OK, here is the deal. It's not going to sound nice. Soda is bad for so many reasons. It is very stuffed with calories without making you feel full. Not a good idea. It has bubbles, that are totally unnatural to the body, and even that can harm you in the long run. It is acidic with its own set of problems. Aspartame is actually poison. It is an excitotoxin which is just fact. The high fructose stuff is unnatural and predisposes to diabetes. Cane or beet sugar is slightly better, but refined sugar is not what the body needs at all.

When you are thirsty, drink water. If you get bored of water, drink water with something natural added to it, like cucumber slices. Save the bad stuff for special occasions. If we get treats all the time every day, they stop being treats and we think they are normal food stuffs, and then they will slowly and safely destroy our bodies. You will be unwell at the same time that you loose the kick of getting something extra.

When I was a kid, you didn't get anything unhealthy unless it was Saturday. That was just the deal and you accepted it. Sounding old and grumpy, but I think that was an excellent take on things. You didn't go health nut, but at the same time you let your body have the good things most of the time.