Do you drink soda pop? Chances are you do. The average American consumes 1.6 cans of soda pop every day, for a grand total of 597 cans of soda pop per year. That’s 32 pounds of sugar--an amount that’s both impressive and frightening all at once. The soft drink industry is certainly glowing about this, BUT YOU SHOULDN’T BE.

Keep reading to learn more about why you MUST stop drinking soda pop:

Your Weight

Do you want to lose a few pounds and be healthier? Most of us do. Scientists at Harvard have narrowed in on one of the key reasons for rising obesity in western countries: soda pop. The new study finds that one-third of all carbohydrate calories in the American diet come from added sweeteners, with half of these calories coming from sweetened beverages. They point the finger of blame at the main sweetener used in soft drinks: high fructose corn syrup. It contains more calories than regular refined sugar and some studies suggest it reduces the body’s ability to process calories.

Of course, obesity is a complex issue – one must take into account diet, genetics, eating patterns, and physical activity – but it is not rocket science to figure out that if you were forced to consume an extra can of Coke per day (155 calories), with all other factors held constant, you could pack on at least 10 pounds by the end of the year. Studies have also found a connection between drinking large amounts of soda pop and consuming more calories through food. Either those taking sugared drinks lack the same restraint with food, or sugared drinks cause a rise in insulin that makes individuals hungrier, causing them to eat more.

But there is some good news: if you’re a regular soda pop drinker, and you want to lose some weight and improve your health, banishing soda pop from your diet is an easy way to start down this path. If you cut out two cans of pop per day from your diet (and maintain the same level of physical activity and eat the same number of calories), you can lose 1 pound in 12 days. Not bad at all.

Diabetes (Type 2)

Type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing in developed countries as society becomes increasingly overweight and less active. Public health researchers label it an epidemic and believe much of the blame can be leveled at our enormous consumption of sugar. For example, an eight-year study of 50,000 nurses showed a correlation that suggests drinking one or more sugar-sweetened beverages (such as soft drinks and fruit punches) per day increases one’s risk of developing diabetes by 80% compared to those who drink less than one such drink per month. Interestingly, this finding was independent of other lifestyle factors.

What exactly is type 2 diabetes, you ask. If you have type 2 diabetes, either your body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Your body needs insulin to be able to use glucose for energy. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When the glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into the cells, two bad things happen: your cells are immediately starved for energy and, over time, high blood glucose levels damage your body. Having type 2 diabetes increases your risk for many serious complications, including heart disease, blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage.  Thankfully, watching your diet and getting regular exercise can help you manage this disease.

Your Teeth

As you already know, soda pop contains a high concentration of simple sugars. When you drink pop, the bacteria in your mouth ferment the sugars and produce acid. The problem being that acid dissolves tooth enamel; hence, soda pop is likely to increase your risk of cavities – holes or structural damage in your teeth. Moreover, a large number of soda pop drinks are acidic, with some even having a pH of 3.0 or lower. Sipping on acidic drinks over a long period of time will also erode your tooth enamel. Avoid soda pop and you can reduce your chances of a painful trip to the dentist and a mouthful of fillings.

The Environment

Planet earth needs all the help she can get these days. Perhaps you’re recycling your cans and bottles. That’s great, but you can do more. Millions upon millions of cans and bottles end up in landfills each year. If you’re still buying bottles and cans, you’re contributing to this cycle. Moreover, recycling still taxes the environment. Think about the fuel used to haul the bottles and cans around and the chemicals used during the recycling process itself.

You can do something about this: buy an eco-friendly reusable water container (and use it!). Check out these websites for options: KleanKanteen, MySigg, and EcoWaterBottle.

The other important part – and this will reap benefits for you directly – is to fill your bottle up with low sugar, low calorie beverages. Try good old-fashioned water. If water doesn’t excite you, try herbal tea (hot or iced) or water with lemon. You’ll lose weight; you’ll feel better; and you’ll be helping the environment!

Who out there has kicked the soda pop habit and wants to share how they did and how they feel now? Please suggest some healthy alternatives to soda pop for us too.

Some foods are just better for you than others. For many years, nutritionists and health professionals have been heralding the benefits of foods such as broccoli, spinach, apples, and tomatoes. These well-known superfoods are an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, and many people have actively tried to increase their consumption of these foods.

But there are other superfoods that are equally beneficial that you might not know about.

Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has identified a number of these foods. They’re easy to find in your local grocery store, but chances are you're not eating them on a regular basis.

Adding the following superfoods to your diet is an excellent way to increase your nutrient uptake and spice up your diet.

1. Beets

Jonny Bowden encourages us to think of beets as red spinach. Just like spinach, this vegetable is one of the best sources of folate and betaine – nutrients that work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease.

How to eat: Take a fresh, raw beet and grate it over your salad. Not only is it healthy, but the crimson color adds a splash of color to your meal.

2. Cabbage

One cup of chopped cabbage has just 22 calories, and it’s loaded with valuable nutrients, including sulforaphane. Stanford University determined that sulforaphane boosts levels of certain cancer-fighting enzymes higher than any other plant chemical.

How to eat: Add cabbage to a burger for an extra crunch, or try making an Asian-style slaw as a tasty accompaniment to a meal.

3. Swiss Chard

Half a cup of cooked Swiss chard provides a massive amount of lutein and zeaxanthin. These plant chemicals, known as carotenoids, protect your retinas from the damage of aging.

How to eat: Chop it up and sauté it with garlic. It goes great with grilled steaks and chicken.

4. Cinnamon

This old-world spice helps control blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease. Cinnamon’s active ingredients, methylhydroxychalcone polymers, increase your cells’ ability to metabolize sugar by up to 20 times.

How to eat: Sprinkle cinnamon into your coffee or over your oatmeal.

5. Pomegranate Juice

This popular drink, which people in the Middle East have been drinking for decades, provides 50% of your daily vitamin C needs when you drink just four ounces. Israeli scientists also found it significantly improves blood flow to the heart.

How to drink: Have a glass of juice on its own or combine it with sparkling water.

6. Pumpkin Seeds

Eating pumpkin seeds is the easiest way to get more magnesium in your diet. French researchers recently determined that men with the highest levels of magnesium in their blood have a 40% lower risk of early death than those with the lowest levels.

How to eat: Add them to trail mix or sprinkle them over your salad.

7. Sardines

You can’t run out of good things to say about sardines: they’re high in omega-3s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese, as well as a full complement of B vitamins.

How to eat: Have them on toast, mixed with your salad, or mash them up with Dijon mustard and onions and enjoy them as a spread on crackers.

8. Frozen Blueberries

Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetable, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil. They’re chocked full of antioxidants and associated with better memory in animal studies.

How to eat: Blend them in a smoothie or combine them with yogurt and muesli.

If you’re already eating these superfoods on a regular basis, let us know how you’re integrating them into your diet!

You’ve been so good all week: packing healthy lunches to eat at work, snacking on fruits and vegetables, avoiding sweets, and not eating after 8 pm. And then Friday comes. It’s reward time. It’s been a long week. Hot wings and beer it is. Then Saturday arrives with the promise of a BBQ or a brunch and, of course, Sunday wouldn’t be Sunday without mash potatoes, gravy and a few slices of roast beef.

Now it’s post-Sunday dinner and you’re comatose on the couch with your pants cutting into your waistline. Sound familiar? Perhaps the foods and the activities are different, but many of us treat the weekend as a chance to cut loose gastronomically.

No problem, you say to yourself. I’ll just eat healthy all week. But the reality of the situation is you could be packing on nearly 10 extra pounds by the end of the year if you eat like this.

According to a recent study from the Washington University School of Medicine, regularly overeating on the weekends can result in significant weight gain. Moreover, your healthy eating all week long doesn’t compensate for all the extra calories you’re consuming on Saturday and Sunday.

In the Washington University study, researchers tracked the food intake, exercise and body weight of 48 adults, aged 50-60, for one year. Prior to the study, the researchers determined that those participating consistently gained weight on weekends.  At the beginning of the study, participants were divided into three groups. Group one reduced their daily calorie intake by 20%, group two increased daily physical activity by 20%, and the control group didn’t change their eating or their exercise habits.

During the one-year study, all three groups consumed significantly more calories on the weekend compared to the weekdays. The calorie-restricted group stopped losing weight on the weekend and the exercise group gained weight. In addition, other research shows that people who maintain their healthy eating throughout the week are 1.5 times more likely to keep off those unwanted pounds.

You might think eating sensibly all the time is impossible. Chances are you’re probably right. Every once and a while it’s fine to indulge—have a slice of chocolate cake, treat yourself to a cheeseburger.

It becomes problematic when the diet ‘cheat’ meal or day stretches into the ‘cheat’ weekend. If you’re indulging all weekend and every weekend that means you’re overeating 29% of the time, and it’s going to show.

Here are a few tips inspired by Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietician, to keep you on track with your weekend eating:

1. Keep Active: Take a walk in the park or head to the gym. Staying active will help you burn extra calories and keep you from feeling sluggish. Watch out for feeling sluggish. It can lead to getting cozy on the couch with a bag of chips!
2. Eat Breakfast: Start the day with a meal that includes protein and fibre to keep you satisfied until lunch. This will help you control the urge to snack.
3. Plan Ahead: If you find it challenging to eat regular meals on busy weekends, use a food diary to plan your menu. If you’re going to be out all day long, pack healthy snacks to prevent hunger.
4. Choose Healthy Restaurants: If you’re dining out with friends or family, choose restaurants that you know have a number of healthy options.
5. Limit Alcohol: Watch the number of drinks you have. Cutting out two drinks over the weekend will save you around 300 calories. If you’re at a party, try having a glass of sparkling water in between alcoholic beverages. You’ll feel better in the morning too!
6. Portion Control: If you’re at an event where there is food, make sure you watch your portions when it comes to the high calorie treats. Also load up on foods like salads because they're healthy and they'll keep you full.
7. Avoid the ‘Last Supper’ Mentality: If you blow your diet on the weekend, don’t wait until Monday to get back on track. Start with the next meal or snack. The ‘last supper’ approach – i.e., I’ve already binged, so I may as well enjoy what I want until Monday – makes it more difficult to resume your healthy eating routine.