You have so many options when it comes to choosing a beverage, but according to the Harvard School of Public Health, some are more nutritious than others. When it comes to quenching your thirst, water is your best choice. It is free of calories and fat and prevents dehydration. Other beverages, such as milk and soda, are much different in terms of nutrition. Milk supplies a wealth of nutrients, while soft drinks are empty calories that can actually harm your health. That is why you should choose milk over soda.
Calories
One of the largest drawbacks of choosing soft drinks is that they are high in calories for just a small serving. The Harvard School of Public Health adds that soft drinks also contain no nutrition, so you are drinking calories without getting any nutritional benefits. The added sugar in soft drinks drives up the calorie count. Milk also contains calories, but an 8-oz. serving of milk has fewer calories than a serving of soda and also supplies several key nutrients. One cup of skim milk contains 83 calories; a 12-oz. can of soda contains 120 to 150.
Vitamins
Soft drinks contain zero vitamins, which makes it far less nutrient-dense than milk. One of the most notable vitamins in milk is vitamin D, a nutrient that enables your body to absorb as much calcium as possible from the foods you eat. Many diets lack adequate amounts of vitamin D, and drinking soda instead of milk makes getting enough even more difficult. While soft drinks have 0 mg of vitamin D, one cup of milk contains 115 IU toward your daily recommended amount. Milk also contains 500 IU of vitamin A, which your eyes need to work properly and stay healthy, as well as smaller amounts of vitamin B-12.
Minerals
One of the most important minerals that makes milk a far more nutrient-dense choice than soft drinks is calcium. Calcium helps you build bone mass, as well as helps to keep the bone mass you already have. This mineral is also essential for healthy teeth. One cup of milk supplies 299 mg of calcium, while a soft drink contains only 7 mg. Milk also provides 382 mg of potassium for healthy muscles, but soda only contains 7 mg. One cup of milk also supplies you with magnesium, phosphorus and a small amount of iron, while soft drinks provide insignificant amounts of these.
Health Benefits
Soft drinks have no health benefits, and the Harvard School of Public Health notes that drinking large amounts of soda on a daily basis can have a negative impact on your health. The hundreds of calories in soda can lead to weight gain, which puts you at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. While you do not want to drink a large amount of milk either because of the calories, it is a nutrient-dense part of your diet that has many positive health benefits. The calcium can help prevent bone loss and osteoporosis later in life. If you choose skim milk, you will also cut your saturated fat intake, which will help lower your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
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