Like most other American kids growing up, I used to drink pop, and quite a bit of it. Go play outside and work up a sweat? Get a nice cold sugary drink. Having pizza for dinner? Well you have to drink pop with it right? And, I distinctively remember after high school basketball try outs, during breaks we would all go and drink, you guessed it, pop, this time from one of those soda fountain machines on a cart (similar to below).

Life was good. And then college came, and whenever I would feel like I was dragging or had no energy, Mountain Dew was my go to because, well the commercials all told me they would fix my energy levels.

It was around the same time during my college years when I started having health problems. From migraines and dizziness, to skin issues, I just thought they were a normal part of adolescence. But, over time, the more things I read and researched, the more I thought, why the hell was I drinking pop all of these years?

5 Reasons Why Sugary Drinks Are Bad For Your Health

1. Inflammation: First off, why are sodas so addictive? Because they are full of sugar. Sugar is really similar to a drug in how the brain reacts to it. Also, if you ask a functional medicine doctor, 9 out of 10 will tell you that sugar is also one of the top inflammatory foods that people consume.
2. Leads to diabetes and obesity: According to the CDC, from 1999 through 2020, U.S. obesity prevalence increased from 30.5% to 41.9%. And, more than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), approximately 90-95% being type 2 diabetes.
3. Skin problems: this one resonates with me. Having many bouts of unexplained eczema and hives, along with acne breakouts in my teen years, looking to solve my skin problems was always a goal of mine. Dr Trevor Cates, author of Clean Skin From Within, states that consuming sugar can lead to insulin, which can lead to excess sebum production which can lead to breakouts. Also, the fact that its inflammatory makes things worse because your body’s immune system is fighting extra hard.
4. Neurologic problems like migraines and dizziness: this was another big one for me. Being diagnosed with vestibular migraine, I had to learn to remove triggers that led to a constant feeling of being lightheaded and dizzy. Drinking pop was definitely one. Research has shown multiple caffeinated drinks can make you way more prone to migraines.
5. Teeth issues: Drinking high sugar drinks can lead to cavities and other teeth problems, especially if consumption begins at an early age.

Another obvious one is the cost, last time I checked, these sugary drinks weren’t free. So why are we spending money on toxic products like these? You can refer to my frugal living tips, but this is an easy one. Cut out the unnecessary expense. Your wallet and health will thank you later.

Added Ingredients

If those top reasons listed above weren’t enough, how about added ingredients that we don’t pay attention to? In fountain drinks, we don’t get to see what all is in there. Well, there is research from the Food Babe that shows that Dimethylpolysiloxane is included in fountain drinks. What is this exactly? Commonly known as silly putty, it is often found in many adhesives, sealants, caulks, as well as defoaming agents. Say what?! She goes on to say that it can contain formaldehyde which is one of the most highly toxic substances on earth. Yikes!

And, how about the non-caffeine drinks?. Well think again, many of those are still full of sugar. Ok, what about these drinks that claim to have no sugar?

I recently saw advertisements during the NCAA tournament about Coke Zero, showcasing how its “zero sugar.” It sure does seem nice to see that manufacturers are making an attempt to make healthier products. But, in this case, I’m not sure its healthier, in fact it may be worse. Many of these low or zero sugar products have added sweeteners such as Aspartame that can also have detrimental health effects

So what are the healthy alternatives?

Look, I am not saying you can’t have an occasional pop or soda. But when it is something you consume every day, it becomes a problem. We should not be feeding our kids pop, or crappy “fruit” juices. Let’s start by emphasizing good old water. And ignoring the media advertisements making you think it is normal to have to have a pop because everyone else is. If that is normal, then go be weird.

So what are some healthy alternatives? I like Zevia, some kinds I don’t particularly care for, but I do like the Root Beer, it smells and tastes just like it! Also Spindrift is another popular sparkling water variety with minimal ingredients. These are often sweetened with stevia which is a much better alternative than cane sugar and sucralose and aspartame.