Soda with Breakfast on the Rise

The hiss and pop of the soda can in the morning is the new grind and drip for many Americans. And why not? Popping open a can of soda in the morning is an easy, convenient and fast way to get that morning jolt of fizz and caffeine.

According to the NPD Group, a consumer research firm based in New York, the number of Americans choosing soda over coffee to wash down breakfast has close to doubled since the 1970's, while ordering a cup of joe at the local diner or coffee shop has decreased by 25 percent.

Although these findings are only concerned with soda consumed with meals outside of the home, soda consumed at home with breakfast has also increased in the past 15 years. Only 0.5 percent of the people who ate breakfast at home in 1985 had soda with their breakfast, that number jumped to 2.4 percent in 2006.

While there is on average 40 milligrams less caffeine in a soft drink compared to that of a small cup of coffee, it is not just the caffeine that makes soda more appealing to consumers, but also the taste, convenience and refreshing aspects of it. This is especially true for consumers between the ages of 18 and 25 years old. Once out of the house and on their own, young adults are some of the biggest consumers of soda, choosing it as a cheaper and tastier alternative to coffee.

There are many theories out there as to why soft drinks are becoming increasingly more popular as the breakfast drink of choice. The most obvious is that soda companies have been aggressively targeting younger consumers, portraying their products as a social, accepted and hip way to get caffeinated, making old standby morning drinks such as juice and coffee seem boring and un-cool.

In an age where convenience and instant satisfaction is priority, soda fulfills the average American’s need for a quick fix. Soda is also sweet, fizzy, refreshing and appeals to a larger population including children and young adults, while coffee is bitter and a more acquired taste, appealing mainly to adult taste buds. Plus soda is ready to open and drink with no mess or fuss required. Coffee on the other hand is laborious, expensive and not as easily transportable.

While the early morning soda drinking trend has increased, so has adult and child obesity in the United States. On average an 8 fluid ounce of soda has 100 calories, 27 grams of sugar and 37 milligrams of caffeine. But who realistically drinks just 8 ounces of soda? Because of its refreshing taste and sugary bite, most people have at least 12 to 16 ounces of soda in one sitting, doubling their calorie intake.

That’s a lot of calories and sugar to be putting into your body first thing in the morning and unlike coffee and juice, both of which have disease preventative qualities. From a nutrition standpoint, soda is nothing but a bunch of zeros on the Nutritional Facts label, except in the places that doctors and nutritionist claim you don't want to see high numbers, such as on the calories, sugar and sodium columns of the Nutrition Fact Label.

Over time these empty calories add up and reveal themselves in the form of weight gain, making soda drinkers more apt to develop diabetes indirectly because of their increased poundage.

According to researchers at Tufts Nutrition School, "sugar sweetened soft drinks contribute to more than 7 percent of American's calories, making them the single largest source of calories in the U.S. diet."

While the short term affects of soda drinking may not seem detrimental to your over all health and well being, it does have long term implications that do not taste nearly as good. Replacing juice, which has vital vitamins and nutrients that build immunity and strength in the body, with soda, which is full of artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup and caffeine, makes you more susceptible and vulnerable to everything from the common cold to even more serious illnesses such as hyper acidity and cancer.

Giving up soda altogether is not necessarily going to appeal or work for everyone, but limiting your intake of it is a good place to start, as is looking out for healthier choices.

Here are a few refreshing alternatives that will give you the same satisfaction without the repercussions:

• Choose natural spritzers that are sweetened by fruit juices rather than high fructose corn syrup.
• Go for smaller, more natural soda companies that use less artificial colorings and high fructose corn syrup.
• Add sodium free seltzer to your orange or cranberry juice in the morning to give it that extra kick.
• Serve sparkling cider or pear juice at your children's birthday parties as a healthy alternative.
• Brew a batch of green tea, let it cool and put it over ice. Then and add honey and lemon to taste. Top it off with seltzer for a refreshing summer drink.

Choosing soda over coffee or juice in the morning is on the rise, but so are many studies proving that it is a potentially dangerous habit. The long term potential for weight gain and the risk of developing diabetes can not be ignored. Natural soda and homemade seltzer drinks are great alternatives that can satisfy your thirst for a fizzy drink without putting your health at risk.