Another reason soft drinks have become the leading source of calories for Americans and a major contributor to the obesity epidemic: Patients are increasingly preferring them over coffee at breakfast.
The numbers collected by a consumer research firm speak volumes about America's growing addiction to soft drinks. For one, the consumption of soft drinks has nearly doubled from some 8 percent to 15 percent over the past 15 years in relation to breakfast meals eaten outside the home. During that same time frame, coffee consumption has dropped some 25 percent.
What's more, consumer demand for diet soda for breakfast away from home -- boosting obesity levels and needlessly exposing patients to artificial sugary chemicals nobody needs -- has tripled since 1990.
The trends and the numbers are so striking, some business experts wonder why soft drinks giants like Coca-Cola even bother trying to compete with coffeehouse chains like Starbucks.
Just consider all the horrible things soft drinks do to harm your health in addition to obesity:
Fortunately, one of the best ways to optimize your health -- making the switch to clean fresh water -- is also one of the easiest. If you have trouble breaking this health-harming habit, consider learning Turbo Tapping, a variation of the effective Emotional Freedom Technique.