Nearly 40% of adults in the United States drink regular soda every day. Although it’s a popular beverage, soda can have negative effects on your health, particularly when it’s a regular part of your diet. Here’s what can happen to your health if you drink soda daily.
The main nutritional concern with regular soda is its sugar content—a 12-ounce can usually contains about 10 teaspoons of added sugar.
Dietary guidelines recommend that added sugar should take up no more than 10% of adults’ daily caloric intake. That means if someone is eating 2,000 calories per day, they should limit their sugar intake to 12 teaspoons each day.
One can of soda contains nearly the entire amount of added sugar you should consume in a day.
The sugar in regular soda is also considered a simple carbohydrate, so it’s digested quickly by the body. This means it can lead to steep increases in blood sugar.
The significant amount of sugar in regular soda can take a toll on your health over time, leading to a greater risk of many chronic conditions, such as:
- Type 2 diabetes: Research has established a clear link between frequent soda consumption and type 2 diabetes. One study found that adults who had at least five soft drinks each week had a diabetes risk that was twice as high as people who averaged less than one soft drink weekly. And sugary beverages can undercut other healthful habits when it comes to type 2 diabetes risk—research shows people who meet physical activity guidelines but drink at least two sugar-sweetened beverages per day still have a 22% higher risk of the disease.
- Heart disease: Soda can have a negative effect on your heart health. Sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, are responsible for 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease around the world each year. On an individual level, research shows that people who drink sugary beverages often have a 21% higher chance of developing cardiovascular disease compared to those who drink these beverages infrequently.
- Cancer: More research needs to be done on the link between cancer and sugar-sweetened drinks like regular soda. However, there are some studies that have found links between sugary beverages and breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer.
Experts are still learning more about how diet affects the risk of these conditions. However, it’s possible that sugar’s inflammatory effect on the body could play a role.
Regular soda intake has strong correlations with weight gain and obesity.
A standard 12-ounce can of soda contains about 155 calories. Some, like orange soda, contain even more calories.
Research shows that people who drink more soft drinks have a higher likelihood of weight gain, even if they exercise.
The reason for this strong association may be because soda is not filling. Fiber and protein are two nutrients that can help boost satiety, or feelings of fullness, and regular soda has neither. Since the calories in soda aren’t filling, you may be more likely to overeat.
Regular sodas are sugary and acidic, which can negatively affect your oral health.
Sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas, can lead to tooth erosion and cavities. This could be because sugary beverages can change the oral microbiome, or the collection of microorganisms that live in your mouth. Low concentrations of some healthy bacteria and high concentrations of bad bacteria may lead to poor gum health and the development of cavities.
There may be a link between adult acne and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda.
Facial aging is another potential concern. Collagen and elastin are two proteins that help keep your skin looking healthy. Sugar molecules such as fructose or glucose can bind with these proteins, leading to wrinkles or sagging skin.
It’s possible that regular soda’s sugar content could increase the appearance of skin aging. However, one study found no association between these skin concerns and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.
Since most regular sodas don’t offer much positive nutritional benefits, it’s best to limit the drink in your diet. Doing so may help you reduce your risk of some chronic conditions and maintain a weight that you and your doctor decided was best for you.
It can be hard to cut back your consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, which include regular soda, fruit drinks, energy drinks, flavored coffees, sweetened water, and sports drinks. However, there are some ways to help limit your intake:
- Choose water: Instead of drinking regular soda, reach for water instead. Men should drink 13 cups of fluids daily, and women should drink 9 cups of fluids daily.
- Try a nutrient-dense alternative: If you tend to not drink enough water, try making the switch to beverages that contain more nutrients. That could include 100% fruit juice, low-fat milk, or milk alternatives such as unsweetened oat or soy milk.
- Look for other sources of fizz and flavor: Try adding unsweetened sparkling water to other beverages if you’re looking for something bubbly. Or, use fruits and vegetables—including cucumber, lime, lemon, or berries—to flavor plain water.
- Check nutrition labels: Before you purchase a beverage, take a look at the nutritional facts. Do your best to avoid products that have high amounts of added sugar, calories, or saturated fats.
