The latest in a long list of reasons to avoid soft drinks and “super-sizing,” a recent report indicates that people who drink large amounts of cola (more than 2 liters per day) are at risk of low potassium, a medical condition called “hypokalemia.” Potassium performs many functions in the body and, as such, is normally tightly regulated. Our cells have been referred to as “little bags of potassium salts” and that’s a pretty accurate reflection of how critical this mineral is in our body. Anything that causes potassium to stray significantly out of its normal range can cause potentially life-threatening cardiovascular problems, muscle pain, and other serious medical conditions.

Excessive consumption of soft drinks and cola is, unfortunately, not uncommon in the U.S. The U.S. ranks #1 in the world for soda consumption, with an average per person consumption of about 3 quarts per week (and since we probably all know some non-soda-drinkers, that means some of us are drinking way more than that). Another way to look at it is that Americans consume forty-eight 12-oz cans of soda pop per month whereas Europeans consume on average ten 12-oz cans per month.

I’ll never forget a time when I was getting on an airplane to go to an obesity conference with a colleague, a world-renowned obesity expert. As we boarded the plane, there was a man in the first class cabin drinking out of a 64 oz cup of soda. My colleague said “My, that’s a really big cup of Coke!” to which the man replied, “Yep, I’m livin’ large!” When asked how many of those he drank a day, the reply was “2 or 3.”

Unfortunately, because of our national soda addiction, we really are “livin’ large.” Soda consumption has been linked to obesity in both children and adults – the extra calories and appetite-stimulating high-fructose corn syrup and sugar pack on the pounds quickly. In addition to problems with the high sugar concentration, studies have shown that the acid in colas accelerates tooth and bone loss, and can cause kidney stones as well as potentially deplete our potassium levels.

For all these reasons, it’s a good idea to stay away from soft drinks in general and cola drinks in particular. Water, either sparkling or regular, with a squeeze of lemon or lime or 1-2 teaspoons of antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice added makes a tasty, low-calorie alternative.