Soda is a super popular beverage—and you can find it everywhere from the grocery store to the gas station. But it’s no secret that this fizzy drink is far from being considered healthy. Diet sodas and newer, better-for-you products have tried to fill this market gap by appeasing Americans’ taste for soda without all the unwanted ingredients (or at least fewer of them). But what happens if you’re a daily soda drinker?
We spoke with three registered dietitians to learn what nutrition (or lack thereof) can be found in different soda varieties and how soda affects your body if you reach for one (or more) daily.
Soda Nutrition
When it comes to conventional soda—even diet versions—there aren’t many redeeming nutritional qualities to speak of.
“While soda technically contributes to fluid intake, it offers very little nutritional benefit. Many varieties contain caffeine, added sugars or sweeteners, and phosphoric acid linked with increasing blood sugars and dental erosion when consumed frequently,” explains Brittany Brown, RD, IBCLC, CDE, registered dietitian based in Nova Scotia, Canada. The caffeine they contain can also actually contribute to dehydration—and potentially jitteriness or trouble sleeping if consumed later in the day.
“The bottom line with the tasty, often refreshing, carbonated beverage is that—outside of a quick energy rush associated with either sugar or caffeine—soda offers no health benefits. The favored and flavored beverage offers empty sugar calories without nutritional value that can lead to weight gain and result in blood sugar spikes for people with diabetes,” adds Annamarie Rodriguez, MS, RDN, LD, DipACLM, FAND, a plant-based dietitian and owner of Nutrition Directions LLC in Sturtevant, Wisconsin.
And while sugar-free or diet sodas might seem like a good alternative, these products pose concerns of their own. Artificial sweeteners often taste sweeter than natural sugar, causing you to crave them even more, Rodriguez explains. Plus, many artificial sweeteners used in these products can disrupt the gut microbiome, resulting in unwelcome tummy troubles for some, as well as links to cognitive decline and type 2 diabetes.
But what about the “healthy” sodas that are all the rage these days? “Some sodas labeled as ‘healthy ‘ sodas contain beneficial ingredients such as pre- and probiotics and have significantly less sugar than traditional sodas,” says Jessica Brantley-Lopez, MBA, RDN, registered dietitian and founder of The Eat Well Studio.
However, there are some concerns with these products, too. “‘Functional’ sodas are gaining popularity, but marketing claims seem to be quickly outpacing the science. Probiotics added to shelf-stable canned beverages may not survive processing and storage conditions in meaningful amounts, and sweeteners—even natural ones like stevia—can encourage a strong preference for sweetness, leaving some people craving more,” adds Brown.
What Happens When You Drink Soda Every Day?
So, what can you expect if sipping on a crisp soda is a nonnegotiable daily ritual?
“Daily soda consumption can lead to repeated spikes in blood glucose, which prompts the body to convert excess sugar into triglycerides, a type of fat in the body, potentially resulting in weight gain,” Brown says. “Research shows that even modest increases in sugary beverage intake are associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while replacing soda with water, tea, or coffee lowers that risk,” she adds.
Rodriguez agrees, adding, “There is a positive link between caffeine and cognitive status, but the negative impacts of soda are many, and caffeine can be found in other nutritious foods. Drinking soda every day can lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, and these risks can be associated with additional chronic conditions such as metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. For people with diabetes, soda intake also interferes with blood sugar management.”
Brantley-Lopez echoes these sentiments, sharing that excess caffeine “could increase anxiety levels and disrupt sleep patterns. But if you choose a healthier soda alternative, you may see an improvement in your gut microbiome, and some healthier options have functional ingredients such as magnesium that can promote relaxation.” And while these could be a good solution for those who absolutely must have a soda of some kind every day, their effectiveness generally warrants further research.
So, while daily soda intake—regardless of whether it’s labeled “healthy” or not—is not something these RDs advise, that doesn’t mean these soft drinks need to be completely off the table. “Soda doesn’t need to be completely off-limits, but thinking of it as an occasional beverage rather than a daily habit helps protect long-term metabolic health,” Brown says.
There are plenty of better-for-you alternatives (not including “healthy” sodas) that you can reach for, too. Rodriguez recommends replacing soda with “high-value beverages that provide a more positive impact on our health, such as water or infused water with herbs or fruit, seltzer or sparkling water, tea, or kombucha.”
