22 Reasons to Stop Drinking Soda

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We all know that drinking soda isn't good for us. We know that it would be better for our health if instead we drank [insert pretty much any other beverage choice here — even beer!]. But there's just something about soda that keeps drawing us back. Whether you call it "soda," "pop," "soda pop," "Coke," or something else entirely, it's a good idea to stop drinking it once and for all. Here's why.

Financial Reasons to Stop Drinking Soda

If saving money motivates you to kick a bad habit, here are the top three financial reasons to quit drinking soda.

1. The out of pocket cost of drinking pop adds up.

The average American drinks 216 liters (that's 7304 ounces, or about 365 20-ounce bottles) a year. If you purchased your soda only at a vending machine, that's about $550/ year. If, instead, you put this into a retirement account for 30 years at a 7% interest rate compounded annually, you'd have about $60,000. Even if you buy your soda at the grocery store for 40 cents a can, that's still $243 per year and over $26,000 over 30 years.

2. You'll make poorer financial decisions by drinking diet soda.

A research study looking at decision making after drinking soda found that "The sugar-free soda drinkers were more likely to choose the immediate reward, even though it was less money and not the best overall decision. "

3. The long term health consequences lead to high medical expenses.

I've listed numerous health reasons to not drink soda pop below — if you have even one of these health problems because of (or it's exacerbated by) drinking soda, your long-term medical costs will skyrocket. (See also: 5 Places to Check Out Medical Care for the Uninsured)

Health Reasons to Stop Drinking Soda

Here are just a few of the scientifically researched reasons to kick the habit.

4. Soda increases your blood pressure.

A March 2011 study links soda consumption to higher blood pressure.

5. Soda destroys your teeth.

In case your dentist hadn't told you, between the sugar and the acidity, pop is terrible for your teeth.

6. It contains an ingredient banned in over 100 countries.

About 10% of soda flavors contain BVO, or brominated vegetable oil, which is banned by the World Health organization and 100 countries.

7. It makes you fat.

Calories from drinks including soda make up over 20% of the total daily calories consumed by Americans, according to a 2004 article in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (as cited by WebMD).

8. It may lead to diabetes.

Non-diet soft drinks contribute to the onset of type 2 diabetes. Even if you drink diet, you may not be in the clear (see the study published by the American Heart Association discussed below).

9. It may lead to heart disease.

According to a study published by the American Heart Association, "Drinking as little as one can of soda a day — regular or diet — is associated with a 48% increased risk of metabolic syndrome, a key predecessor of heart disease and diabetes."

10. Soda consumption is linked to osteoporosis.

While researchers aren't sure of the precise reason, people who drink pop are more likely to have osteoporosis.

11. Drinking cola can increase your risk of kidney stones.

A study published in Epidemiology found that "Drinking 2 or more colas per day was associated with increased risk of chronic kidney disease."

12. Soda can cause heartburn.

It shouldn't surprise you that highly acidic sodas can lead to heartburn.

13. It's linked with liver problems.

A study found that people with liver problems are also more likely to drink soda.

14. Your soda likely either contains aspartame or high fructose corn syrup.

If you drink diet soda, your pop has some sort of artificial sweetener. If you drink full-calorie soda, chances are it has high fructose corn syrup. There are long debates about these ingredients and studies are not entirely conclusive, but both ingredients are artificial and are likely not good for you.

Environmental Reasons to Stop Drinking Soda

Recycling your pop can or bottle isn't enough to prevent harm to the environment, as soda destroys the planet in numerous other ways.

15. It can take up to 132 gallons of water to produce a 2-liter bottle of soda.

The 132 gallon/2-liter bottle figure includes the water it takes to grow ingredients, and according to a Wall Street Journal article, Coke says that it takes about 1 gallon to make a 2-liter bottle. Chances are the number is somewhere in between. Either way, that's a lot of water.

16. That water has to come from somewhere.

Since a Coca-Cola plant was opened in northern India, the water levels have fallen 18 feet in the surrounding area, and the plant was blamed for it.

17. And the ingredients in the soda have to go somewhere.

According to a German report, the artificial ingredients in soda don't get fully removed by sewage treatment facilities, and those ingredients may end up downstream and even in our drinking water.

18. Be it glass, aluminum, or plastic, all bottles have their environmental costs.

Glass bottles, even if reused, take a lot more fuel to transport. Aluminum cans are only partially recycled, and the mining of aluminum has horrific environmental consequences. And just like bottled water, plastic bottled soda requires an enormous amount of oil to produce.

19. Transportation of soda pop requires a lot of fuel.

Exact figures about how much fuel it takes to transport soda are not evident — but that soda has to get from the factory to the store to your house somehow. And that requires a lot of fuel.

Social Reasons to Stop Drinking Soda

And if the financial, environmental, and health reasons weren't enough to convince you to give up soda, these social reasons may be strong enough for you to make a new resolution.

20. In some countries, soda contains pesticides.

You might consider this a health or environmental reason, but it seems to me that it's socially completely unjust to produce a healthier product for some countries than others. The Center for Science and the Environment found "high levels of toxic pesticides and insecticides, high enough to cause cancer, damage to the nervous and reproductive systems, birth defects and severe disruption of the immune system" in soda manufactured by Coke and Pepsi in India.

21. The rest of the world doesn't drink much soda.

Take a look at this soft drink consumption chart. Ireland is the next lowest soda-consuming country, and they consume roughly half the amount that Americans do.

22. It's just not that cool.

While I have no hard data to back it up, it seems that drinking pop has lost the "cool" factor it tries so hard to market. I asked several friends why they drink soda, and their responses included "for the caffeine," "I like the taste," and "it's the cheapest drink on the menu at restaurants." None of them thought that drinking soda was particularly cool and instead pointed to numerous other drinks that have a much cooler image: tea, coffee, probiotic drinks, and kombucha.

Soda Alternatives

So if you stop drinking soda, what should you drink instead?

Tap water is most cost-conscious and healthiest choice that has the least environmental and social impact. Make it easier to drink by drinking from an eco-friendly water bottle. (I prefer stainless steel water bottles or glass water bottles.) I also like to add a few slices of orange, lemon, or fresh mint leaves to my tap water for a tasty alternative.

If tap water isn't your thing here are some better options depending on the time of day:

  • If you're looking for a morning caffeinated substitute, try coffee or tea.
     
  • At lunch time, try homemade lemonade or iced tea.
     
  • In the afternoon, decaf tea or freshly squeezed or locally sourced fruit juices are delicious.
     
  • In the evening, why not opt for a cheap beer or a glass of wine? (But remember to drink responsibly.)

Do you drink soda? What would convince you to give it up?

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Guest's picture
Annette

Amen to all the above. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Guest's picture
Katie

I gave up soda on May 8, 2010, and I haven't looked back! There are some foods I eat that remind me of the taste of my beloved Diet Dr. Pepper, so I generally stay away from those foods. But other than that, I've seen nothing but positives from quitting! After getting over the initial withdrawal symptoms, I've had fewer migraines than I did while drinking soda, and I experience less indigestion if I drink water with a meal. (Drinking diet soda with meals almost always left me miserable afterward but not enough to stop apparently!) Plus, I don't have to worry about the nasty long-term health side effects mentioned here in this article. AND it saves lots of money and helps the environment - bonus!

Great post!

Guest's picture
Susanna Gardner

my husband was doing recycling for some drink manufacturers and when the full cans were crushed, the content became hazardous and corrosive. My husband was also diabetic and I was concerned for his health (he has passed since). It has been about eight years now. I was also a foster parent and each child (all under 5) had teeth that required additional dental attention one of the reason having been from soda drinking

Guest's picture

I drink exclusively tap water from my water bottle. Thankfully soda has never appealed to me. After researching the health implications of drinking soda (both sugar and artificial sweeteners are toxic) I am trying to convince my husband to quit. As with any addiction, it's an uphill battle.

Guest's picture
Guest

Try not to drink tap water either. It has fluoride, antibiotics, antivirals, and sometimes heavy metals. Try to drink distilled water and add your own minerals too it (trace mineral complex). You will be surprised, if you lab test the tap water, at what is in it.

Guest's picture

Well, this article confirms what I already knew, I need to stop drinking soda. Deep down I know that it is unneeded, costly, and unhealthy. This is the inspiration for me to make giving up soda is my new year's resolution. Wish me luck!

Guest's picture
JB

Everything in moderation is fine. I am trying to move to SmartWater, but those are even more expensive unless I find them for $1 each. soda is easy at most lunch places.

Guest's picture
JB

You can this about many items marketers put in front of us. Candy bars, cake, energy drinks, almost anything we really don't need to eat.

The Jenny Pincher's picture

Great post! My weakness is Mt. Dew and I really need to quit drinking it because it offers nothing good for me! This post is a great reminder of why I should quit.

Guest's picture
Guest

Except it gives you pleasure to drink.

Guest's picture
Patty

I know I need to give up soda and I've tried several times but I just can't do it. I don't object to drinking water but it's boring. I hate tea. Giving up soda is made harder by the fact that I'm addicted so I feel sick for weeks! If I could give it off without the side effects, I might consider it.

Guest's picture
Guest

I know it sounds a bit scary, but I've tried caffeine pills -- NOT diet pills -- straight caffeine, 200 mgs, the amount as in a cup of coffee. You can get them at the drug store. This way, I've only had to deal with one addiction at a time. It has helped.

Andrea Karim's picture

I admit that I occasionally shell out for a can (only canned, I don't know why) of Diet Coke. But I was raised without soda, so the real stuff has never appealed to me. I like fizzy things, so I drink sparkling water.

And, uh... champagne. Lots of that.

Guest's picture
amy saves

soda is gross! i've never been a fan. for those that want to keep the bubbly, switch to sparkling water and add a lemon or an orange.

i drink green tea or water all day. supposedly, green tea burns an extra 30 calories a day just from drinking it.

Guest's picture
Jenna Morley

I haven't been a fan of soda and never will. I rarely drink soda anymore. Sparkling water is pretty good like what Amy said. I would recommend water and if its one of those hot days, make your own lemonade. Homemade. You will know what you put it in so it will be healthy.

Guest's picture
Megan

When I was in college I drank one to two 20 oz. Mt. Dews a day. More if I was studying or something. I finally realized how ridiculous it was when I downed a bottle to help me stay awake and was asleep 30 minutes later. Caffeine had lost all its effectiveness.

Three years later, I got dental insurance again and found out that I had 12 cavities ($2,000 to repair), depsite taking good care of my teeth regularly. If I hadn't already quit drinking soda, that would have clinched it.

Now I drink two cups of coffee in the morning (can't do caffeine after 12 pm or I don't sleep well), herbal tea at work (because the office is cold), and a beer or a glass of wine some evenings with dinner.

After I stopped drinking it, I realized that the thing I missed most about soda was the fizz. I started drinking flavored soda water (unsweetened -- Faygo makes some, or La Croix, although I hate the canned flavor of La Croix). It's got all the fizzy satisfaction of soda without the extra calories and teeth degrading evilness. At restaurants, I order soda water with lime instead of tap water to save some money on both drinks and appetizers, since the fizz keeps my stomach satisfied until dinner arrives.

Guest's picture
The More You Know

Carbonated beverages are still bad for your teeth. Carbonated water hurts your hearth as opposed to flat water. Look it up.

Guest's picture
Guest

There are some common health concerns associated with drinking carbonated water — for instance, that it leaches calcium from the bones, causes kidney stones, and strips the enamel from your teeth — but these are not supported by clinical research.

"In reality there's no good evidence that carbonated water causes harm to your bone," registered dietitians Jennifer Nelson and Katherine Zeratsky said on the Mayo's Clinic's blog. "The confusion may arise because of research that found a connection between carbonated cola drinks and low bone mineral density."

While artificially carbonated water is slightly more acidic than still water, it's not as acidic as sugary sodas, and does not seem to significantly damage tooth enamel. A 2001 study published in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation that compared the affect of sparkling mineral waters with still waters on human teeth, noted that the "carbonation of drinks may not be an important factor per se in respect of erosive potential."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/is-drinking-carbonated-water-the-same-as-...

Guest's picture
Sherchap

I love pop. Have since i was a kid. I don't plan on giving them up. They taste toooo good--nothing has that burn! I gave up smoking 5 yrs ago--am very thankful for that. But i plan on keeping Dr Pepper as my lone vice.

Guest's picture
Cyndy

Excellent points. I gave up soda 7 years ago and don't miss it at all. When I want a cold beverage I go for unsweetened iced tea or water. I eat enough sugar as it is, I don't need to drink sugar too.

Guest's picture

I'm completely addicted to Coke. It use to be fountain Cokes, specifically McDonald's but I have "branched out" to canned Coke now. I need to quit. It's ridiculous how much I need it. I use to be a water only drinker. I need to get back to that for both my health and my budget!

Guest's picture
Guest

I totally hear ya, for some reason I'm specifically addicted to the taste of Wendy's fountain Coke!?!?!? It's just like a drug for me and I'm well aware that literaLLY NOTHING GOOD COMES FROM IT!!! The one caveat is that I'm totally ADD and I think that specific brain chemistry problem has a lot to do with said addiction. My other vice are the Mocha frapp drinks from Starbucks and the like. I basically trade it and soda back and forth trying to get a caffeine high which of course gets harder and harder to get as the tolerance builds!?!?!? And the amount of money wasted is getting ridiculous!!! Think I need an AA type support group lol...

Guest's picture

Wow, I didn't realise a lot of that, especially the water part, I think that for me is the most shocking aspect. I think I am going to stop drinking soda now.

Guest's picture
Guest

After a coworker put bug spray in my iced tea to get my job, I rediscovered plain old tap water, straight from the cold faucet. I actuall feel better since I gave up the tea, and have learned to love the taste of an ice-free glass. Lessons from the new economy...

Guest's picture
FrugalCat

It's really hard for me because I can drink all the soda I want for free at work. I would never buy it!

Guest's picture
Guest

One more item. The carbonation in sodas is not good for your bones.

Guest's picture
Kathleen

I have had a long-standing battle with myself over giving up the soda. Maybe 15 years long? I'm 41. I decided my New Year's resolution last year would be to give it up -- yet again. It took me until almost November, but I did it!!! I only drink it occasionally now, and even then, I really feel physically bad and always regret it. I never thought I would say it, but soda doesn't appeal to me anymore.

Guest's picture
Pooja

I think that drinking cold drinks or soda ocassionally won't hurt much. But yes those who are regular drinkers should avoid it.

Guest's picture

Another effect is that stains your tooth and it's not nice to look at. Imagine the embarrassment you get when the person you are talking with is checking out your tooth. That's a big discomfort.

Guest's picture
Ben M

I would guess that a good chunk of America's obesity problem is directly related to pop and other un-needed drinks. We have a free drink in our country that is safe to drink from the tap.... WATER.

Guest's picture
Guest

That sounds difficult because I think I'm the one percent that hates the taste of water by itself or even flavoured water. and I drink a lot of cokes no bad side effects except aiding my depression

Guest's picture

I don't drink much soda, and agree with many of the reasons here! I will not stop drinking it entirely and I still enjoy it every now and then, but I drink tea and coffee on a more regular basis.

Guest's picture

Ye I have given up now as I had to have a couple of fillings due to cavities

Guest's picture
Mandy

I have ridiculously bad reflux and I still wont give up my Coke, even after facing possible cancer diagnoses, liver failure ect. Why? you ask, because everyone has to have one bad habit, look around everyone in the world does. I don't drink, smoke, drive, do drugs or anything else like that but I do drink Coke and I love it and I'll continue to do so until I die. I do at least make sure to recycle every single can/bottle that I ever buy.

Guest's picture
Guest

i never knew soda was so terrible! i am going to steer clear of it but am wondering about this new product that i like called " MIo liquid water enhancer" is that bad??

Guest's picture
FrugalCat

"Mio" is a concentrated, artificially sweetened drink mix. Like Crystal Light. Two of the newer flavors have caffeine.

Guest's picture
Samantha

OMG, I am horrified seeing all these people addicted to pop drinks. I am lucky I didn't grow up drinking sodas or eating fast food. I don't crave neither one of them... at all - thank you God. I don't even like them to be honest.
When I tasted MtDew for the first time, I thought my teeth were going to fall out right there and right then. It was THAT SWEET. My teeth actually started aching. I had to brush my teeth immediately. After that, I used to mix a shot glass of MtDew in like 16oz of water to dilute it... Nowadays, I steer clear of these chemical killers.

Another disgusting image is someone drinking a pop soda for breakfast. Yuck. It's cold and terribly over sweetened. How can do that people?
I salute everyone who stopped drinking pop sodas!

I have an ok (I think it's okay) alternative: if I want flavor, I mix Sobe Life water (sweetened with Erythritol) with a spring water or Canada Dry bubbly water with natural flavors...

Guest's picture
xoheartableox

Gotta get caffeine to wake up somehow. Coffee - gross. The only way it's even close to tolerable is tons of milk (calories) and sugar (calories and sugar, bad for people with dugar issues). No way. Tea - I've never felt what "caffeine" everyone claims is in it. ... Popping Excedrin every morning is probably not a good idea either. So yes, I am one of those "gross" people thats drinks a Diet Coke every morning when I wake up.

Guest's picture
Guest

TAP WATER!!! While I realize that this fallback position may seem logical it is in no way Intuitive. Even in your article you allude that chemicals (sweeteners, etc.) are leached back into the water supply and are not mitigated by municipal water systems... and that is just the "sweet end" of all that's in tap water. Sorry but the ONLY water to drink now is purified (not filtered), alkaline water. Is there an expense, yes. But with all due gravity, along with oxygen, water is THE most important thing to learn to adapt to consuming more of: not coffee, not Sobe water, not ANYTHING but pure, purified, alkalized water.

Don't like this concept? Thus is the nature of free will... and the idiocy of the mind. But then karma is karma with the choices we make only adding to the amplitude of the great pendulum of our reincarnations.

Drink purified, alkaline water (see me for a unit!).

Guest's picture
Guest

I gave up soda as of June 6, 2011. FEel better. Blood pressure dropped. too.

Guest's picture
Guest

I cut out soda years ago and lost 10 pounds almost immediately. I wasn't even a heavy drinker of soda back then! I wish I could get my husband to quit drinking it. His mother drank it all the time when he was little. Even though she's diabetic now and even though he's overweight and constantly popping antacids, he refuses to see a connection and just cut the Coke. It really scares and frustrates me. What is so great about pop that it's worth destroying your health?

Guest's picture
Guest

#1: Really? 26k in 30 years is nothing.
#6: BVO isn't harmful unless you start drinking like 2 liters a day and it's not in all sodas.
#14: Normal sugar is used in many countries.
#16,17,18,19: The same goes for any drink.

I'm not saying that soda is good but this article is just inflated with silly facts.

Guest's picture
Guest

But you have to admit that some of it is helpful and in fact true. If you are an environmentalist some of the issues might concern you but if you are trying to quit some of the facts are useful.

Guest's picture
Wiwied

This is a great post. There is no doubt that water is the most logical and healthiest choice. I haven't any soda or alcohol for three months and I feel much better. Drinking water is my only option now.

Guest's picture
Guest

You list a reason being it takes fuel to transport soda. Please tell me how any other product gets from the source to the consumer? Organic vegetables sold at farmer's markets...those take fuel to get there, so that's stupidest reason I've ever heard.

Guest's picture
Guest

I agree totally... :)

Guest's picture
Guest

I agree. It's not like oranges from California magically appear in supermarkets located in New Jersey.

Also that argument ignores the existence of bottling plants, which are more local to the area than the location of the actual company.

Guest's picture
Guest

Lemonade and coffee destroys your teeth too! What about the sugar in that too...

Guest's picture
Guest

i stopped drinking soda when i was about thirteen or fourteen, due to the fact that when i broke my wrist, the doctor asked what my diet was like beause of how easy it broke. i told her my usual diet and i included soda in my speech, and she said that i might want to cut down on the soda intake. so i did. slowly, i began to not drink soda at all. i can stub my toes or slam my head against something really hard, not a break, fracture or anything. i have very strong bones and i can tell the difference now. i think the main reason that pop can make your bones weak is that it contains sodium bicarbonate, which actually reduces calcium absorption in the bones. so it would be utmost benificial, especially to women, who are prone to bones problems, to reduce or stop intake of soda or bicarbonated beverages altogether.

Guest's picture
xoheartableox

Without reading anyone elses comments, I am going to tell you (article writer) just how misguided you are. At the end with soda alternatives, you suggest alcohol, as in beer and wine.
So alcoholics are supposed to drink beer and wine? Yes, what a great suggestion *eye roll*. Beer and wine make people drunk, which has the potential to make them dangerous to themselves and others (provoking fights, driving, making bad decisions, etc).
Never heard of someone driving too buzzed on soda. Soda has never altered someone's mind to drive. Soda has never caused bad decisions.
Personally, I drink soda over alcohol. For people like me, who have had family members suffer with alcoholism and alcohol issues, I would rather not allow myself the opportunity to become addicted to such a harmful product.
Alcohol isnt good for diabetics, people with heart disease (aside from red wine), cholesterol issues, weight, liver problems (like duh!), and heartburn. Many of the same problems you accused soda of causing.
Yeah, Soda aint good for us. But dont sit around and think beer and wine and alcohol are any better. Get your facts straight lady. You shouldnt even be writing informative articles.

Guest's picture
Guest

Actually, the article isn't misguided at all, you are. I'm sorry you grew up with alcoholism in your family but this article is talking about the direct impact on health (it doesn't take into consideration other impacts). Sugar found in Soda is at least equally harmful to the liver as a shot of tequila or a beer because it has to be processed virtually identically. Truth be told, however, light to moderate drinking has been linked to better health, whereas just two sodas per day has been linked to liver disease after long-term use according to an Israeli study in 09 (just two per day increased liver disease 80%!! Two alcoholic drinks doesn't do that). As a comparative reference, only 20% of chronic alcoholics even get hepatitis or cirrhosis. If you think soda is better than alcoholic beverages for diabetes, heart disease, liver disease and weight, then you are living in a delusion. Ever heard of NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis)? It looks exactly the same by all accounts -- fat buildup in the liver. Alcohol just gets the blame in hepatic or cirrhotic patients whenever someone admits to drinking more than the recommended allowances, even if it isn't close to being the sole cause. That being said, the key is balance. Choose your vices and weigh the risks and be responsible.

Guest's picture
Sandra

This is one of the saddest most depressing things I have read in a long time. I have a bad soda habit but after reading this, I can't really see myself drinking it. I crave it and I love the taste and carbonation, I am going to miss it but not that bad to offset this horrifying evidence.

Guest's picture
Khan

The best drink is water followed by a nice glass of milk!

Guest's picture
Pierre Letier

My whole family uses the best available emery drink on the planet that contains the following. You may contact me for more info.

Health Basics

Cleaner—crisp, light pomegranate taste

No artificial flavors
No artificial sweeteners
No artificial preservatives
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Natural caffeine from blends of teas for mental alertness and stamina*
Supplies beneficial ingredients, with powerful antioxidants*
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Provides vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support energy metabolism at the cellular level*
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Uses more than just sugar and caffeine
Contains a complete and proprietary Energy Complex with L-carnitine, tea, ginseng, rhodiola, cacao, ribose, citrate, malate, and coenzyme Q10

Guest's picture

So glad you wrote this article. Theres overwhelming evidence (health, environmental, financial) that supports why NO ONE should be drinking soda. It is so terrible for you. Some people are actually addicted to it, but the thing is, if you drink less and less you crave it less and less. I haven't drank soda in about a year and I have no desire too. The impact it has on your health should be enough, but $550/year?! Thats absurd.

Guest's picture
Hasnain

I used to drink soda rarely, but now since two weeks, I have stopped forever for all these sugar, carbon and toxic reasons. Reading this article was to confirm these cons as I knew before. Thanks, great article!

Guest's picture

Soda tasted absolutely amazing as a kid, but ingesting it now, makes you wonder why did you subject your body to this awful drink. Stop drinking soda, save your life.

Guest's picture
Guest

LOVE THIS! i'm making a youtube video on my channel to promote the stopping of soda! Thank you so much fro the hepl! I will be sure to give you all credit!

Guest's picture
Guest

I gave up on soda in April last year, so it's nearly a year. I've never missed it. I used to LOVE it, soda in my lunch everyday, and i realised how bad that was.. so i stopped. It didn't take that much will power honestly, it's kind of weird. Anyway, you will sometimes feel like a sip wouldn't hurt while eating popcorn at the cinemas, but it will. My sister tells me to live my life, and stop being so healthy.. i won't be able to live it comfortably. SO.. if you're looking for a sign to stop drinking soda, THIS IS IT.

Guest's picture
cowbob

I am working on an alternative list of drink to get you off soda http://stopdrinkingsoda.net/

Guest's picture
Kathy

I drink soda occasionally, but usually opt for other drinks: tea (hot or cold), coffee, water, beer or wine, fruit juice, lemonade.

My stomach thanks me! :)

Guest's picture
Tia

I have a cavities gain4 pounds lot of acne and have lack of energy all from soda . Now I'm sticking to water and green tea.

Guest's picture
smiles

I used to love drinking soda. But a few months back, I decided to quit the pop, so I went cold-turkey. It was hard at first, but with the help of my lovely teas and sparkling water, I didn't feel the need to drink soda anymore. Ever since I quit, I've felt more...clean, you could say. When I drank soda I always felt sluggish and lazy after, and lately I've been feeling great. Not to mention I've lost some weight too.

Guest's picture
Victor

I stopped drinking soda january 2012. i only drink water, milk and juice these days. Don't even think that I drink alcohol. My reason? I am an athlete and i don't want to ruin myself. And nothing is as good as water anyway...

Guest's picture
Corey

Adding carbonation to healthy drinks without harmful additives and in an environmentally conscious manner using My pop soda.

Guest's picture
Stephen

I've been trying to give up pop (I'm Canadian) for years, and it seems to be quickly reaching the critical point... quit or else...

Loved reading your post, but I have to respectfully disagree with the first reason.. the out of pocket costs. Even when it's not on sale, a 2L bottle of Coke costs less than 2L of milk... that's wrong... :-( And it's not difficult to stock up at $0.99 per 2L bottle... compared to milk, juice, even water costing more.

Don't get me wrong... I think it's a horrible choice, but it really bothers me that this poison is so damn cheap compared to other drinks.

Guest's picture
Guest

At least in some places, part of that could be the price floor on milk. There's labor costs involved in getting the milk, so that doesn't help.

That's not to say I approve of drinking tons of soda, but I get where you're coming from.

Guest's picture
Guest

I was hooked on sodas as much as just about anyone, but having a root canal cured my soda addiction real fast. I've actually felt a lot more energetic since doing so, and the withdrawal symptoms weren't as bad as I feared. Compared to the pain of a throbbing toothache followed by breaking off the corner of a molar and the subsequent root canal and crown procedures, soda withdrawal is not quite so bad. If I can do it, anyone can, best wishes to all.

Guest's picture
Ranweiler

I wouldn't drink tea either. I don't drink soda because of all the above, and tea isn't a good thing to drink because it does a great deal of damage to your intestines. Tea isn't healthy either!! Please do NOT drink it!

Guest's picture
Guest

DRINK WATER PEOPLE!!!

IT'S THE ONLY PURE NATURAL THING TO DRINK!!

PUT SOME LEMON IN IT IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE TASTE.

BE HEALTHY!

Guest's picture
ilovehorseyrides

I used to drink soda. After I got high blood sugar, I stopped drinking it. My blood sugar is now normal again, but I still don't drink it.

Guest's picture
Guest

i don't care i still drink soda

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Ronda

I used to drink over 2 liters of Diet Pepsi a day! I have since stopped and not drink a gallon of water per day.I add cucumber to my water, for a refreshing taste. With a few other tweaks in my diet, I have lost 33 pounds!

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Guest

you're using ireland as an example as the country who drinks the least soda or one of the countries that drinks the least soda..you do realize thats because they largely consume alcohol there which in my opinion is WAY worse than a freaking soda..not seen anything interesting enough in this article to quit my habit..may be bad but there are a lot worse choices out there than a pepsi or coke fix