs like white bread, french fries, or other simple starches) on a regular basis makes your body work extra hard to process this excess overload of sugar. Eventually it gets tired, and stops working efficiently until the sugar just stays in the blood and the your cells never get fed.
   

3. More recent research is placing sugar as a potential contributor to Alzheimer’s.  While conclusions are preliminary, it’s worth taking into consideration considering our spike in sugar consumption AND increases in diagnosed Alzheimer’s cases.

4. Your dentist will always tell you to avoid sugary sodas for the aesthetics and health of your teeth. But the latest reports will also tell you that oral health is a key indicator to your heart health.  While many factors can lead to poor oral heath, sugary sodas lead the pack, and those who drink soda often have other unhealthy nutrition habits that can lead to heart related health issues.

5. Soda consumption has been linked to increased risks of fractures and osteoporosis. (See additional info here). This may be because sugary drinks are taking the place of calcium rich milk as a popular beverage, or because those who drink soda are less likely to be active exercisers. Or, it may be a mechanism in which the cola leads to decreased mineral density in the bone. Whatever the case may be, there appears to be a strong correlation between bone strength and soda intake.

6. A controversial issue today is the addition of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) in soda, which some experts will say has had a large impact on the obesity epidemic ever since its entry into the food industry in the 70′s. It has been suggested that because fructose has a different entry point in the body’s metabolic cycle it is not as highly regulated as the other monosaccharides that make up sucrose (table sugar) and therefore is not cycled through the body efficiently, leading to more weight gain.  This is still a subject for debate (is it the excess soda intake OR the excess HFCS?) but worth paying attention to.

7. Other soda options can be just as bad. Diet soda has its own set of problems, including a wide array of chemical additives as well as links to increase in weight gain (article here). And don’t fall victim to promises of “all natural” or “organic” sodas.  Sure they may not be made with high fructose corn syrup, and may include unprocessed sugar, but sugar is still sugar. An “all natural” can of Hansen’s Ginger Ale has 44 g of sugar!

This list only touches on some of the issues associated with soda. Your best bet is to cut them out of your diet. You will save calories, your brain, your teeth, and your waistline. Think about getting in the habit of drinking something else. Try cutting up orange slices or lemons and let them soak in cold water in the fridge, or low sodium mineral water.

Your body will thank you for it.