While the debate rages on about whether or not sodas should be banned in schools and major cities, one thing is for certain: each individual can make a personal choice to limit or quit drinking sodas altogether. What about you? Are you ready to kick the colas and discover how to quit drinking soda for good?

Let us give you some incentive! Did you know that if you drank two cans of soda per day, you would gain approximately 1 pound every 2 weeks or about 26 pounds total in one year?[1] If this doesn’t motivate you to surrender your soda habit, we have an additional 7 BIG reasons listed below, and some of these may surprise you.

So, what does soda do to your body? Drinking soda is linked to at least 7 serious diseases

1. Liver disease. Drinking soda causes fat build-up around the organs by as much as 25% and almost doubles the amount of fat around the liver. This type of fat, called ectopic fat, is thought to be more dangerous to metabolic health than subcutaneous fat, the kind that collects under the skin. Ectopic fat induces dysfunction of the organs involved. And, when the liver is surrounded by fat, the risk of liver disease skyrockets.[2]
2. Heart disease. Drinking soda raises LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and blood pressure. Furthermore, the increased consumption of sugar in sodas increases body weight, which in turn, causes the liver to produce even more cholesterol. Even as little as one soda per day increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome by as much as 50% – and that includes diet sodas, too![3] Metabolic syndrome is a condition which includes 3 of 5 criteria: large waistline, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides or low HDL “good” cholesterol levels.
3. Stroke. One study found that drinking one serving of soda was associated with a 10% increase in stroke risk.[4]
4. Diabetes. Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children.[5]
5. Kidney stones and kidney disease. Sodas contain high levels of phosphoric acid and high fructose corn syrup, which have been linked to kidney stones and kidney disease.[6]
6. Pancreatic cancer. Drinking as little as two soft drinks per week nearly doubles to risk of getting pancreatic cancer.[7]
7. Osteoporosis and increased fracture risk. Drinking sodas has an adverse effect on bone mineral density – especially in women – due to the phosphoric acid content.[8]

What about diet soda?

Despite its deceiving label as a “diet” beverage, diet soda is not a healthy alternative to regular soda. In fact, a growing body of research shows drinks with artificial sweeteners (like diet sodas) are associated with increased weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease. Learn more about the diet soda dangers here.

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Quit Drinking Soda and Diet Sodas Successfully

Now that you know how soda drinks negatively impact your health, learn how to quit drinking soda for good here!