Does Soda Cause Dehydration? Healthy Stripe (2023)

FAQs

Can soda make you dehydrated? ›

A can of soda may seem to quench your thirst, but the caffeine contained in most popular drinks is a diuretic, which can cause dehydration. The high levels of sodium and sugar in soda can also contribute to dehydration.

Yes. Sparkling soft drinks, including reduced and no sugar, no calorie options, contain between 85% and 99% water, which means they can help quench thirst and count towards your recommended daily fluid intake.

Coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol are drinks that people associate with dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, which removes water from the body. Drinks such as coffee and soda are mild diuretics, although they can have dehydrating effects on the body.

Juice and soda are not only less hydrating, but offer extra sugars and calories that won't fill us up as much as solid foods, explained Majumdar. If the choice is between soda and water for hydration, go with water every time.

Research shows that milk is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks. Researchers credit milk's natural electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein for its effectiveness.

If you drink only soda as your beverage of choice, you may be at risk for weight gain. Consuming an extra 3,500 calories leads to 1 pound of weight gain, explains the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Your risk for heart disease drops

And quitting diet soda is heart-smart, too — one study showed that 61% of people who drank diet soda daily had a higher incidence of heart disease and stroke. Especially if you're already at risk for heart disease, stopping the soda habit is a good way to stay healthy.

Quitting soft drinks and sodas will promote kidney health and keep your hydration levels high. It will also lower your risk of suffering from associated diseases such as kidney stones and chronic kidney disease. Caffeine is also a culprit here that plays a big role in increasing dehydration.

Does Gatorade actually hydrate you? ›

Gatorade, because of its electrolyte content, helps to restore the lost electrolytes and keep a person hydrated, during intense activity. It can also replace electrolytes, during times of illness, such as stomach viruses.

Water is a far superior option and provides a slew of advantages to your overall health and wellness, whereas soda provides no benefits aside from tasting good. Here are the top reasons to drink water instead of soda: Stay hydrated. Lose or Maintain Body Weight.

Best Overall: Gatorade

The levels of electrolytes (sodium and potassium) are moderate and sensible with 160 mg of sodium and 45mg of potassium per 12 fluid ounce serving. You can also find Gatorade varieties with higher sodium, zero sugar or no calories depending on your needs.

“We regularly read that we should drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Do other drinks count toward that total if they contain water, like soft drinks, iced tea, coffee and fruit juices?” The answer is yes, all beverages add to your daily fluid intake.

It hydrates you

This myth comes from a study funded by Gatorade that found people who drank their product were better hydrated than if they drank water—but only because they drank more fluids. If you drank the same volume of water versus Gatorade, you'd be equally hydrated.

Water also contributes to regular bowel function, optimal muscle performance, and clear, youthful-looking skin. However, failing to drink enough water can cause dehydration and adverse symptoms, including fatigue, headache, weakened immunity, and dry skin.

In addition, beverages such as milk, juice and herbal teas are composed mostly of water. Even caffeinated drinks — such as coffee and soda — can contribute to your daily water intake.

can per day, you will be cutting 150 calories from your diet once you stop drinking soda. A pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories, which means you can lose a pound every three and a half weeks by cutting out sodas. You can lose even more weight if you regularly consume more calories through sodas.

What can I replace soda with? ›

A 20-ounce serving of Gatorade's Thirst Quencher contains 36 grams of sugar. While that's a bit less sugar per ounce than your average soda, it's not exactly healthy. In fact, Berkeley researchers say the sugar in sports drinks may be contributing to the child obesity epidemic by increasing caloric intake.

If you drink sugary soda regularly, you can lose body fat by kicking the habit -- provided you're maintaining a steady weight on your current diet and you don't pick up the lost calories through additional foods and beverages.

Withdrawal symptoms include irritability, fatigue, headaches, and even feelings of depression ( 21 , 22 ). Usually, these withdrawal symptoms are due to quitting caffeine, and they typically last anywhere from 2–9 days ( 21 ).

But the best option will always be water. “If water seems boring to certain individuals, try adding cut up fruit or cucumber to add some flavor,” Harrison said. “There are also other drink options with no added sugar. Even low-fat and fat free milk or 100% fruit and vegetable juice are great options.”

Although it sounds strange, a water fast could make you dehydrated. This is because roughly 20–30% of your daily water intake comes from the foods you eat. If you're drinking the same amount of water but not eating foods, you might not be getting enough water.

Sugary drinks are the easiest and most common way to consume excessive amounts of fructose. When you consume too much, your liver becomes overloaded and turns the fructose into fat ( 12 ). Some of the fat gets shipped out as blood triglycerides, while part of it remains in your liver.

In fact, a standard can (330 ml) of cola contains as much as 7 teaspoons of sugar! So in weighty matters (both literally and metaphorically), alcohol emerges as a clear winner. There's not much to choose between alcohol and soft drinks when it comes to nutritional benefits. Neither drink has any dietary value.

Is it bad to drink one soda a day? Yes, even one soda a day can hurt your health and cause many serious diseases such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, liver, and heart disease.

What helps dehydration immediately? ›

With beginning symptoms of dehydration, you can rehydrate by consuming fluids that contain electrolytes, such as sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions. There are also foods available that have a high water content, such as fruits and vegetables. These will also help with rehydration.

In general, however, it usually takes about two hours for your body to rehydrate fully after drinking a significant amount of water. As for how you should rehydrate, water is the best choice. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, can be helpful for athletes who need to replenish electrolytes.

Pedialyte products generally provide fewer calories and sugar and a significantly higher electrolyte content than Gatorade. Pedialyte may help people of all ages recover from viruses, while Gatorade is specifically designed for adult athletes.

Gatorade Cool Blue

Gatorade Cool Blue can replenish your electrolytes after a workout, a night on the town, or any time you're feeling dehydrated.

For more than 50 years, Pedialyte has helped people of all ages replace both the fluids and electrolytes they've lost due to challenging moments of dehydration. Backed by advanced science, Pedialyte contains an optimal balance of sugar and electrolytes for fast rehydration.

Tea (or Iced Tea)

You won't be surprised to learn that hot tea and iced tea are excellent hydrators—tea is a water-based beverage after all! Even caffeinated teas can still be hydrating.

Fruits and vegetables can help with hydration [a banana is 74% water!] and provide healthful nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. So for elite athletes – or those just trying to stay fit – a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, including bananas, is important for performing at your best!

Andrews University in Scotland and author of a recent study comparing the hydrating effects of beverages including still water, sparkling water, milk, colas, juice and coffee. “The presence of carbonation has little effect on the body's response to ingested water,” Maughan said.

The bottom line. Sparkling water hydrates you just as much as regular water. Thus, it contributes to your daily water intake. In fact, its fizziness may even enhance its hydrating effects for some people.

Sugar increases your body's water needs due to the amount of water required to metabolize sugar, so while sugary drinks may taste refreshing at first, they actually can be dehydrating.

What are the signs of dehydration? ›

The Best Choice for Dehydration: DripDrop

And, if you absolutely must have carbonation, opt for carbonated water like sparkling water or seltzer instead of a fizzy soda. You can add an electrolyte powder like DripDrop to the sparkling water and seltzer for a tasty treat that also tackles dehydration fast.

One 12 ounce soda contains 45 milligrams of caffeine—that's double the amount of caffeine in a standard cup of coffee. If you do drink soda, try to drink one extra glass of water for each can of soda you drink in a day!

Colas and sodas. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks can actually make your dehydration worse and lead to further kidney-related dehydration problems. Alcohol, including beer. As refreshing as a cold beer might sound when you're exceptionally thirsty, you should avoid alcohol if you're trying to rehydrate.

Pedialyte and Gatorade are both designed to prevent or treat dehydration. In fact, thanks to their electrolyte content, they're more effective than water at rehydrating.

With beginning symptoms of dehydration, you can rehydrate by consuming fluids that contain electrolytes, such as sports drinks or oral rehydration solutions. There are also foods available that have a high water content, such as fruits and vegetables. These will also help with rehydration.

You might have an electrolyte imbalance: Electrolyte imbalances are one of the most common reasons you might feel dehydrated even after drinking tons of water: “Sometimes if we drink a lot of water but we don't take in enough fruits and vegetables, our electrolytes—sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, etc.