Soda is one of the worst things you can put in your body. It leads to obesity, caffeine dependence, diabetes, tooth decay and weakened bones. Soda Is Bad For You…

High fructose corn syrup has no place in a healthy human body. I personally stopped drinking soda back in high school and haven’t had one since. As soon as I gained an understanding of what I was putting in my body, I never wanted one again. Below, I will lay out just exactly why you should quit as well.

Four Reasons Why Soda Is Bad For You

Soda Leads to Obesity

An independent, peer-reviewed study demonstrates a link between obesity and soda consumption. It was found that kids who drank soft drinks regularly were significantly more likely to be overweight than those who did not—shocker. The risk of obesity increased 1.6 times for every additional daily serving of a sugar-sweetened drink. It was also found that on average, people who consumed soft drinks also consumed about 200 more calories per day. Another study involving 120,000 men and women found that people who drank sugary sodas gained more weight over time. For kids the odds of becoming obese increased by 60% during their lifetime. None of this should come as any surprise. If you want to learn more about a healthy diet you can check out a simple diet plan.

Soda is Not Good For Your Smile

Though it won’t really affect your beginner gym routine, it’s always nice to keep your teeth clean and white. Soda has been linked to tooth decay and is horrible for that smile.

Did you know that you can dissolve a tooth in a cup of coke?

Not only is sugar the culprit here, the actual acids in soda start to dissolve tooth enamel in only 20 minutes! Unless you are someone that has a toothbrush on them at all times, consider the cost of that next soda chipping away at your teeth.

Addicted To The Caffeine?

Personally I like caffeine, and think if in the right doses it can aid you not hurt you. Caffeine is a proven pre-workout supplement—but in the right delivery method. It’s important for you to understand in this section that there is a wide variation in how people respond to caffeine.

People trying to escape the calorie consumption often chose diet colas, when in fact they have more caffeine than a regular soda. For example, Pepsi One has about 56 milligrams of caffeine, 18 milligrams more than both regular Pepsi and Coke. A dose between 250-500mg of caffeine can lead to caffeine overdose symptoms that can include jitters, increased heartbeat, nausea, anxiety, heart palpitations, insomnia, sweating, dizziness, vomiting and even cardiac arrest.

Again, if you’re someone that enjoys caffeine like myself then just make you don’t over do it, and there are way better ways of getting your fix than from drinking soda. Keep in mind too that diet sodas contain a high level of artificial ingredients and sweeteners which can be even more harmful to the body than sugar.

Soda Is Bad For Your Bones

Soda will put a dent in your body’s structure. Phosphorus, an ingredient in soda, depletes bones of calcium. One study suggests that women who drink soda are more prone to broken bones. Ultimately, with less calcium available, the bones become weaker and more prone to fracture.

For kids, it’s even worse. In a study published by the Journal of Nutrition by the FDS’s Office said that a pattern of high phosphorus/low calcium consumption lead to not optimizing peak bone mass in the young. For the kids, if you have them, try to instill good habits at a young age so they are less likely to develop osteoporosis, or obesity. Soda has no part in a healthy easy diet to follow.

Conclusion

Personally, I wish I had developed better habits as a kid when it came to soda. Of course, after being educated about how bad soda truly is for you, I quickly dropped it and I hope you will too. If you are someone like me and enjoys the caffeine buzz before a workout, I would recommend looking into green tea or black coffee. Both of those options won’t carry the negative effects of soda with regards to calories and sugar.

-Terry Asher