1. A Clear Choice
The tab lifts on a can of soda, breaking through to release a spurt of air. The refreshing sound of
popping bubbles pouring over a glass filled with crystal-clear ice assaults your senses. You can
feel the cool fizz against your skin and the burn on your tongue. We’ve all seen and heard these
compelling advertisements more times than we can count, and they seem to be working.
According to a Gallup poll posted July 23, 2012, almost half of Americans drink a soda every
day. [1]
[soda pouring over a glass of ice]
A Good First Step
Replacing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB’s) with water is a great first step toward weight loss.
According to Michael F. Jacobson, PhD, and the Center for Science and the Public Interest,
“Carbonated soft drinks are the single biggest source of calories in the American diet, providing
about 7 percent of calories; adding in noncarbonated drinks brings the figure to 9 percent.” [2]
Just think, putting down that soft drink can decrease your calorie count by 7 to 10 percent.
That’s good news! Changing this one habit will make a positive impact in your overall health
and can help you shed those unwanted pounds. The Harvard School of Public Health states,
“Studies in children and adults have found that reducing sugary drink consumption can lead to
better weight control among those who are initially overweight.” [3] Every time you choose
water instead of SSB’s you begin to build new, healthy habits that will protect your health and
increase your level of fitness. The choice is yours to make, and the choice is clear.
Study after study reveals a strong correlation between obesity and the consumption of sweetened
beverages. When you pour all that extra sugar into your body, the results aren’t good. However,
choosing water over sweetened drinks isn’t just about losing weight. Sari Harrar from Reverse
Diabetes says that “[w]ith ten teaspoons of sugar in every 12-ounce can or bottle, sweet drinks
can send your blood sugar soaring—and boost your risk for weight gain, high blood pressure,
stroke, and heart disease.” [4] Sugar-sweetened drinks are harmful at best, and if not taken in
moderation, can cause life-threatening damage. You increase your risks when you lift that can.
It can be hard to give up those addictive, daily soft drinks, but consider these harmful effects of
SSB’s and the choice will become easier.
Harmful Effects of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages [variety of sugar-sweetened beverages,
including soda]
 A 12 oz. can of soda typically contains 150 or more calories, which is equivalent to
10 teaspoons of sugar. High sugar intake is a leading cause of obesity. Any sugar you
bring into your body is broken down into glucose and fructose. When you overload your
body with fructose, your liver can’t metabolize all of it properly and instead, turns it into
fat. When there is too much glucose in your body, you can become insulin resistant,
causing a variety of medical problems. [5]

2.  Sugar-sweetened beverages provide no nutritional value, yet significantly boost
caloric intake. These empty calories won’t fill you up as much as the same amount of
calories you add by eating healthy foods that take longer to digest. As a result, SSB’s do
not tend to replace healthier calories, but instead add to your total number of calories, and
inflate your caloric intake. In other words, you get a high calorie count without any
benefits.
 Increasing obesity in America parallels the growing trend of consuming sugar-
sweetenedbeverages. Obesity in America has increased over the last 50 years at an
alarming rate. In 1960 the obesity rate among Americans was 13.9% compared to 34.3%
in 2008. [6] At the same time, consumption of soft drinks has escalated. Remember that
can of soda half of Americans drink daily? To add to the problem, the serving size for a
soft drink in 1960 was 6 ½ oz. Today that serving size has swelled to 20 oz. or more. [7]
It is not uncommon to see people drinking 64 oz. single serving soft drinks. In the last 30
years SSB’s are estimated to have caused at least 20% of the weight gain that occurred in
the U.S. [8] That’s a lot of weight for the soft drink industry to shoulder.
 Many studies have shown a relationship between increased weight gain and
drinking soft drinks and other SSBs. [9] [2] [10] [11] The good news is that studies
have also shown that when you reduce the amount of sweetened beverages you consume,
you can lose weight.
 Obesity odds in children increase by 60% for every glass of SSB consumed daily.
[12] Children should be avoiding SSB’s, but an increasing number of advertisements
target young people. In addition, soft drinks are inexpensive and readily available while
the price of fresh fruits and vegetables have climbed in recent years.
 A recent study conducted shows that drinking SSB’s causes metabolic
abnormalities. [13] This Tufts University study published in March, 2014, concluded
that habitually drinking soft drinks changes the way our bodies metabolize what we eat,
causing abnormalities. The findings were true across all weight categories and were
directly proportional to the amount of beverages consumed. Yikes. It’s not just that we’re
taking in all of those empty calories, we’re also changing our bodies so that we can’t
metabolize the sugar properly!
A Word about Artificial Sweeteners
So what about artificial sweeteners, do they provide a safe and effective substitute for sugar-
sweetened beverages? Low calorie sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose have
been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe. [14]
However, a lot of conflicting data exists. Susan Swithers of Purdue University, examined several
studies, and concluded that artificial sweeteners do not help consumers lose weight. She found

3. that “accumulating evidence suggests that frequent consumers of these sugar substitutes may also
be at increased risk of excessive weight gain, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and
cardiovascular disease.” [15]
What happens is that these artificial sweeteners trick your body into preparing for sugar. When
no calories are ingested, your body doesn’t respond the way it should, your metabolic responses
are confused, and there is no dopamine released. As a result you don’t feel satisfied and don’t
stop eating. In addition, when you do eat sugar and real calories, your responses aren’t as strong
as they should be. [16]
The safest bet is to stick with drinking water. If you’re not used to the taste, add a slice or lemon
or a twist of lime, and give yourself some time to adjust. As you remove sugar from your diet,
your taste buds will wake up, and you might be surprised how much more you enjoy your food.
Benefits of Drinking Water
The human body is made up of 60% water weight. Every cell in your body contains water.
Popular advice is to drink 8, 8 oz. glasses of water every day. While these amounts are not
scientifically proven, it’s a good place to start. Recent studies make it clear that healthy adults
can let their thirst be their guide in how much water to drink. [17] You should drink enough
water to keep yourself from getting thirsty. Once you experience thirst, you’re already
dehydrated, which can cause fatigue and headaches. If you’re exercising, your water intake
should increase. You can tell if you are getting enough water if you urinate 7-12 times a day, and
if your urine is pale and clear, not dark.
When you use water to replace high calorie beverages, water can aid in your weight loss. A study
in Diabetes Care reports that, “people who drank 16 ounces or less of water a day (two cups
worth) were 30 percent more likely to have high blood sugar than those who drank more than
that daily.” [4] In other words, increased water consumption lowers blood sugar. Additionally,
eating foods with a high water content, such as lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and green
peppers, will help you feel full with fewer calories.
There are many benefits to drinking water: [18] [19]
Water flushes toxins from your body.
 Drinking water can make you feel full so you eat less.
 Water consumption keeps your skin hydrated, reducing wrinkles and minimizing lines.
 When you drink plenty of water, your joints will be strong, healthy, and lubricated.
 The water in your cells carries oxygen to your muscles and brain.
 Your body won’t retain water when it is hydrated properly.
 Your liver will metabolize fat better when you drink enough water.
Make sure your fluid intake is adequate by drinking enough water and eating foods with a high
water content so that you don’t feel thirsty. Listen to your body and learn to tune in to what it’s
telling you.

4. [fit woman in workout clothes drinking a glass of water]
Suggestions
 Replace sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks or juice with water.
 Have a glass of water before each meal. [4]
 Read the labels on the beverages you choose. When you know how much sugar and how
many calories you’re about to drink it’s a lot easier to make a better choice.
 Eat high water content foods as part of your hydration regimen.
 Drink enough to satisfy your thirst.
These easy changes will allow you to walk away from the craving, walk away from the scary
metabolic changes, walk away from that extra weight we’re carrying around, and move toward a
healthy lifestyle. We can begin to reverse the obesity epidemic one drink at a time. The next time
that craving hits, picture a cool glass of refreshing water. Your body will thank you.
It really is a clear choice.
The content in this article is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified health provider. Our
goal is to provide accurate and helpful information on diet and nutrition. If you have any
questions regarding a medical condition, please seek the advice of your physician.
Sources:
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http://www.gallup.com/poll/156116/nearly-half-americans-drink-soda-daily.aspx.
[2] P. Michael F. Jacobson,"LiquidCandy:How SoftDrinksAre HarmingAmericans'Health,"June
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[3] Harvard School of PublicHealth,"SugaryDrinksandObesityFactSheet," 2014. [Online].Available:
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