Soft drinks are ubiquitous in supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, concessions stands and vending machines. Several common brands contain not only water, sugar, flavorings and added colors, but also caffeine. Many people consume soft drinks specifically -- or least in large part -- for the caffeine. You may have heard that caffeine is a diuretic and wondered if that makes it unsafe or unhealthy. There is controversy about caffeine and its diuretic effects.
According to the book "The Coke Machine: The Dirty Truth Behind the World's Favorite Soft Drink," even though Coca-Cola is not the healthiest beverage option, more people in the world consume this cola than any other soft drink...
Soft drinks tend to get a bad rap because of their high-calorie, sugar-laden contents. However, there are a handful of positive effects to adding soft drinks to your diet. However, consume with caution, since the bulk of soft ...
Coke and other carbonated drinks contain the gas carbon dioxide. When you drink Coke, you swallow both liquid and gas bubbles. A lot of the time you release this gas with a quick belch. Though not a very polite thing to do, bel...
During the past 50 years, these drinks have taken the place of milk, water and even coffee as the world's most purchased beverages. The problem is that sodas tend to lead to negative health effects due to their caffeine and sug...
One out of four American children consumes sugary drinks on a typical day, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Although soda is not the only culprit, it is one of the major ones. In addition, some other ingredient...
Soft drinks have no effect on the kidneys of healthy people. However, many patients with advanced kidney disease are instructed to avoid dark-colored sodas. The basis for this recommendation is not to protect the kidneys, but t...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 dietary guidelines point out that you can enjoy almost any food or drink as long as you make healthy choices most of the time and eat nutritionally barren foods in moderation. Coca Cola...
According to information from the University of North Carolina, carbonated beverages make up a full 7 percent of the calories in the American diet, up nearly 300 percent since the study began in 1977. Health experts from presti...
Controversy is bubbling up over the ill effects of soft drinks on health. The sugar in all US soft drinks -- regular soda, lemonade, sweet tea, sports drinks, juice drinks and fruit punch -- is high fructose corn syrup, accordi...
Soft drinks -- soda and other sugary drinks such as sweetened iced tea, fruit drinks and energy drinks -- add sugar and calories to your diet without providing much, if any, nutrition. While just one 12 oz. soda contains approx...
Soft drinks may have serious effects on your health. Soft drinks and other sugar-filled beverages are the main source of calories in the American diet, according to an article by Mark Bittman in the Feb. 13, 2010, issue of the ...
According to a list of sugar in soft drinks from The University of Cincinnati, Clermont College, some popular soda drinks have over 40 grams of sugar per serving. Consumption of this much sugar can result in undesirable health ...
Soft water is created using sodium and an ion exchange process, eliminating the minerals in the water while adding sodium and potentially other chemicals. Research has shown that the there are several health effects, both posit...
Diet sodas are not a considered a health drink, but the artificial sweeteners are safe for the general public. Diet sodas do have some negative effects associated with regular consumption. They are hard on tooth enamel, can inc...
Diet soft drinks may be variations on full-calorie counterparts or independent beverage items. Individuals interested in weight loss or weight management may be lured by their low-calorie and low-sugar attributes. But diet soda...
A standard size in the 1950s was 6.5 ounces compared to today's 12-oz. cans and 20-oz. bottles. Though they are tasty, carbonated beverages can have undesirable health effects.
On the other hand, some people believe that the caffeine in soft drinks may improve exercise performance. Soft drinks containing calories or caffeine can affect your exercise regimen in several ways, and it is important to unde...
Many soft drinks were once touted as tonics that improved health in some way. Coca-Cola, which contained extracts of kola nut and coca leaf, was advertised as the "ideal brain tonic, specific to headache," according to Eric Bly...
