Dietitians Link 1 Daily Soda Habit to Weight Gain and Type 2 Diabetes

2 articles · Updated · health.yahoo.com · Aug 24

Three registered dietitians said drinking soda every day can trigger repeated blood-sugar spikes, pushing excess sugar into triglycerides and raising risks of weight gain, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Added sugar, caffeine and phosphoric acid drive many of the concerns in regular soda, while experts said the drinks offer little nutritional value beyond hydration and can also worsen sleep, anxiety and dental erosion.
Diet and sugar-free sodas avoid sugar but still raise concerns because artificial sweeteners may intensify cravings, disrupt the gut microbiome and have been linked in some research to cognitive decline and type 2 diabetes.
"Healthy" or functional sodas may contain prebiotics, probiotics or less sugar, but dietitians said evidence is limited, shelf-stable probiotics may not remain effective, and sweeteners can still reinforce a preference for sweetness.
Water, sparkling water, tea, coffee and kombucha were cited as better everyday choices, with experts recommending soda as an occasional drink rather than a daily habit to protect long-term metabolic health.