The Disadvantages of Soft Drinks

Soft drinks have become the beverage of choice for many people, replacing healthier drinks such as water and milk. People in different parts of the country refer to soft drinks with many different names, including soda, pop or cola. Although they are pleasing to the palate, drinking soft drinks on a regular basis poses many disadvantages. Interested in

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Dehydration

Water makes up approximately 60 percent of your total body weight. Each day you lose water through urination, breathing and sweating. The lost water must be replaced to keep your body functioning. Although the recommended fluid intake varies based on your health, your level of activity and where you live, doctors generally recommend adults drink 8 to 9 cups a day, according to MayoClinic.com. Replacing water with soft drinks fails to provide adequate hydration because the high sugar content and caffeine in soft drinks promote dehydration.

Too Much Sugar

Regular soft drinks, meaning those not sold as diet soft drinks, contain significant amounts of sugar. One can of cola contains 39 g of sugar which equals 3.3 tbsp. of sugar, according to Wichita State University. Consuming foods containing so much added sugar contributes to increased blood glucose levels, a condition that increases the risk of developing diabetes and provides additional calories.

Empty Calories

The U.S. Department of Agriculture 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests the average adult consume between 1,800 and 2,500 calories per day, depending on gender and level of activity. To meet your daily nutritional needs, meaning to get the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals, within your daily calorie intake you need to consume nutrient dense foods -- foods that provide the highest level of nutrients in the fewest calories. The average can of cola contain 140 calories. Drinking soft drinks in the place of other beverages such as water significantly increases your calorie intake without providing any nutrients.

Carbonation

Soft drinks contain carbonation. To carbonate a liquid you must saturate it with carbon dioxide creating carbonic acid -- the hydrated form of carbon dioxide. The carbonation creates the tiny bubbles that give soft drinks their distinctive feel in the mouth. Although carbonation is one of the factors that draws so many to drink soft drinks, ingesting carbonation causes a buildup of gases in the body that leads to excessive burping.

Reduction in Healthy Foods

Maintaining a healthy weight requires eating a low-fat diet that provides only the number of calories you body needs to function. Consuming more calories than you body uses within a day leads to weight gain. A study conducted by Bowman and associates and published in the January 2004 issue of "Pediatrics" reveals that children who consume sugar-sweetened soft drinks drink less milk and eat less fruits and vegetables. This combination of factors increases the risk of obesity, a condition that affects one-third of the adults in the U.S., according to the 2007-2008 statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.