It’s common knowledge that drinking soda undermines your figure and health. This fizzy beverage is practically water with added sugars and a few other ingredients, none of which possessing any nutritional value. If you think that the diet varieties are better versions of these sugar-laden drinks, think again. Even those that contain artificial sweeteners can cause your waistline to expand and more. Read on to know 9 reasons why you should ditch sodas altogether.

Fat Buildup Within

Researches have discovered that those who drank non-diet soda on a regular basis ended up with significantly increased fat around the liver and other vital organs. The truth is fat you don’t see can put your health at risk even more. This condition also causes a spike in bad cholesterol levels as well as contributes to insulin resistance that leads to diabetes.

Cancer Due to Colorants

Artificial food colorants that contain 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole may make the fizzy beverage look pretty. However, numerous researches had shown that these chemicals caused cancer in animals.

Just because you are grabbing a can of diet soda doesn’t mean you can save your waistline from expanding. In reality, those who regularly take sugar-free sodas tend to end up with bigger bellies. According to the experts, it could be that artificial sweeteners raise the amount of glucose in the blood, causing the body to store the surplus as belly fat.

Speedy Aging

Phosphates may slow down the spoilage of sodas, but they accelerate the aging process. Other than making you look old, regular consumption of phosphate-laden sodas also causes muscle loss, osteoporosis, and heart and kidney problems.

Cavities and Brain-Related Problems

A chemical called brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is added to sodas, in particular citrus-inspired ones, in order to keep the flavor intact. According to dental experts, too much consumption of sodas with BVO is the reason why a lot of kids these days have cavities. The said chemical is also known to have a negative effect on the brain’s functioning and structure.

Water Pollution

Neither your body nor modern water-treatment plants can process and break down artificial sweeteners found in diet sodas. When they get to rivers, lakes and other bodies of water, it’s not unlikely for them to have a negative impact on aquatic life.

Animal Deaths Due to Plastics

Plastic bottles and parts that end up in the environment can cause death among animals that mistake them for food.

Hormonal Imbalances

A type of resin called bisphenol A (BPA) is used to line the inner side of aluminum cans to prevent reaction with the acidic sodas they contain. Experts say that BPA can cause hormonal imbalances, causing problems ranging from obesity to cancer.

GMO-Induced Side Effects

Most ingredients of sodas come from corns, and majority of today’s corns are genetically modified crops (GMOs). Medical professionals link GMO consumption to a variety of health issues such as infertility, accelerated aging, tumor growths and digestive tract damage.