Soda and You

Posted on September 23, 2008

How many cans of soda have you had today?  This week?  This month?  For some, it may be none, for some, it may be a lot.

In case you haven’t heard, soda and soft drinks are not that good for you.  Here’s what Marion Nestle says in What to Eat (yup, still reading it and still enjoying it):

“Soft drinks are the prototypical junk food; they contain sugars — and, therefore, calories — but nothing else of nutritional value.”

Calories from soda can add up fast, and a lot of times, we don’t even think of drinks as having calories.  It’s easy to guzzle a few cans before we even realize it.

But what about “diet” sodas that have no calories?  Here’s what a dietitian from the Mayo Clinic had to say:

“Diet soda isn’t a health drink or a cure for weight loss.  Although switching from regular soda to diet soda will save you calories, some studies suggest that drinking soda of any type leads to obesity and other health problems.   And healthier choices abound.”

Source here.

The bottom line is that there are much better options than soda — diet or not.  Have water, fat-free/low-fat milk, or a little bit of 100% fruit juice.  Milk and juice still have calories, but at least you are getting some nutrients too.

You can do your health a lot of good by avoiding soft drinks.  One drink here or there may not hurt you, but over time, health problems from drinking too much soda can occur.

Other Posts You Might Like:

 Subscribe

Don't forget to shop for gear at LittleTriathlete

» Filed Under Nutrition

Comments

  • http://marksalinas.com M

    Very true…those darn liquid calories! Diet Coke was my nemesis, I think I have conquered though! Nice post!

  • http://www.myfamilydoctormag.com James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

    Good, sound advice, Blake. And we almost all could use more calcium and vitamin D. I have to have my small glass of juice in the morning.

  • http://www.simpleweight.com/blog/ Scott

    Soda Pop is the worst. It took me a number of times to cut back from 2L of Pop a day to nothing. I basically realized that Coke, Mountain Dew, and other Pops were wrecking my eating habits. I’ve been Pop-free for 7 years. In moderation (one every 3 months or longer), I’ve added back clear pops such as 7UP or Sprite, but they are still just as addictive.

    Now what do I drink? Water. Unsweet Iced Tea, and Unsweet Hot Tea. Occasional Orange Juice and Milk for Breakfast.

    I lost a ton of weight kicking the pop habit.

  • http://healthhabits.wordpress.com DR

    Water with a splash of lemon or lime juice hits the spot!!!

    North American pop is just waaaayyyy to sickly sweet.

    At least back in the day, it was made with sugar. Much tastier than the stuff made today with HFCS.