Drinking soda every day can cause a lot of damage to your health because it contains so much sugar. Excessive intake can cause chronic health issues, from obesity to diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart diseases.
Even drinking diet soda or other sugary juices every day has negative side effects.
Why is soda so bad for you?
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends having less than 25 grams of sugar a day for women and less than 36 grams of sugar a day for men. Even a single can of regular soda (12 ounces) contains as much as 39 grams of sugar and can easily make you exceed the recommended sugar intake limit.
According to an AHA study, high intake of sugar-sweetened drinks increases your risk of dying from heart disease.
Another study by the American Diabetes Association suggests that drinking one or more cans of soda a day increases your risk of metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes:
- Metabolic syndrome: Increased risk by 36%
- Type II diabetes: Increased risk increased by 67%.
Some sodas also contain caffeine. Drinking coffee, teas, and other caffeinated beverages in addition to soda can increase your overall caffeine intake, which can cause health issues in the long run, include:
What about diet soda?
Diet sodas are bad for your health as well because they contain artificial sweeteners, which can cause weight gain, increased appetite, diabetes, and metabolic issues.
According to one study, diet soda can even increase your appetite for high-calorie foods. This can make you obese in the long run.
Moreover, even drinking one diet soda per week was associated with a 70% increase in the risk of developing diabetes.
How to quit a soda habit
Quitting any habit can be tough, but you can find alternatives to help you stop drinking soda every day:
- Switch to sparkling water
- Add slices of cucumber or fruits to your regular water
- Drink a cup of black coffee or tea if you crave caffeine
- Drink chamomile, valerian, hibiscus, or lemon balm tea for stress relief
If it’s too hard to quit cold turkey, try reducing your consumption gradually over a few days. For example, if you regularly drink two cans of sodas a day, cut it down to one. Then, drink one can on alternate days and eventually shift to drinking it only occasionally.
QUESTION
Which is one of the few drinks to be considered a superfood? See AnswerHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
Cleveland Clinic. Why It’s Time to Start Replacing Your Daily Soda. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/soda-do-you-drink-it-every-day/
The State of Rhode Island. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages. https://health.ri.gov/healthrisks/sugarsweetenedbeverages/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rethink Your Drink. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/drinks.html
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