They are cool and refreshing, quench thirst, and it always feels right to indulge in them especially during the hot summer days or right after a strenuous physical activity. They are soft drinks (sodas to some people, colas to others), and they almost always seem to be the natural first choice in soothing parched mouths and throats. When consumed in moderation, soft drinks are harmless beverages. Too much of them, however, can disturb your nutritional stability. This possibility becomes even more pronounced when soft drinks restrain you from drinking water and other, more nourishing beverages.
How can something as good as soft drinks be so bad when taken in excessively? For a lot of reasons, actually: Soft drinks are known to contain several artificial food colors, some of which are deemed to be possible carcinogens that can cause cancer. The syrups used in soft drinks, which are high in fructose, can cause irritable bowel syndrome. Soft drinks are exaggeratedly sweet (from sugar) and, therefore, can cause tooth decay. The caffeine in soft drinks is like a diuretic that can cause dehydration. Soft drinks are also known to be rich in phosphate which, in excess, can cause osteoporosis.
Soft drinks are known to be almost entirely devoid of any nutritional value. While a 12-ounce cola does contain about 140 calories, these are nothing more than empty calories. Drinking several soft drinks a day, therefore, can pile up those useless calories in your body. To continue enjoying soft drinks while avoiding the empty calories, some people opt for diet sodas since these contain mostly water and are lower by about a couple of calories than the regular sugary types. This is when the problem in overindulging in soft drinks comes in.
Because some people are able to quench their thirst and feel less-filled with diet soft drinks, they have completely abandoned the other, more nutritious drinks such as citrus fruit juices and even fortified skim milk. Also, some people - those who are wary of being overweight and monitor their calorie intake - have a wrong notion about diet sodas. While it is true that diet soft drinks are low in calories, they may not help bring about weight loss. For people who vigorously watch their calories, water is by far the better choice when quenching thirst.
In fairness to soft drinks, they do have some cool things going for them. One of the positive aspects of soft drinks is that their sugar content can be a good source of quick energy for people who suffer temporarily from a low tolerance of solid foods. Non-caffeinated soft drinks, on the other hand, can help restore some of the liquids lost from diarrhea or vomiting. But these are rather special cases in which soft drinks may be of great help. Otherwise, doctors advise to always go easy on those cool soft drinks.
