by Kimberly Schiller

Created on: April 05, 2011   Last Updated: April 25, 2011

An occasional soda is a nice treat or pick-me-up on a tough day. But some people drink soda all day, sometimes at the expense of any other beverage. Is drinking soda excessively harmful to the body?

*Sugar

A can of regular soda contains around 8 teaspoons of sugar, accounting for most of the average 150 calories. The more soda you drink, the more time your teeth are exposed to sugar. And as that pure sugar hits your bloodstream, it spikes your blood sugar levels only to crash just as quickly. This constant spiking and crashing can permanently damage your body’s ability to  process the sugar you eat, contributing to your risk of diabetes and obesity.

*Carbonation

The bubbles in soda are a big part of the fun. Unfortunately, they can also cause bloating and gas. This can contribute to chronic discomfort and digestive problems.

The carbonation in soft drinks is created by a combination of phosphoric acid and carbon dioxide. While there is no consensus yet, recent studies suggest that excess phosphoric acid in your system throws off the balance between phosphoric acid and calcium. To make up for all that phosphoric acid, your body may draw calcium out of your bones. And if you are drinking a lot of soda, you are probably not drinking enough milk to replace all that calcium.

*Empty calories

Speaking of obesity, the increase of soda consumption is often blamed for the obesity epidemic we are now experiencing. A can of soda is 150 empty calories - no nutrition, no fiber, just calories. The average cardiovascular workout burns around 200 - 300 calories an hour. That means you would need to workout half an hour to burn off every can of soda you drink. Otherwise those calories are contributing to weight gain.

*Chemicals

Take a look at the ingredient list on that soft drink. Chances are, you will see lots of words that are hard to pronounce. Basically everything in most sodas is some kind of man-made product. While all of these ingredients are approved by the FDA, drinking soda excessively every day can lead to a person consuming much more than the typical guidelines would expect.

*Caffeine

Common medical wisdom suggests that moderate caffeine consumption is perfectly fine for most people. But too much caffeine can trigger headaches, jitters, insomnia, and rapid heartbeat. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell how much caffeine is in a serving of soda. Each brand is different, and the amount is not listed in the nutritional information. Most colas are caffeinated, but so are many orange sodas. Some root beers have no caffeine, others have quite a bit.

Drinking soda excessively can be harmful to your body. Remember that it is only meant to be an occasional treat, not a daily staple. If you need to cut back on your consumption, try substituting fresh brewed iced tea or ice cold water whenever you can.

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