The #1 Source of Calories in the American Diet

SODA.  Seriously.

With everything we know about soda’s health implications, it amazes me how many of us are still drinking it with regularity.  But we are.  Soda and other sweetened bottled beverages are the #1 source of calories in the American diet.  Yet they provide absolutely no nutritional value.

Why is soda so bad?

• Just one extra soda per day increases a child’s risk of obesity by 60%
• One soda per day increases your risk of Type 2 diabetes by 25%
• Diabetes causes over 60,000 amputations per year, in addition to loads of other severe health problems
• The acid and sweeteners in soda promote tooth decay

Enjoying the occasional soda as a treat won’t hurt you, but drinking it with regularity is a habit that carries many dangerous health risks.

Trying to lose weight?

Cutting out just one 12 oz soda (or lemonade, fruit drink, Gatorade, coffee drink, etc.) a day would lead you to lose…

• 1 lb every 3 weeks
• 8.5 lbs in 6 months
• 17 lbs in a year

…even if you changed nothing else about your diet or exercise routine!  Small sacrifice for big results.

The video above, The Real Bears, is a collaboration between Jason Mraz and CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) as a way to educate people about the risks of soda consumption.  Please share this video with your friends and family members.