I have a love-hate relationship with soda! Though I used to go back and forth between drinking regular and diet soda, I decided to just stick with diet versions to limit the number of calories I was consuming each day - but it's still something I want to cut out of my diet completely. Instead of soda, I like to drink water with lemon slices or my favorite flavors of Crystal Light - and though I still have my once-a-day can of diet soda, health experts still suggest cutting it out.
In an effort to stop being so dependent on the carbonated beverage, I came across a few reasons to limit soda consumption. Here's what I found:
Soda is full of chemicals - Even though diet soda seems like a healthier options (and it is, in terms of calories) it's still filled with chemicals, according to a report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest . Artificial sweeteners have long been under scrutiny for cau sing cancer - and whether they do or not, soda also contains coloring and preservatives.
It has empty calories - If you're drinking regular soda, you are likely consuming 200 or more calories a day in empty, useless calories. Many soda drinkers don't look at serving sizes when they grab a bottle of soda - a single bottle usually contains at least two servings! If you drink soda at a restaurant, you can expect to drink about 300 calories of soda, thanks to large servings - and that doesn't even account for refills.
While I used to order a diet soda at restaurants, I've now gotten into the habit of drinking water with a lemon slice. It tastes fresher and spares a few dollars from my bill!
Soda is addictive - Have you ever tried to give up soda entirely? I know I have - and it leave me grumpy and with a headache. Soda addition is real, according to the article, 'Is Diet Soda Addictive?' by Yahoo! Health. The best way to limit your soda withdrawal effects is to do it slowly - decrease the number of sodas you have each day, and then limit them throughout the week. I look to natural green tea capsules found at the health food store to get energy and antioxidants instead of using soda as a pick-me-up.
Soda damages teeth - The carbonation and acids in soda damages your teeth over time, according to the Vanguard Dental Group - the acids erode the tooth enamel and the high amount of sugar could cause tooth decay over time. If you still want to drink soda, be sure to alternate your carbonated beverage with water to rinse away sugar before it sits on the teeth.
These are a few good reasons to limit or remove soda from your diet entirely. Start out slow - if you cut soda out completely too fast, you likely won't want to give it up for the long term. While I know it's hard to avoid soda, there are better drinks out there to refresh and hydrate you!
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