EDMOND—Can you imagine gulping down a third of a cup of sugar in one sitting? You probably have! In fact, one 20-ounce bottle of soda has even more sugar than that. And the average American guzzles more than a gallon a week of soft drinks! Even the president of Coca-Cola has admitted that soda drinkers “don’t realize” how much sugar is in their Cokes. Here is what drinking all that soda can do—some good reasons to avoid these bubbly beverages:

• Drinking one soda per day can increase your risk of heart attack by 20 percent.
• Drinking one can a day can make you gain one extra pound each month.
• About 80 percent of people who regularly drink soda will suffer from long-term liver damage.
• Soda’s pH level an be as low as 2.5, which dissolves tooth enamel.
• Phosphoric acid in soda contributes to the formation of kidney stones or kidney disease.
• Citrus sodas like Mountain Dew contain preservatives that cause nerve disorders and memory loss.