I know, it’s nothing you haven’t heard before!

Soda is possibly the worst drink a person could ingest, and yet people still drink it.

And, why wouldn’t they? It tastes delicious.

But, while an ice cold Coke may seem like the perfect source of refreshment on a hot day, it is absolutely the worst possible choice you could make when deciding what to drink.

A lot of people don’t take into account just how much sugar is in soda.

Just one single can contains 10 teaspoons of sugar in liquid form.

When ingested, your blood sugar rises and it causes an insulin reaction in your body.

Not only does this lead to weight gain and a slew of other health problems, but it can lead to diabetes and insulin resistance.

Soda also contains phosphoric acid and artificial sweeteners.

While many people are not familiar with phosphoric acid, it is dangerous because it interferes with your body’s ability to absorb calcium.

This often leads to cavities and bone softening.

The artificial sweeteners in soda are often in the form of aspartame, which is a harmful chemical used as a substitute for sugar.

Aspartame has been linked to almost 100 different health problems, which include seizures, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, diabetes and emotional disorders.

Aspartame can be converted to methanol at warm temperatures and increases the risks of metabolic syndrome, which causes belly fat.

A fact that surprised me about soda that I recently just learned is that even the water used in soda is dangerous.

The water in soda is just simple tap water, but it can contain harmful chemicals such as chlorine, fluoride and traces of heavy metals, according to Wellness.com.

There is absolutely no nutritional value in soda at all.

It’s a completely unnatural substance that is harmful to the body and leaves lasting effects, such as dehydration.

Soda dehydrates the body because of its high content of sugar, sodium and caffeine.

All listed are substances that are known to lead to chronic dehydration.

As always, there are healthy alternatives to everything, including soda.

While you may think that choosing a juice or iced tea product is healthier, it isn’t!

Many juice products and iced tea products contain the same amount, if not more, sugar.

A good choice in a refreshing drink is always going to be iced cold water, but there are some fun ways to flavor it, such as diffusing it with fruit.

I recently bought a water bottle diffuser, and I absolutely love it.

Not to mention the health benefits of drinking water with lemon, cucumbers or strawberries in it.

The best part about water is that you can get creative with it by adding fresh fruit, adding a Crystal Light pack to it, or adding your own flavors with Mio Liquid.

However you do it and whatever you choose, there will always be better options out there than soda–options that will make you feel energized, awake and prevent chronic illness.

Maria Baldwin is a sophomore mass communications and public relations major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or mjbaldwin@eiu.edu.