Soda and You

[The Fight for Fitness | Blake Hagen]

How many cans of soda have you had today? This week? This month? For some, it may be none, for some, it may be a lot.

In case you haven't heard, soda and soft drinks are not that good for you. Here's what Marion Nestle says in What to Eat (yup, still reading it and still enjoying it):

"Soft drinks are the prototypical junk food; they contain sugars -- and, therefore, calories -- but nothing else of nutritional value."

Calories from soda can add up fast, and a lot of times, we don't even think of drinks as having calories. It's easy to guzzle a few cans before we even realize it.

But what about "diet" sodas that have no calories? Here's what a dietitian from the Mayo Clinic had to say:

"Diet soda isn't a health drink or a cure for weight loss. Although switching from regular soda to diet soda will save you calories, some studies suggest that drinking soda of any type leads to obesity and other health problems. And healthier choices abound."

Source here.

The bottom line is that there are much better options than soda -- diet or not. Have water, fat-free/low-fat milk, or a little bit of 100% fruit juice. Milk and juice still have calories, but at least you are getting some nutrients too.

You can do your health a lot of good by avoiding soft drinks. One drink here or there may not hurt you, but over time, health problems from drinking too much soda can occur.

The Fight for Fitness | BlakeHagen.com

[Diana Young, RD, LD/N, CDE]

This may be of interest: The Number One Reason to Stop Drinking Soda

[Chris Kolba's Fit to Live]

I am amazed at how many young kids and toddlers I see drinking soda. What are these parents thinking?
Chris