Just Say No to Soda

Before you pop open a can of soda -- as refreshing as soda might sound -- think twice. While you may already know that both regular and diet drinks have been tied to obesity and high blood pressure; colas to bone loss; and full-sugar sodas to type 2 diabetes, lousy teeth (especially citrus soda), and more, this next finding may come as a surprise. It turns out there's something in regular soda that's particularly bad for women. So, if you're female, listen up.

New research shows that just two cans a day make you more likely to add inches to your waist, get into blood sugar trouble, have soaring triglycerides, and develop heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes -- even if you don't gain a pound. Throw in kidney damage, too. It's also been tied to a soda habit. This isn't the first evidence of these links, but it's the first to spot how vulnerable women are. Why? That's as clear as muddy waters. Maybe it's because women burn fewer calories than guys, replace more healthy foods with useless fizzy stuff, or always eat sweets with soda. Or: something no one's figured out yet.

Wondering what to drink instead? Switch to water (or caffeinated water), seltzer with fruit, hot/iced tea, or coffee, which is giving tea real competition as the world number one health drink. 

By Mehmet C. Oz, MD, and Michael F. Roizen, MD