Sweetened beverages range from carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks to vitamin and other sweetened waters and energy drinks. Here are some facts about sweetened beverages:

• People who drink sodas, juices and other caloric beverages do not compensate for these calories by consuming fewer calories in food, which is a major factor in contributing to overweight and obesity.
• People who drink sugary sodas consume more calories overall than those who do not drink them.
• Individuals who consume sugary drinks, like sodas, consume fewer healthful beverages, like milk, water and 100 percent fruit juices, than people that do not consume these sugary drinks.
• Soda servings have increased over the years. A typical 20-oz soda contains 15 tsp of sugar.
• Soda consumption may contribute to dental decay because of the sugar in regular sodas and the acids in both diet and regular sodas.
• To burn off the 250 calories in a 20-oz soda, a 135-pound person would need to walk three miles in 45 minutes, or play 40 minutes of vigorous basketball, or bicycle for 22 minutes.
• Males consume an average of 178 calories from sugar drinks daily while women consume 103 calories.

To answer your question, soda can be harmful if you consume too much and it replaces other needed calories in your diet.

My recommendation would be to try to mainly drink water, unsweetened herbal teas, 100 percent fruit juice and low-fat milk, and only have soda occasionally as a treat, like a dessert.

A good substitute for soda may be mineral water with a quarter cup of 100 percent juice added.

Diet sodas contain a lot of chemicals, so I would limit the consumption of these also.

The key to a healthy diet is moderation, including sugar-laden beverages!