Say No to Fizzy drinks, Yes to Healthy Drinks

Five reasons why fizzy drinks are bad for you and five healthy drinks better for quenching your thirst

By Dennis Thompson Jr.

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MS, MPH

Fizzy drinks are sweet, sparkling and tasty — but don't confuse them with a healthy drink. Doctors have discovered a ton of health risks connected with drinking fizzy drinks. Worse, you're robbing yourself of a healthy drink alternative brimming with needed vitamins and minerals every time you chug down a soft drink.

"If you're choosing fizzy drinks, chances are you aren't choosing a healthy beverage," says Keri M. Gans, a nutrition consultant in New York City and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. There are a number of healthy drink choices you can make instead.

Why Say No to Fizzy drinks?

·                                 Fizzy drinks are truly worthless to your body. "In my opinion, there's really one major reason to not drink fizzy drinks," Gans says. "It has absolutely no nutritional value. Fizzy drinks are filled with sugar and calories and nothing else." Even diet fizzy drinks — low to no calories and sugar — don’t have any redeeming virtues, nutritionally. Healthy drinks, on the other hand, have vitamins and minerals the body can use. Even plain water can rehydrate your body without adding extra calories to your diet.

·                                 Sugary fizzy drinks contribute to obesity and diabetes. Fizzy drinks are loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, a sweetener that has been linked to obesity. Fizzy drinks consumption also has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes, both due to its sugar content and its effects on the body's hormones And diet fizzy drinks? It may not be any better. At least one study has linked artificial sweeteners, such as those used in diet fizzy drinks, to increased appetite, greater difficulty losing weight, and a harder time maintaining weight loss.

·                                 Fizzy drinks damages your teeth. The sugar in fizzy drinks coats your teeth, combining with bacteria in your mouth to form acid. Both regular and diet fizzy drinks also contain carbolic acid through carbonation. These acids work to weaken tooth enamel, causing cavities and tooth decay.

·                                 Drinking fizzy drinks can weaken your bones. Most fizzy drinks contain phosphorous and caffeine, agents that are believed to contribute to osteoporosis. Experts also worry that people consume fizzy drinks in place of milk or other healthy drinks, depriving the bones of calcium.

·                                 Fizzy drinks can harm your major organs. Research has demonstrated that increased soft drink consumption may be linked to chronic kidney disease, development of metabolic syndrome (a group of symptoms that add up to increased heart risk), and fatty liver, a chronic liver disease.

Healthy Drink Alternatives

Luckily, there are limitless options when choosing a healthy drink over a fizzy drink. Some alternatives include:

·                                 Water. It is the ultimate healthy drink. "It's free in every sense of the word," Gans says. "It has no calories and it comes straight from your tap."

·                                 Fruit juice. Gans urges you not to drink straight fruit juice, which contains a lot of sugar. "Drink some mineral water with a splash of juice for a little flavouring," she says. "Rather than drinking juice, eat a piece of whole fruit. You're also getting the fibre in the fruit."

·                                 Milk. This is another essential healthy drink, particularly for kids. "An 125ml glass of non-fat milk has 80 calories and nine essential nutrients," Gans says. "You get a lot of bang for your buck."

·                                 Tea. Whatever teas you prefer — green, black, herbal — they all have been shown to contain high levels of antioxidants, which are believed to protect the body from damage.

·                                 Powdered drink mixes. They contain no tooth-rotting carbonation, and come in sugar-free varieties. They give your sweet tooth a fix without harming your overall nutrition.

And remember that you can always cut up some fresh fruit and pop a little into a tall glass of water for an extra flavour kick. Choosing healthy drinks over fizzy drinks: Give it a try. Your body will thank you.