“If you’re reading this, chances are that you’ve consumed at least a can of soda today. And I’m not talking about drinking it over the course of an hour or two – but all in one sitting.

It’s hard to avoid soda in today’s world; there is something about sipping through a straw with your tongue hitting icy liquid chilled by rotating metal blades that just feels good no matter what time of year it happens to be. Nothing can beat the thirst-quenching taste of an ice cold Coke on a hot Sunday afternoon

“Why should I stop drinking soda”? This is a question I hear all the time. And honestly, it’s pretty simple. Soda contains caffeine and excess sugar which are both unhealthy for your body! A 35cl can of Coke has 140 calories in total which equals to 9.5 cubes of sugar more than the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day

Unlike in fruits, sugar in sodas is all refined sugar without fiber to slow down the absorption. Taking in a large amount of sugar this way over time, then creates the risk of many health problems, such as obesity, increased blood pressure, heart disease, smaller brain volume and lower memory, type 2 diabetes, and damage to blood vessels.

Causes Weight Gain: One 330ml can of Coke contains around 140 calories. At a can every day, that’s 4,200 extra calories in the course of just one month, 50,400 extra calories or 14.4lbs in a year. Granted our body metabolism adapts accordingly by burning more/fewer calories, you clearly gain weight when you drink Coke/soda over healthier, lower-calorie options.

Causes Sleeping Disorders: If you drink Coke/soda and you find it hard to manage your sleeping schedule, it may be the caffeine causing the problem. Caffeinated beverages like Coke/soda can be a temporary solution to staying awake, but they are not the answer. They may give you an initial boost of energy or make it easier for your body to stay up all night (or work longer), but soon enough that borrowed energy will run out and leave you feeling drained. Caffeine does have some benefits when consumed occasionally; however many people become addicted if they rely entirely on this chemical substance just so they don’t feel lethargic at their job!

Corrodes Your Teeth: The acidic ingredients in soda can destroy your teeth and leave you with a case of tooth decay. Not only does the color from sodas stain our pearly whites, but studies show that it takes just three minutes of drinking for them to do 10X more damage than other drinks!

The acidity of most sodas will corrode away at your chompers faster than any beverage out there – even those containing fruit juice or cola as an ingredient.

I’m sure you know at this point that soda is bad for the body. It’s time to break up with soda. I know it’s hard but you’re worth it! You deserve better than the empty calories in that can or bottle of pop. Soda is just sugar water and when you drink one, all you’re doing is feeding your addiction to sugar instead of actually quenching your thirst. It doesn’t matter what flavor it is either- regular or diet- because they both have no nutritional value and are still just a sweet treat for your body to deal with later on down the line.

The good news is there are healthier alternatives out there which have all the same flavors as your favorite sugary drinks without any of these nasty consequences! And then there’s plain ole H2O.

You’ll be thanking me later when you’re feeling better about your body weight and looking fabulous!