Sugary Drinks: What Are They and Why Should You Care?

Sugary drinks — also known as sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) or soft drinks — are any beverages that contain added sugars or sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar (sucrose), fruit juice concentrates, honey, or syrups. These include familiar favorites like soda, pop, cola, tonic water, fruit punch, lemonade and other “ades,” sweetened iced teas, flavored powdered drink mixes, and even some sports and energy drinks.

🥤 From vibrant cans of cola to fruity bottled punches, sugary drinks are everywhere — convenient, cheap, and heavily marketed. But beneath their fizzy appeal lies a less refreshing truth: these beverages are the largest single source of added sugars and empty calories in the average U.S. diet.

And it’s not just a Western issue. In many parts of the world, particularly in rapidly urbanizing developing countries, sugary drink consumption is rising at an alarming pace — driven by global advertising campaigns, modernized food supply chains, and shifting lifestyles. These trends are contributing to a growing public health concern that spans continents and generations.

🍬 How Sweet Is Your Drink, Really?

Save

Let’s put sugar into perspective:
👉 One teaspoon of sugar = 4.2 grams.

Now picture this: scooping 7 to 10 teaspoons of sugar into a single 12-ounce (355 ml) glass of water. Sounds excessive, right? Yet that’s exactly how much added sugar is packed into the average can of soda. 😳

This simple visualization trick can be eye-opening — especially when you realize how easy it is to drink that much sugar without even noticing.

To help you see what’s really in your favorite beverages, we’ve created a handy guide showing the sugar and calorie content of some of the most popular drinks. Spoiler: it’s more than you might think.

⚠️ Energy Drinks: A Triple Threat

While energy drinks may seem like a “boost,” they often contain as much added sugar as soda, high doses of caffeine, and questionable additives — some of which haven’t been studied well enough to know their long-term health effects. Unless you’re running a marathon (and even then, we’d recommend water), it’s best to skip them.

🏃‍♂️ Sports Drinks: Not for Everyone

Originally developed for athletes engaged in intense, hour-long+ training, sports drinks are loaded with sugar and electrolytes. But for the average person sipping one after a casual walk? It’s just extra calories your body didn’t ask for.

🍊 What About 100% Fruit Juice?

Fruit juice does offer some nutritional perks — like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. But don’t let the “natural” label fool you. A glass of 100% orange juice can have as much sugar as a soda, even if the source is fruit. For most people, it’s better to eat whole fruit and limit juice to a small glass once in a while.

🚫 Sugary Drinks and Your Health: What’s the Real Cost?

Save

When it comes to ranking beverages for your health, sugary drinks land firmly at the bottom of the list. Why? Because they’re packed with calories — yet offer virtually zero nutrients. No fiber, no protein, no healthy fats — just liquid sugar.

🍩 Liquid Calories = Empty Calories

Unlike solid food, sugary drinks don’t make you feel full. Research shows that people don’t compensate for the calories they drink by eating less later — which can lead to excess calorie intake without even realizing it. A single 12-ounce can of soda or fruit punch delivers about 150 calories, almost entirely from added sugar.

Let’s do the math:
👉 One sugary drink a day × 365 days = over 54,000 calories a year
That’s enough to add up to 5 pounds of weight annually — and that’s without adjusting your food intake at all.

🩺 The Health Risks Go Beyond Weight Gain

Regularly drinking sugar-sweetened beverages has been strongly linked to a higher risk of:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Tooth decay
• Gout
• And even premature death

Multiple large-scale studies have shown that those who consume the most sugary drinks have significantly higher chances of developing chronic diseases — regardless of their weight.

⚖️ Sugary Drinks, Body Weight, and Obesity: What the Science Says

Save

The link between sugary drinks and weight gain is one of the most consistent findings in nutrition research. Simply put: the more sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) you drink, the more likely you are to gain weight over time — and develop obesity-related health problems.

🧃 Why Don’t Liquid Calories Fill You Up?

Unlike solid foods, sugary beverages don’t trigger the body’s natural fullness response. That means:

• You don’t feel as full after a high-calorie drink as you would after eating the same number of calories from solid food.
• You’re less likely to adjust your later meals to account for those extra calories.
• Sweet-tasting drinks (even those with zero calories) may stimulate cravings for other high-carb or sugary foods.
• Many people treat soda like a beverage, not a dessert — so they may consume it mindlessly, unlike a cookie or piece of cake.

💡 Even though one can of soda might contain more sugar than a slice of cake, we tend to sip soda without guilt — and without compensation.

📚 What the Research Shows

Dozens of studies consistently show that the more sugary drinks people consume, the higher their total calorie intake — and the greater their weight gain. Here are some key findings:

• 🔍 Meta-analysis of 88 studies found a strong connection between sugary drink intake and weight gain — with stronger effects in women.
• 👧 Children & teens: Replacing sugary drinks with non-caloric ones reduced weight gain and body fat in normal-weight kids (641 children, 18-month trial).
• 🧒 One study found that each additional 12-ounce soda per day increased the odds of childhood obesity by 60%.
• 🧔 Over 20 years, people who added just one soda per day gained an extra pound every 4 years, on average.

🧬 What About Genetics?

A groundbreaking study of over 33,000 people found that those with a genetic predisposition to obesity were more likely to be obese if they regularly drank sugary drinks. Those who avoided them reduced their genetic risk from turning into reality.

🩸 Sugary Drinks and Type 2 Diabetes: A Clear and Growing Risk

Save

Sugary drinks don’t just contribute to weight gain—they significantly increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Strong evidence from multiple large-scale studies shows that consuming even one to two sugar-sweetened beverages per day can increase diabetes risk by 26% compared to people who rarely drink them. The risk is especially high among young adults and Asian populations.

🔍 What the Research Shows

• The Nurses’ Health Study, which followed over 90,000 women for eight years, found that those who consumed one or more sugary drinks per day were twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to those who had them less than once a month.
• The Black Women’s Health Study, an ongoing study of nearly 60,000 African-American women, confirmed this pattern: higher sugary drink intake was linked with increased diabetes risk, largely due to associated weight gain.
• In the Framingham Heart Study, participants who consumed at least one sugary drink daily were:
  • 25% more likely to experience difficulty managing blood sugar.
  • 50% more likely to develop metabolic syndrome—a cluster of conditions that raise diabetes risk.

📊 Sugary Drinks and Diabetes Risk Over Time

A 2019 study pooled over 192,000 men and women from three large U.S. cohorts and tracked them for up to 26 years. The findings were striking:

• An increase in total sugary beverage intake of more than 4 ounces per day over four years was linked to a 16% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next four years.

💡 What About “Diet” or Artificially Sweetened Drinks?

• Drinking more artificially sweetened beverages (more than 4 ounces/day) was associated with an 18% increased diabetes risk—though researchers caution this may be due to other factors (e.g., people already at risk switching to diet drinks).
• Replacing one daily sugary drink with water, coffee, or tea was linked to a 2–10% lower risk of developing diabetes.

❤️ Sugary Drinks and Heart Disease: A Risk That Goes Beyond Weight

Save

Sugary beverages do more than just add empty calories—they also take a toll on heart health. Research shows a clear link between high intake of sugary drinks and an increased risk of heart attacks and heart disease, even in people who maintain a healthy weight or diet.

📊 What the Research Says

• A landmark 20-year study of 40,000 men found that those who drank one can of a sugary drink daily had a 20% higher risk of having or dying from a heart attack compared to those who rarely consumed such drinks.
• The Nurses’ Health Study, tracking nearly 90,000 women for two decades, revealed that women who consumed two or more servings of sugary beverages daily had a 40% higher risk of heart disease or heart-related death compared to infrequent drinkers.

🧠 Why the Risk Persists—even with a “Healthy” Diet

Even after adjusting for factors like overall diet quality, total calories, and body weight, the risk associated with sugary drinks remained. This means that weight gain alone doesn’t fully explain the connection.

Researchers suggest that sugary drinks contribute directly to heart disease through several mechanisms:

• High levels of fructose (from sugar or high-fructose corn syrup) may have harmful metabolic effects.
• These beverages cause a high glycemic load, which can:
  • Spike blood sugar and insulin levels.
  • Disrupt healthy cholesterol balance.
  • Increase inflammation in the body—all of which are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

✅ Bottom Line

Drinking sugary beverages daily can raise your risk of heart attack and heart disease, regardless of your weight or overall diet. To protect your heart, swap sodas and sugary drinks for water, unsweetened tea, or other low-sugar alternatives.

🦴 Sugary Drinks and Bone Health: A Risk for Growing Bodies

Save

Soda and other sugary soft drinks may do more than harm your waistline—they could also weaken your bones, especially during critical stages of growth.

🧪 Why Soda Poses a Risk to Bone Health

• High in Phosphates: Soft drinks often contain phosphoric acid, which increases the body’s phosphate levels.
• Poor Calcium Balance: When phosphate intake is high and calcium intake is low, this imbalance may lead to bone mineral loss.

This is especially concerning during childhood and adolescence, when bones are still developing. Consuming sodas instead of milk or other calcium-rich beverages during these formative years may compromise peak bone mass, increasing the risk of osteoporosis later in life.

🥛 Milk vs. Soda: A Nutritional Tug-of-War

• Soft drinks are devoid of calcium, vitamin D, or bone-supporting nutrients.
• Milk, on the other hand, is rich in:
  • Calcium
  • Vitamin D
  • Protein
  • Vitamin B6 and B12
  • Other essential micronutrients

Numerous studies show an inverse relationship between soda and milk intake:
As soda consumption increases, milk consumption tends to decrease, especially in children and teens.

🚫 The Takeaway

Regular soda consumption can displace more nutritious beverages, leading to long-term consequences for bone health. This is particularly alarming for younger age groups who need adequate nutrients to build strong bones. Choosing milk, fortified plant-based alternatives, or water is a better investment in lifelong skeletal strength.

🧪 Sugary Drinks and Liver Cancer: A Concerning Link

Save

Emerging research suggests that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) may contribute to a significantly higher risk of liver cancer, especially in older women.

📊 Key Findings

A large study from the Women’s Health Initiative followed 98,786 postmenopausal women (ages 50 to 79) for nearly 20 years. Researchers found:

• Women who drank 1 or more servings of SSBs daily had an
  85% higher risk of developing liver cancer
  compared to those who consumed 3 or fewer servings per month.
• SSBs included:
  • Regular soda
  • Fruit drinks (excluding 100% fruit juice)
• Interestingly, artificially sweetened beverages (such as diet sodas) did not show a similar association with liver cancer in this study.

🧬 What Could Explain the Link?

Though more research is needed to determine cause and effect, some potential explanations include:

• Excess sugar intake can contribute to obesity, insulin resistance, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)—all of which are known risk factors for liver cancer.
• SSBs may promote chronic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction, which can damage liver cells over time.

📉 Bottom Line

This study adds to growing evidence that limiting sugary drinks is important not just for weight and metabolic health, but potentially for cancer prevention as well. Opting for water, unsweetened tea, or coffee may be a better choice to protect your liver.

⚠️ Sugary Drinks and Early Death: A Growing Concern

Save

Large-scale, long-term studies have made one thing increasingly clear: the more sugary drinks people consume, the greater their risk of dying prematurely—especially from cardiovascular disease and, to a lesser extent, cancer and chronic liver conditions.

📊 Key Findings

A U.S.-based study of over 118,000 adults (37,716 men and 80,647 women) found a clear dose-response relationship between sugary drink intake and premature death:

• Compared to those who drank sugary beverages less than once a month:
  • 1–4/month: 1% increased risk of early death
  • 2–6/week: 6% increased risk
  • 1–2/day: 14% increased risk
  • 2+/day: 21% increased risk
• The greatest risk was for cardiovascular death:
  • Drinking 2+ sugary beverages daily was associated with a 31% higher risk of dying from heart disease.
  • Each additional sugary drink raised the risk of heart-related death by 10%.
• A modest increase in early death from cancer was also observed.
• The link between sugary drinks and mortality was stronger among women.

🍭 Sugar and the Liver

Another large study from the Women’s Health Initiative tracked 98,786 postmenopausal women over 20 years and found:

• Those drinking 1+ sugary drinks per day had a:
  • 68% increased risk of death from chronic liver diseases like:
    • Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
    • Cirrhosis
    • Chronic hepatitis
    • Liver fibrosis
• Artificially sweetened beverages did not show an increased risk of liver-related mortality in this study.

💡 What About Diet Drinks?

• Substituting one sugary drink per day with an artificially sweetened beverage was linked with a lower risk of premature death.
• However, excessive consumption (4+ diet drinks per day) was associated with higher mortality in women, highlighting the need for moderation even with low- or no-calorie alternatives.

👥 In People with Type 2 Diabetes

A separate 18-year study of adults with type 2 diabetes found:

• Sugary drinks were linked with:
  • Increased risk of early death
  • Higher incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD)
• Replacing sugary drinks with artificially sweetened beverages lowered CVD risk and mortality—even after accounting for weight changes.

🧾 Takeaway

The evidence is strong: regular consumption of sugary drinks increases the risk of dying early, especially from heart disease and liver complications. Replacing sugary drinks with water, unsweetened tea, or moderate use of diet beverages may significantly reduce these risks and improve long-term health.

🥤 Sugary Drink Supersizing and the Obesity Epidemic

Save

There is strong scientific consensus that reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption can lower the rates of obesity and related diseases. Yet, for millions of people globally, sugary drinks remain a daily habit—fueling the global obesity crisis.

📈 Bigger Bottles, Bigger Problems

Portion sizes for sugary drinks have ballooned over the past 40+ years, driving up calorie intake across all age groups:

• Pre-1950s: Standard soda bottles held just 6.5 ounces.
• 1950s: Introduction of the 12-ounce can, which became standard by the 1960s.
• Early 1990s: 20-ounce plastic bottles became the new norm.
• Today: Single-serve bottles now exceed 1 liter in some cases.

This supersizing has normalized overconsumption, especially among children and teens.

🍬 Sugary Drinks and Calorie Intake Over Time

• In the 1970s, sugary drinks accounted for just 4% of total daily calories in the U.S.
• By 2001, that figure had more than doubled to 9%.
• From 1999 to 2004, U.S. children and youth averaged 224 calories/day from sugary drinks—nearly 11% of their daily intake.
• Between 1989 and 2008, sugary drink calories for children ages 6–11 rose by 60%, from 130 to 209 calories/day, and 91% of kids were consuming them.
• In 2005, sugary beverages (soda, energy, and sports drinks) became the top source of calories in U.S. teens’ diets, surpassing even pizza.

📉 Recent Trends — Progress, But Not Enough

While sugary drink consumption in the U.S. has declined modestly in recent years, consumption levels remain concerning:

• 50% of Americans consume sugary drinks on any given day.
• 1 in 4 get 200+ calories/day from them.
• 5% of the population consumes more than 567 calories/day—equal to four cans of soda.

This far exceeds the recommended limit of <10% of daily calories from added sugars.

🌍 A Global Challenge

In developing countries, SSB consumption is rapidly increasing due to:

• Urbanization
• Aggressive beverage marketing
• Rising disposable income

Without intervention, this trend may replicate the obesity and chronic disease burden already seen in wealthier nations.

✅ Takeaway

Portion creep, marketing, and accessibility have made oversized sugary drinks a dangerous norm—especially for kids. Reversing this trend is crucial to curbing the obesity epidemic. Reducing portion sizes, raising awareness, and replacing sugary beverages with water or unsweetened alternatives can make a measurable difference in both individual health and public health outcomes.

📢 The Role of Sugary Drink Marketing: Selling Sugar to Kids?

Save

Beverage companies spend billions each year promoting sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), while often denying responsibility for their role in the global obesity crisis. These marketing efforts are strategically designed to influence not just consumer behavior—but public perception of health and personal responsibility.

🧃 A PR Spin on Obesity?

In 2013, Coca-Cola launched an “anti-obesity” ad campaign acknowledging that sugary drinks contribute to rising obesity rates. The campaign promoted the company’s calorie-free alternatives and emphasized personal responsibility in food and drink choices.

However, many public health experts found the ad misleading—downplaying the health risks of sugary beverages while positioning the brand as part of the solution rather than the problem.

🧪 Conflict of Interest in Research

Studies have shown a consistent industry bias in research outcomes:

Research funded by the beverage industry is 4 to 8 times more likely to report findings favorable to sugary drinks than independently funded studies.

This skews public understanding and can delay policy changes aimed at curbing sugar consumption.

👶 Targeting Children and Teens

Sugary drink marketing is disproportionately aimed at kids and adolescents, shaping habits that can last a lifetime.

A 2019 report by the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity found:

• Children aged 2–11 saw twice as many sugary drink ads as ads for healthier beverages.
• Kids also saw 4x more ads for sugary drinks than adults did.

Researchers analyzed nearly 70 drinks marketed to children and parents and found:

• Sweetened beverages made up 62% of kids’ drink sales in 2018
  • $1.2 billion came from fruit drinks (90% of sweetened kids’ drinks)
  • $146 million from flavored, sweetened waters

These products are often branded as “fun,” “refreshing,” or “healthy”, despite delivering little more than added sugars.

⚠️ The Bottom Line

While sugary drink companies may claim to support healthier lifestyles, their marketing strategies often tell a different story—one that normalizes sugar consumption, especially in children.

Reducing exposure to deceptive marketing, especially among kids, is essential to protecting long-term public health.

🥤 What About “Diet” Sodas and Low-Calorie Sweeteners?

Save

Low-calorie sweeteners (LCS)—also called non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners—are substances that provide the sweet taste of sugar without the calories. Common examples include:

• Aspartame
• Sucralose
• Acesulfame potassium
• Stevia extracts (steviol glycosides)
• Monk fruit extract

You’ll often find these sweeteners in beverages labeled “diet,” “light,” or “sugar-free.”

🤔 Are They Healthy?

The long-term health effects of LCS are still not fully understood, and research has shown mixed and often conflicting results.

In 2018, a scientific advisory from the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Diabetes Association (ADA) concluded:

• There is insufficient evidence to determine whether LCS use reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, or weight gain in the long term.
• However, for people who regularly consume large amounts of sugary drinks, replacing them with LCS beverages may be a useful short-term strategy to reduce overall sugar intake.

⚖️ A Tool, Not a Solution

While “diet” sodas may help reduce sugar intake, they should be viewed as a transition tool, not a healthy end goal. Ideally, individuals should gradually shift from LCS drinks to unsweetened beverages like:

• Water
• Unsweetened tea
• Infused water with fruits or herbs
• Sparkling water with a splash of citrus

🚨 What the Research Says (So Far)

• Weight control: Some studies suggest diet drinks may help with calorie reduction, while others link them to weight gain—possibly due to compensatory eating or changes in appetite regulation.
• Gut microbiome: Early research indicates that some LCS may disrupt gut bacteria, though findings are still emerging.
• Cravings: There is concern that intense sweeteners may maintain or heighten cravings for sweet foods, making healthy eating harder.

📝 Bottom Line

Diet drinks are better than sugary drinks—but not as good as no sweetened drinks at all.

If you’re trying to reduce sugar intake, LCS beverages may offer a helpful stepping stone, but aim to transition toward naturally unsweetened drinks for long-term health.

🌍 Beyond the Individual: A Collective Approach to Reducing Sugary Drink Consumption

Save

The rising consumption of sugary drinks isn’t just a matter of personal choice—it’s a public health issue with far-reaching implications. Addressing it requires a multi-level effort from individuals, families, communities, industries, and governments.

🚫 Changing Preferences and Norms

Curbing the world’s sweet tooth won’t happen overnight. Reducing our collective preference for overly sweet beverages will require:

• Innovative reformulations from the beverage industry to offer less sweet or unsweetened alternatives.
• Marketing shifts that focus on health-promoting drinks over sugar-laden sodas and energy drinks.
• Public education that helps consumers better understand what they’re drinking and why it matters.

🏫 Local Action: Families, Schools, and Workplaces

The environments we live, learn, and work in have a huge influence on our drink choices. Positive steps include:

• Parents modeling healthy drink habits at home.
• Schools offering water and milk instead of soda in vending machines and cafeterias.
• Employers providing healthier beverage options in break rooms and at events.

🏛️ Policy Solutions with Global Impact

At the policy level, governments can play a key role in reducing sugary drink consumption through:

• Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, which have already shown success in reducing purchases in cities and countries like Berkeley (U.S.), Mexico, and the UK.
• Warning labels on packaging to inform consumers of health risks.
• Restrictions on marketing sugary drinks to children.
• Subsidies or incentives for healthier beverage options like water, unsweetened teas, or milk.

✅ A Shared Responsibility

Ultimately, fighting the health consequences of sugary drinks is a shared responsibility. We must work together to:

• Shift cultural norms
• Prioritize public health over profits
• Reduce the burden of preventable diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease

The good news? Change is happening. Public awareness is growing, and sugary drinks are increasingly the focus of national and global health conversations. Whether you’re an individual cutting back or a policymaker shaping environments, every action counts.