Does Soda Cause Dehydration? Healthy Stripe (2023)

FAQs

Does soda cause dehydration? ›

A can of soda may seem to quench your thirst, but the caffeine contained in most popular drinks is a diuretic, which can cause dehydration. The high levels of sodium and sugar in soda can also contribute to dehydration.

Yes. Sparkling soft drinks, including reduced and no sugar, no calorie options, contain between 85% and 99% water, which means they can help quench thirst and count towards your recommended daily fluid intake.

Dehydration: While soda may quench your thirst momentarily, it's not a good source of hydration. Soda contains caffeine, which is a diuretic and can cause dehydration if consumed in large amounts. 5. Increased Risk of Heart Disease: Drinking soda every day can increase your risk of heart disease.

Juice and soda are not only less hydrating, but offer extra sugars and calories that won't fill us up as much as solid foods, explained Majumdar. If the choice is between soda and water for hydration, go with water every time.

But while water only has positive benefits for you, soda has nothing for you. Nutrition experts not only recommend limiting your consumption of soda, but most advocate for avoiding it altogether as there are zero health benefits and several negative impacts.

And by lowering your sugar and calorie intake, you lower your risk for weight gain and other metabolic issues like high blood pressure — metabolic changes that can make it harder to burn fat and lose weight.

“We regularly read that we should drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Do other drinks count toward that total if they contain water, like soft drinks, iced tea, coffee and fruit juices?” The answer is yes, all beverages add to your daily fluid intake.

Research shows that milk is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks. Researchers credit milk's natural electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein for its effectiveness.

The Best Choice for Dehydration: DripDrop

And, if you absolutely must have carbonation, opt for carbonated water like sparkling water or seltzer instead of a fizzy soda. You can add an electrolyte powder like DripDrop to the sparkling water and seltzer for a tasty treat that also tackles dehydration fast.

What beverages count as water intake? ›

In addition, beverages such as milk, juice and herbal teas are composed mostly of water. Even caffeinated drinks — such as coffee and soda — can contribute to your daily water intake.

Drinking soda every day can cause a lot of damage to your health because it contains so much sugar. Excessive intake can cause chronic health issues, from obesity to diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart diseases. Even drinking diet soda or other sugary juices every day has negative side effects.

With beginning symptoms of dehydration, you can rehydrate by consuming fluids that contain electrolytes, such as sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions. There are also foods available that have a high water content, such as fruits and vegetables. These will also help with rehydration.

Although drinking an occasional soda does not necessarily cause health risks, consuming one to two sodas a day can eventually pose some health problems.

While drinking soda is not known to cause ulcers, it can cause symptoms to flare up. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 450 calories from sugar sweetened beverages per week (the amount in three cans of cola).

Soda is not good for a person's health because it contains lots of sugar. Consuming too much soda may lead to weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , most people in America consume too many added sugars, which can lead to health problems.

Withdrawal symptoms include irritability, fatigue, headaches, and even feelings of depression ( 21 , 22 ). Usually, these withdrawal symptoms are due to quitting caffeine, and they typically last anywhere from 2–9 days ( 21 ).

If you drink sugary soda regularly, you can lose body fat by kicking the habit -- provided you're maintaining a steady weight on your current diet and you don't pick up the lost calories through additional foods and beverages.

Although it sounds strange, a water fast could make you dehydrated. This is because roughly 20–30% of your daily water intake comes from the foods you eat. If you're drinking the same amount of water but not eating foods, you might not be getting enough water.

How can I hydrate without water? ›

Water has the essential nutrients that are required for a healthy body and no other drink can replace them. Water flushes out harmful substances from the body, making your internal system clean.

Gatorade, because of its electrolyte content, helps to restore the lost electrolytes and keep a person hydrated, during intense activity. It can also replace electrolytes, during times of illness, such as stomach viruses.

Fruits and vegetables can help with hydration [a banana is 74% water!] and provide healthful nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. So for elite athletes – or those just trying to stay fit – a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, including bananas, is important for performing at your best!

Sugary drinks are the easiest and most common way to consume excessive amounts of fructose. When you consume too much, your liver becomes overloaded and turns the fructose into fat ( 12 ). Some of the fat gets shipped out as blood triglycerides, while part of it remains in your liver.

Sodas. According to the American Kidney Fund, a recent study suggests that drinking two or more carbonated sodas, diet or regular, each day may increase your risk for chronic kidney disease. Carbonated and energy drinks have both been linked to the formation of kidney stones.

In fact, a standard can (330 ml) of cola contains as much as 7 teaspoons of sugar! So in weighty matters (both literally and metaphorically), alcohol emerges as a clear winner. There's not much to choose between alcohol and soft drinks when it comes to nutritional benefits. Neither drink has any dietary value.

What happens when you start drinking enough water? ›

You'll feel less hungry and may even lose weight. You'll probably experience more comfortable digestion (less heartburn). Bowel movements might be easier and more regular. Your teeth and gums will be healthier and more resilient.

Here's how much water to drink daily.

The longstanding rumor is that humans need about 8 cups — or 64 fluid ounces — of water a day. But actually, as a general rule, Mayo Clinic shares that men should consume about 15.5 cups of fluids per day. For women, that number is 11.5 cups.

Drinking water before or during a meal or snack is another good way to hydrate. “Drinking water with amino acids or fats or vitamins or minerals helps the body take up more of the water, which is why beverages like milk and fruit juice tend to look pretty good in these hydration studies,” he says.

Limit yourself to no more than one or two cans (a maximum of 24 ounces) of soda a day, and make sure they don't replace more nutritious foods and beverages in your diet. As long as soft drinks are not your main source of fluids and you're otherwise following a well-balanced, healthy diet, a daily fix of fizz is OK.

Tea (or Iced Tea)

You won't be surprised to learn that hot tea and iced tea are excellent hydrators—tea is a water-based beverage after all! Even caffeinated teas can still be hydrating.

1. Watermelon. Watermelon is very healthy and one of the most hydrating foods you can eat. A 1-cup (154-gram) serving contains over a half cup (118 ml) of water, in addition to some fiber and several important nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin A and magnesium.

In general, however, it usually takes about two hours for your body to rehydrate fully after drinking a significant amount of water. As for how you should rehydrate, water is the best choice. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, can be helpful for athletes who need to replenish electrolytes.

It hydrates you

This myth comes from a study funded by Gatorade that found people who drank their product were better hydrated than if they drank water—but only because they drank more fluids. If you drank the same volume of water versus Gatorade, you'd be equally hydrated.

What is an instant at home remedy for dehydration? ›

To treat dehydration at home, drink more fluids and either apply a cold compress to your face or take an ice bath to cool down.

If you can't get a pre-mixed rehydration solution, don't try to make one yourself. Instead, replace lost fluids naturally with sips of water, fruit juice, crushed fruit mixed with water, or salty soups or broths.

Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: You don't drink enough because you're sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you're traveling, hiking or camping. Other dehydration causes include: Diarrhea, vomiting.

But can sparkling water actually replace regular water? Nathalie Sessions, wellness dietitian at Houston Methodist Wellness Services says, “Yes, sparkling water is just as healthy as regular water — most of the time.”

Soda And Your Body

After the sugar high wears off, mental fogginess, lethargy, fatigue, and mood changes can follow. Drinking too much soda can increase your risk of lung issues, coronary heart disease, kidney stones and kidney disease, osteoporosis, and problems with cognitive function.

Andrews University in Scotland and author of a recent study comparing the hydrating effects of beverages including still water, sparkling water, milk, colas, juice and coffee. “The presence of carbonation has little effect on the body's response to ingested water,” Maughan said.

Although drinking an occasional soda does not necessarily cause health risks, consuming one to two sodas a day can eventually pose some health problems.

Though drinking a can or two a day should generally be okay, Dr. Ghouri warns against making sparkling water an outwardly excessive habit — or completely foregoing flat water for fizzy water exclusively.

Club soda is similar to sparkling water because it also has some minerals. However, the biggest difference between the two is that manufacturers add carbonation and minerals after the fact. They don't occur naturally in club soda like they do in sparkling water.

The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.

How bad is 1 soda a day? ›

Studies show that even one can of soda can impact your health. Soda doesn't make you feel full, which means you consume extra calories with no nutritional value. Even one can of soda a day can potentially result in metabolic syndrome, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Even that amount — even if it is a diet soda — can hurt your health. An American Diabetes Association study reported that consuming one or more sodas per day compared to none at all increased the risk of metabolic syndrome by 36% and type 2 diabetes by 67%.