Rows of colorful cans of soda.
The average American household spends $850 annually on carbonated beverages, reported by Time Magazine. People in the US drank more Coca-Cola in 2024 than any other country, per World Population Review, totaling 39,300 million liters. The United States was the 4th highest consumer of sodas in the world. Billions of dollars are spent on soft drinks in this country each year.Â
Half of the dietary added sugar intake for children in the US comes from sugar-sweetened beverages. Almost two-thirds of US children drink sugary beverages daily.
Photo of an 8 ounce glass of soda surrounded by 7 teaspoons of sugar depicting the amount of added sugar in the cola.
One 12-ounce can of soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar. A 20-ounce bottle contains almost 16 teaspoons.
Do you know how many calories are in 10 teaspoons of sugar?Â
160 calories! Sixteen calories per teaspoon.
A 20-ounce Coke contains 240 calories.
Coke can label showing 39 grams of added sugar, which is in the form of high fructose corn syrup. One teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams and contains 16 calories.
Label on a 20-ounce bottle of coke showing 65 grams or about 16 teaspoons of added sugar.
(Interestingly, if you do the math, 39 grams sugar x 4 calories = 156 calories, not 140. There are 4 calories per gram of sugar.
65 grams sugar x 4 calories = 260 calories, not 240. I wonder why the discrepancy?)
Would you add 10 teaspoons of sugar to any beverage?
Sodas, fruit juices, energy drinks, sweet bottled teas, and fancy coffee drinks are all high in sugar, empty in nutrients, and loaded with calories. Drinking these every day is a recipe for weight gain.
How many calories are in a pound?
3500.
How many 20-ounce sodas total 3500 calories?
About 14.Â
If you drink 2 of these daily or 3 cans of soda a day, you will gain a pound of weight in a week, 4 pounds per month, and 52 pounds in a year. Just. From. Soda.
Per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly â…” of US adults drink sugar-sweetened beverages daily, with some drinking more than one.
In this country, the sugar in that can of Coke is not pure cane sugar as in other countries, but high-fructose corn syrup.Â
Ingredient list in a can of Coke showing the sugar source as high fructose corn syrup...nothing natural in this can.
In addition to weight gain and obesity risk, there are multiple other risks from drinking sodas. Consider these as further reasons to decrease soda intake.
Regular soda consumption increases your risk of hypertension due to its caffeine, salt, and fructose content.
Consuming one to two sodas each day increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 26%.
The added daily sugar from soda intake increases heart disease risk and the risk of dying from heart disease by over 30%. Even those who exercise regularly but drink daily sodas have a 15% increased risk.
Caffeinated sodas act as a diuretic and can be dehydrating.
Frequent soda consumption can lead to poor bone health since the phosphoric acid in sodas impairs the body's ability to absorb calcium. The pH of Coke and many dark colas is around 2.5, which is extremely acidic. Compare that to water with a neutral pH of 7 to 7.5.
The acid, sugar, and carbonation in soda can all lead to tooth decay. Sodas are one of the leading causes of tooth decay.
Most sodas are acidic, which takes a toll on the stomach lining, leading to acid reflux and heartburn.
The high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose in sodas lead to high fructose intake, which is converted in the liver to fat, eventually leading to fatty liver disease.
High sugar intake from beverages raises the blood sugar rapidly, which increases insulin levels. Over time, this is inflammatory, leading to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Excess sugar intake from sugar-sweetened beverages increases the risk of gout.Â
Whenever I saw patients in practice who were overweight or obese, I first focused on what they drank, not what they ate. Modifying their beverage intake often prevented further weight gain.
Sugar-sweetened beverages expand our waistlines and the beverage industry’s pockets. It is time to change what has happened in the past 40 years. They are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. It follows suit that reducing the intake of this health-ruining beverage will reduce obesity and obesity-related diseases.
Save yourself money and pounds. Stop funding the companies wreaking havoc on our health.Â
Choose wisely. Your health depends on it!