Overview Soft drink consumption has increased substantially over the last 50 years and it has been established that using large amounts of soft drinks regularly can be detrimental to your health. If used in moderation soft drinks can have some beneficial effects on your body.
In my mind, the most profound advantage of soft drinks would be taste. I mean, sugar water tastes good. Most soft drinks have a very good taste to them. Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, Mountain Dew, heck, even Limca tastes really good. If one wanted to stretch it to find another advantage, it would be that soft drinks convey a certain image. In order to accept this, one would have to accept the advertising premise that goes along with soft drinks. I mean, when celebrities such as Hillary Duff or Aishwarya Rai, or members of sports teams endorse a product, there is a certain connection that consumers can make with it. On the flip side would be the health risks. Studies have shown that adverse effects to the brain and other parts of the body are linked with consistent and unhealthy consumption of soft drinks. The advertising does not let one on to this. Additionally, excessive soft drink consumption has been linked to bone weakening and childhood obesity. The influx of sugar found in soft drinks can carry negative side effects for the body. If consumed in large quantities, I would say that there is a financial cost to such intake as well, as soft drink bills can pile up over time.
One-half of the U.S. population consumes sugar drinks on any given day, and 25% consumes at least 200 kcal (more than one 12-oz can of cola).
Sugar-drink consumption differs by sex, age, race and ethnicity, and income. For example, males consume more than females, and teenagers and young adults consume more than other age groups. Among adults, non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American persons consume more than non-Hispanic white persons, and low-income individuals consume more sugar drinks in relation to their total diet than higher-income individuals.
More than one-half of sugar drinks are consumed in the home. Most sugar drinks consumed away from home are obtained from stores, but more than one-third are obtained in restaurants or fast-food establishments.