Although drinking that can of soda after lunch may seem harmless, the habit of drinking soda every day can negatively impact your health. Breaking your soda habit may be tricky, but when you switch to water, milk or 100 percent fruit juice, you'll reduce your risk of developing potentially serious medical conditions. Talk to your doctor before making any changes in your diet, especially if you have health conditions or allergies.
Lose Weight
Depending on the brand, soda may contain up to 140 calories per can or more. Even though soda is a liquid, it can still add pounds to your frame the way fattening food does. Each can of sugar contains approximately 4 tbsp. of sugar, which may increase your chance of gaining weight and possibly developing obesity. By swapping out your daily soda with a lower calorie drink, like black tea or water, you'll decrease your total calorie intake, which may help you lose weight.
Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
Drinking soda tastes sweet, but it may have negative effects on your cardiovascular system. People who consume sugary sodas on a regular basis are more likely to develop cardiovascular disorders, like heart disease, later in life. Eliminating soda from the diet and increasing your intake of healthy fats, like the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat found in olive oil and nuts, may help reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Soda consumption has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and the body's inability to respond to insulin. When you continually consume sugar, your body may be unable to regulate it in the bloodstream, causing type 2 diabetes. Although taking prescription medication and eating healthy foods may help, cutting soda out of the diet may also reduce your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and may allow you to take less medication or insulin if you currently have type 2 diabetes.
Reduce Cavities
Sugar erodes the enamel on the teeth, which may cause cavities. If you drink soda on a regular basis, you are regularly exposing your teeth to 4 tbsp. of sugar every time you drink a can. Although brushing your teeth immediately after drinking a soda may help prevent some tooth decay, eliminating soda from the diet is the ideal way to prevent soda-related cavities from forming.
Strengthen the Immune System
When you consume the amount of sugar contained in two cans of soda, the sugar may decrease the effectiveness of your immune system by approximately 40 percent, notes pediatrician Dr. William Sears on his website, AskDrSears.com. The effect of sugar on the immune system starts about half an hour after you ingest it, and lasts for about five hours. A weakened immune system means you may be more likely to get infected with germs that may make you sick. Cutting soda out of your diet will keep your immune system from weakening and keep you healthy.
References
- American Dietetic Association; Flow of Empty Calories Into Children's Food Supply Must Be Reduced; October 2010
- Ask Dr. Sears; 4 Habits That Weaken the Immune System; William Sears, MD
- California Center for Public Health Advocacy; Soda Consumption Puts Children at Risk For Obesity, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, and Cavities;
- Livestrong: MyPlate
- Academy of General Dentistry; What Foods Causes Tooth Decay in Children?; February 2007
- "Time"; Health: Diabetes And Soda: Drawing A Connection; September 2004
