Nutrient Deficiency
Sodas provide the human body with empty calories that lack any nutrients, and these calories are generally converted into fat. Sodas also rob the body of nutrients by replacing milk, juices and water, and soft drink consumption is thus associated with lower intake of numerous vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Participants in a study of school children, who had high soft drink consumption, consumed less milk and fruit juice compared with those whose soft drink intake was low.

Osteoporosis
Studies have indicated that intake of cola is associated with low bone marrow density in women. Another study concluded that high consumption of carbonated beverages and the declining consumption of milk are of great public health significance for girls and women because of their proneness to osteoporosis in later life. The phosphate content of some sodas is high, and this leads to high phosphate and low calcium levels in the blood. When phosphate levels are high and calcium levels low, calcium is pulled out of the bones.

Obesity
Soft drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the diet and exceed the recommended total sugar consumption, and a 330 ml can a day of soda translates to more than 1lb of weight gain every month. A study of children concluded that regular soft drink consumption might put some young children at a greater risk for obesity. Another study at Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, indicates that a greater consumption of soft drinks is associated with weight gain and obesity. Obesity also contributes to other health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, back pain, etc.

Diabetes
Consumption of soft drinks is associated with weight gain and an increased risk for development of type 2 diabetes by providing excessive calories and large amounts of rapidly absorbable sugars.

Kidney Stones
Results in a human study demonstrate increased urinary magnesium, citrate, and oxalate levels after cola consumption, which could contribute to kidney stone formation. Another study proved that consumption of cola causes unfavorable changes in the risk factors associated with calcium oxalate stone formation.

Toxic Artificial Sweeteners
Perhaps the worst ingredients in sodas are the artificial sweeteners aspartame, acesulfame K and Sucralose that are a serious health hazard despite FDA reassurances.

Research has shown that aspartame and/or the components of aspartame may cause brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, headaches, migraines, panic attacks, dizziness, irritability, nausea, intestinal discomfort, skin rash, nervousness, depression and male infertility. For further insight into the dangers of aspartame, watch the movie Sweet Misery.

Acesulfame K contains the carcinogen methylene chloride, which can cause headaches, depression, nausea, mental confusion, liver defects, kidney defects, visual disturbances, and cancer.

Studies on Sucralose in rats have shown shrunken thymus glands, enlarged liver and kidneys, atrophy of lymph follicles in the spleen and thymus, increased cecal weight, reduced growth rate, decreased red blood cell count, hyperplasia of the pelvis, extension of the pregnancy period, aborted pregnancy, decreased fetal body weights and placental weights, and diarrhea.

The latest research on diet sodas suggest that they do not assist in weight loss, they in fact contribute to weight gain by stimulating appetite.

Gout
Findings from a study of adults suggest that sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption is associated with high levels of uric acid, which may significantly increase the risk of gout.

Teeth
Studies have proved that soft drink consumption erodes dental enamel. Results of a study of children’s teeth suggest that consumption of carbonated soft drinks is a risk indicator for dental caries.

Caffeine
Sodas contain caffeine, which in high dosages can cause high blood pressure, dehydration, gastrointestinal disturbance, irritability, restlessness, tension, insomnia, excessive urination, irregular heartbeat, and other side effects.

Acidity
Colas have an acidic pH of 2.5, the pH scale ranges from 0 to 14 for most liquids, with 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. A recent study conducted at the University of California in San Francisco on 9,000 women showed that those who have chronic acidosis are at greater risk for bone loss than those who have normal pH levels. Mild acidosis can lead to heartburn, fatigue, immune deficiency, gout, and candida, and cancerous cells thrive in an acidic environment.