• Soft drinks offer little or no nutritional value.Soft drink image by Leticia Wilson from Fotolia.com
  
  Having a soft drink might be refreshing on a hot day, but it isn't very healthy. There are many health problems related to the consumption of soft drinks, and doctors recommend having a maximum of only one a day. But ideally you should not drink them at all, or only as a special treat.
  
  

Addiction

• The caffeine found in many soft drinks is known to be addictive. People, including children and teenagers, are drinking more soft drinks than ever, and worryingly, they are choosing to drink soft drinks over healthier drinks like milk or water. If you find yourself drinking two or more soft drinks a day, you could be developing an unhealthy and addictive habit.
  
  

Osteoporosis

• Soft drinks are suspected of leading to low calcium levels and higher phosphate levels in your blood. This, in turn, pulls calcium out of the bones and leads to poor bone materialization, especially in children. This can lead to osteoporosis, or weak, brittle bones, later on in life.
  
  

Bad teeth

• Soft drinks have high levels of phosphoric acid which softens and destroys your teeth. The acidity of cola is similar to vinegar, but the taste is masked with sugar which also rots the enamel on your teeth.
  
  

Obseity

• An average can of soft drink contains 10 teaspoons of sugar, and is the calorie equivalent of eating a chocolate bar. Research has linked the consumption of soft drinks to childhood obesity. Along with the sugar and calorie contents of these drinks, they have almost no nutritional value and simply just pump your body with empty calories.