I’ve had many encounters with soda, and they are the good encounters. I love to drink this stuff, but I don’t always sip it every single day. Some people think it is ok, but really it isn’t. Now I like the fizzy-ness and strong taste, but I dislike the sugar substitutes, and the other “natural flavorings” in it. Usually I drink diet, but sometimes I will gulp down regular soda.

Livestrong.com says that caffiene(which is in all soda but diet) has a few benefits, but still can have harmful effects on people.  Just because they can be good does not mean someone can just drink as they please, it can still be bad unless it is drank it moderation such as twice a week which is perfectly fine. There are some drinks that are not soft, but still are kind of bad. Beware of energy drinks, they are VERY high in sugar, and really should not be consumed. If energy is needed, just drink black tea or coffee. Juice is another seemingly innocent one. What’s shocking is that some have as much as 10% while others are pure juice. A great example of more sugar than juice is the boxed kind. The Simply brand uses little sugar and tastes great. Buy the latter of the two as opposed to the former. Study the container for real juice content, not the front of the container.

Some of the worst sodas are the most popular ones and people don’t worry about that. Here are some from huffingtonpost: Coca Cola, Mountain Dew, Sunkist(orange), and Mello Yello. Now the harmful effects are not shown right away, but they can be pretty bad in the long run. Some of them are: weight gain, more cavities, teeth problems, sugar rush, dependency on it, and other health problems. Be cautious of certain sodas that say diet on them too, they are certainly not better at all!

Even though diet has no calories, it has a dangerous sugar called “Aspartame” which is BAD. Do NOT give too much to kids, Especially the younger ones. Trust me, nobody wants a hyperactive child at one in the freaking morning! Few sodas are made with actual fruit, and most of the time don’t taste very similar. However a few brands of generic kind taste like actual fruit.

If the need for fizz, or some strong taste, pick up a bottle of tea, or grab some sparkling juice! Those are much better alternatives to soda, and taste a lot like it as well. Soda is bad, yet still widely sipped in many parts of the world. Do the world a favor and cut it back Jack!

Sources: Huffingtonpost, Livestrong.com, The daily meal.com mindbodygreen.com shape.com