I'm sure, if people really stopped and thought about what was inside, they'd ditch them once and for all.

Here are just a few reasons why

/They're packed with calories
It's no surprise that sugar is one of the highest listed ingredients on the
full-fat versions of these drinks. But, while they're full of calories, they don't fill kids up so they end up eating more. Research shows that kids who drink the most soft drinks are the most likely to be overweight.

/ They contain artificial colourings and preservatives
Many of these chemicals have been linked to hyperactivity and tantrums in kids, so why risk it?

/ They rot teeth
Again, thanks to the sugar content, kids who drink fizzy drinks are more likely to get tooth decay. And the sugar-free varieties are no better as the acidity levels of these drinks (from citric and phosphoric acid) erode tooth enamel over time. To give you a rough idea, a tooth left overnight in cola will have almost dissolved by morning.

/ They weaken bones
Both the phosphoric acid and caffeine in soft drinks have been found to leach calcium from the body, leaving bones softer and more prone to breaks. This is especially a problem if kids shun calcium-rich milk in favour of fizzy drinks.

What to give them instead

Kids don't crave what they've never had, so the trick is to keep them away from fizzy drinks for as long as possible. You can train them to like water by giving them nothing else in the first year and, after that, fizzy water as a treat. Then they can have fruit juice diluted half and half with water or a glass of milk.

We kept my grandchildren free of soft drinks until they were six - now they can have one as a treat occasionally when they're with granny. But they're never kept in the house, so they don't become an everyday habit.

Source: Daily Mirror

Pic: Yucel Tellici