Pepsi, Sprite, Mountain Dew. Chances are you have a favorite fountain drink. Like most Americans, you've probably been guzzling soda for as long as you can remember. According to findings from a 2012 Gallup Poll, 56 percent of young adults ages 18 to 34 slurp down a carbonated beverage every day. But each sweet sip brings with it an attack on your health. Here are 11 reasons to swap out soda for water the next time you’re in the dining hall.
1. Drinking one can of soda a day increases your likelihood of type 2 diabetes and increases your likelihood of developing diabetes by 18 percent in the future.
According to this 2015 study from the British Medical Journal, people who drink one sugary beverage a day are 18 percent more likely to develop the disease 10 years in the future, regardless of their health and fitness level.
2. Drinking soda increases your calorie and sugar consumption without providing the satisfaction of feeling full.
While soda may taste good, your body doesn’t respond to it the same way it does to food, meaning that you won’t feel full after drinking a can of Dr. Pepper. As a result, soda is usually added to the calories you eat every day, increasing your consumption without bringing about any additional satisfaction.
3. Fountain drinks raise blood pressure.
This 2011 study determined that the sweeteners included in sugary fountain drinks increase individuals blood pressure. Likewise, studies have shown that cutting out one serving of soda each day decreases blood pressure.
4. Even diet soda can have caustic effects on your health.
Research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, found that older adults who consume one serving of diet soda a day are 44 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack than those who avoid sweetened beverages.
5. Sugary drinks corrode your teeth.
The acids present in sodas, soft drinks, and sweet teas, combined with the sugar present in these beverages have been linked to major tooth decay, as the ingredients attack tooth enamel.
6. Soda is linked to liver damage.
Although liver damage is most commonly associated with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks can be equally harmful. Those who commonly consumed fizzy drinks were shown to develop unnecessary fat on their livers, limiting their overall ability to function in one 2009 study.
7. It can take up to 132 gallons of water to produce a 2-liter soda bottle.
Including the water used to grow the ingredients, 132 gallons of water are needed to manufacture a bottle of soda, according to this 2009 study from the Wall Street Journal. That’s a lot of water.
8. It may be linked to heart disease.
Research from the American Heart Association found that “Drinking as little as one can of soda a day — regular or diet — is associated with a 48 percent increased risk of metabolic syndrome, a key predecessor of heart disease and diabetes."
9. Soda contains a chemical that is banned in more than 100 countries.
About 10 percent of soda, including Mountain Dew and other citrus-flavored drinks contain a chemical known as BVO. BVO is used in fire retardants and is banned by the World Health Organization and throughout Europe and Asia.
10. It destroys your metabolism.
Research from Bangor University found that sugary drinks had a profound impact on people’s metabolism. The study found that drinking sugary drinks over a four-week period decreased the body’s ability to burn fat and handle rises in blood sugar.
11. Soda could shorten your life expectancy.
If the links to liver disease, diabetes, liver damage, tooth decay, and heart disease aren’t enough for you, findings have shown the ingredients themselves to be noxious to consumers. Phosphorous, an ingredient included in most carbonated beverages, has been shown to have a corrosive impact on lifespan. Findings from a 2009 study found that phosphorus leads to premature aging in mammals, cutting down a rodent’s life span by 25 percent.
