We should choose water more than any other fluid.

Sometimes, though, we drink more soda and other beverages than water.

Soda is sugar water. It is simply water with a lot of sugar stirred in. Soda has many calories and no vitamins and minerals. It provides absolutely nothing healthy for your body. And, soda makes your teeth weak.

Soda also has something called

hidden in it.

Many kids and adults drink caffeine for energy. There are many beverages now that have even more caffeine than soda. Most energy drinks have about 4 TIMES as much caffeine as soda!

But, the energy from caffeine does not last long! After the temporary energy, you will be even more tired.

Caffeine is nasty for your body. Check out the gross things caffeine does:

• It makes your heart work harder and beat faster.
• It forces you to breathe faster.
• It dehydrates (link to definition of dehydrate: Dehydration means your body does not have as much water and fluids as it should) you because it is a diuretic. A diuretic is something that makes you pee a lot. You may have noticed you go to the bathroom more often after drinking soda or other beverages with caffeine.
• It can make you nervous, twitchy, and jumpy.
• It can make your bones weak.

Choose beverages other than these to stay healthy! If you love them, drink it less often and save it for a special treat.