There isn't one single "unhealthiest" soft drink in Australia, but high-sugar options like large Frozen Cokes/Fantas, Mountain Dew, and Bundaberg Ginger Beer, alongside diet drinks with artificial sweeteners, are consistently highlighted as detrimental due to extreme sugar content or potential long-term risks like diabetes and dental decay, with the Rethink Sugary Drink campaign advocating against them.
The 10 Worst Soft Drinks for Your Health
Sprite is caffeine-free, unlike Coke, it still contains a substantial amount of sugar and can lead to dental issues due to its acidity. If choosing between the two, Sprite might be considered slightly less harmful due to the absence of caffeine, but neither is a healthy choice.
Drinks rich in nitric oxide-boosting compounds, such as beetroot juice, green tea, and pomegranate juice, help open blood vessels and enhance circulation. These drinks aid in stimulating blood flow, lowering systolic blood pressure, and reducing the risk of arterial stiffness.
Drink water, tea, or coffee (with little or no sugar). Limit milk/dairy (1-2 servings/day) and juice (1 small glass/day). Avoid sugary drinks. The more veggies — and the greater the variety — the better.
It's no secret – too many soft drinks are far from good for our health, but did you know that drinking even just one soft drink a day could increase your risk of cancer – regardless of the size of your waistline?
What is the Most Sugary Soda? Nitro Pepsi Draft Cola (ranked 1st) is the most sugary soda on our list of 100 popular soft drinks. It has 55 g of sugar per 12-oz serving (110% DV). This is 1.5 times more than the recommended added sugar limit of 40 g per day.
11 Healthy Sodas
Soda: Drop It
Whether your soda is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar (a mix of fructose and glucose), or any other added sugars, these drinks can both cause and worsen fatty liver.
Support your body's natural detoxification with these seven detox drinks.
That's why it's important to drink water every day. Plain tap water is the best choice. It's cheap, quenches your thirst and has no kilojoules. You can also enjoy sparkling water with fruit for some variety, or in place of less healthy drinks (like alcohol or soft drinks).
Avoid sugary drinks whenever possible because not only can they raise blood sugar levels, but they can also contribute many calories to the recommended daily calorie intake.
The lowest sugar sodas include brands like Zevia, No Cap, and Coke Zero Sugar. These options typically list 0 grams of sugar per serving, using nonnutritive sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, or stevia instead of sugar or corn syrup.
Sparkling water made with natural flavors or real fruit juice (like Spindrift) can stand in as a great soda alternative. Pure fruit juice contains almost as much sugar as soda per cup, but these options bottle up plenty of fruity flavor with little to no sugar.
“When comparing soda to alcohol, soda will have way less harmful negative side effects,” says Moskovitz. But while “an occasional soft drink will trump a cocktail anytime,” she adds, neither choice is “nutritious.”
You Might Lose Weight
Soda is packed with empty calories that don't provide any nutritional value. Replacing soda with healthier drinks can help lower your overall calorie intake, contributing to healthier weight management.
If you're looking for healthy drinks besides plain water, try pomegranate, cranberry, and beet juice. You can also make yourself a smoothie for a hydration and nutrition boost.