It’s no secret how bad baking soda can be for your overall health. But if you don’t already know, drinking soda every day can be very dangerous. Drinking soda every day not only causes weight gain and tooth decay, but it can also lead to heart disease and even cancer!
Besides the fact that these drinks are full of chemicals and artificial flavors, the biggest problem with soda is the amount of added sugar they contain. Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages can stop weight loss in the stomach. While almost any type of soft drink, whether it’s diet soda (which isn’t as healthy as it claims to be!), fruit-flavored soda, or a can of Coke, you’re still damaging your overall health with every sip.
To find out which soda brands are the worst for weight loss, we reached out to Collins Mord, certified health expert and CEO of Healthy Living Street. He says that Coke, Spriteand Dr Pepper are the worst soda brands you should cut out of your daily diet if you want to lose weight. This is because they are too high in sugar, lack nutrients, and are not satiating, which can lead to overeating later. Read more to find out more!
READ MORE: Health experts say these are the worst drinks because they’re loaded with unnecessary sugars
Coke
In 2021, Coca-Cola was selected as the leading producer of carbonated beverages in the United States. Although popular (and delicious!), Coke is not a healthy soda brand for weight loss. There are several reasons for this: its high sugar content, high calorie content, lack of nutrients and negative health effects such as heart disease.
“Coke contains large amounts of sugar, which can lead to weight gain and negatively affect overall health,” explains Mordi. “One 12-ounce can of Coke contains about 39 grams of sugar, which is nearly double the recommended daily intake of sugar for adults.” Coke also offers fan favorite flavors like Cherry Coke, Diet Coke, Vanilla Coke and more.
“Coke is also high in calories. A 12-ounce can of Coke contains about 140 calories, which can add up quickly if consumed regularly,” adds Mordi. “Coke offers no significant nutritional value. It’s basically just sugar and water with added flavors and colors.” If you use coke regularly, this can lead to weight gain, but also obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay. So if weight loss is your goal, it’s best to avoid sipping Coca-Cola regularly.
READ MORE: Can TikTok’s “Healthy Coke” Really Help You Lose Weight? We asked nutrition experts
Sprite
And like Coke, Sprite is not a healthy soda brand for weight loss due to its sugar content, lack of nutrients, and negative side effects. “Sprite, like Coke, contains large amounts of sugar, which can lead to weight gain and negatively affect overall health. One 12-ounce can of Sprite contains about 38 grams of sugar, which is almost the recommended daily intake of sugar for adults,” says Mordi. “Sprite is also high in calories. A 12-ounce can of Sprite contains about 140 calories, which can add up quickly if consumed regularly.” Yup! Therefore, it is not good for weight loss.
Dr Pepper
And another popular brand of soda that is not good for weight loss. Like Coca-Cola and Sprite, Dr. Pepper is high in sugar and lacking in nutrients your body needs. “One 12-ounce can of Dr. Pepper contains about 40 grams of sugar, which is almost double the recommended daily intake of sugar for adults,” says Mordi. “Dr. Pepper is also high in calories. A 12-ounce can of Dr. Pepper contains about 150 calories, which can add up quickly if consumed regularly.” It’s basically just sugar and water with added flavors and colors. So overall, it’s best to limit or avoid soda if you’re trying to lose weight.
Even though America loves it, soda shouldn’t be consumed every day if you’re trying to lose weight. Now that you know more about the effects of soda and the signs to look out for, you may find that it’s much easier to find a healthier alternative when you’re craving a fizzy drink. If you still want a carbonated taste, go for kombucha instead! Kombucha is not only lower in calories and sugar, but it also promotes a healthier gut because it is rich in beneficial probiotics.
READ MORE: 2 Metabolism Boosting Drinks You Can Drink Every Day To Speed Up Your Weight Loss