Are Sodas Good for Hydration? The Surprising Truth About Sugary Drinks

December 29, 2025 •

3 min read

While a can of soda is roughly 93 percent water by volume, its additional ingredients raise significant questions about its overall effectiveness for quenching thirst. The answer to 'Are sodas good for hydration?' is more complex than simply acknowledging its liquid content.

Quick Summary

Sodas are not ideal for hydration due to their high sugar and potential caffeine content. While providing some liquid, these ingredients can lead to negative health effects, making healthier, nutrient-rich alternatives far superior for your body's fluid balance.

Key Points

Limited Hydration: Sodas contain mostly water, but their high sugar and caffeine content impede effective hydration.
Sugar's Dehydrating Effect: The body uses water to metabolize high sugar loads, potentially causing fluid shifts and increased urination.
Caffeine is a Diuretic: The caffeine in many sodas causes a mild, short-term diuretic effect, contributing to fluid loss.
Health Risks Abound: Beyond poor hydration, sodas are linked to weight gain, diabetes, and dental decay.
Superior Alternatives: Plain water, seltzer, and infused waters are far better for maintaining optimal fluid balance and overall health.
Diet Soda Isn't a Free Pass: Even diet soda can have negative health effects related to metabolic function and food cravings, making it a poor choice.

The Misconception of Liquid Content

Many people mistakenly believe that since soda is a liquid, it must contribute positively to hydration. It is true that the primary ingredient in soda is carbonated water, but judging a beverage’s hydrating properties solely on its water content is misleading. The other ingredients—especially high amounts of added sugar and caffeine—fundamentally change how the body processes the fluid. This is where soda's hydrating potential is significantly compromised compared to plain water or other healthier drinks. Your body’s fluid balance is a delicate system that can be negatively impacted by excessive sugar, which causes your body to expend extra water for metabolism.

How Sugar and Caffeine Impact Hydration

The Dehydrating Effect of Sugar

Regular soda is loaded with sugar, often in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. A standard 12-ounce can can contain the equivalent of almost 9 teaspoons of sugar. When you consume a high-sugar drink, your body pulls water from your cells and tissues into your intestines to help dilute and process the sugar. This cellular shift can ironically contribute to dehydration over time, leaving you thirstier than before. The excess sugar also prompts increased urination as the body works to excrete it, further depleting fluid levels.

Caffeine's Diuretic Effect

Many sodas, particularly colas, contain caffeine. Caffeine is a mild diuretic, meaning it increases urine production. For individuals with a high tolerance, this diuretic effect may be minimal. However, it still causes some fluid loss, which counteracts the hydrating benefits of the water in the soda. For those who are not regular caffeine consumers, the effect is more pronounced, potentially leading to noticeable fluid depletion. Energy drinks, which contain significantly higher caffeine levels, pose a much greater risk of dehydration.

The Health Costs Beyond Hydration

Drinking soda regularly has a host of negative health consequences that far outweigh any minimal hydrating effect it provides.

Dental Damage

The high levels of sugar and acid in most sodas create a perfect storm for dental problems. The acids can erode tooth enamel, and the sugar feeds bacteria in the mouth, leading to cavities. This can cause significant long-term dental damage.

Metabolic Health Risks

Frequent consumption of sugary beverages like soda is strongly linked to an increased risk of weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Diet sodas, while calorie-free, are not without their risks, as research suggests a link between artificial sweeteners and metabolic dysfunction and increased cravings for unhealthy foods.

Nutrient-Empty Calories

Soda provides empty calories with no nutritional value. It offers no essential vitamins, minerals, or nutrients that your body needs to thrive. The calories contribute to overall intake without offering any beneficial components, unlike water or other healthful beverages.

Comparison: Soda vs. Healthier Hydration Options


Beverage Type	Hydration Effectiveness	Sugar Content	Calories	Caffeine	Overall Health Impact
Regular Soda	Low	High	High	Varies	Very Negative
Diet Soda	Moderate	Zero	Zero	Varies	Mixed (Potential negative health links)
Plain Water	High	Zero	Zero	Zero	Extremely Positive
Sparkling Water	High	Zero	Zero	Zero	Positive

A Guide to Better Hydration Habits

Instead of relying on soda, here are several excellent alternatives for staying properly hydrated:

Plain water: The best and most natural choice. If you dislike the taste, try infusing it.
Fruit-infused water: Add slices of lemon, cucumber, or berries to plain water for a burst of flavor without the added sugar.
Seltzer or sparkling water: Provides the refreshing carbonation of soda without the sugar or calories.
Herbal tea: Offers a hydrating, flavorful alternative, and many varieties are caffeine-free.
Coconut water: A natural, low-calorie option rich in electrolytes that can aid rehydration.
Milk: A surprising but effective hydrator, as it contains sugar, protein, and fat that can help the body retain fluid for longer.

Conclusion: Prioritize Healthier Choices

In summary, while soda does contain water and offers a minimal degree of hydration, its high sugar content and, in many cases, caffeine act against proper fluid balance and lead to numerous negative health outcomes. Relying on soda for hydration is a poor strategy that can increase health risks and lead to dependence on sugary beverages. The superior choice for your body is almost always plain water or other healthier alternatives that effectively replenish fluids without the detrimental side effects. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many Americans still consume sugar-sweetened beverages regularly, underscoring the importance of choosing wisely for better overall health.

Frequently Asked Questions

While sodas don't cause significant dehydration in moderate amounts due to their water content, their sugar and caffeine work against effective hydration. They are not an ideal choice for properly hydrating your body.

Diet soda is not necessarily better for hydration. While it lacks sugar and calories, it still contains carbonation and artificial sweeteners that can cause issues like bloating and potentially affect metabolic health. Plain water is a healthier choice.

Excellent alternatives to soda include plain water, sparkling or seltzer water, herbal teas, fruit-infused water, and coconut water, which offer hydration without the downsides of excess sugar and caffeine.

The high sugar content in soda forces your body to expend more fluid to process the sugar, leading to increased urination and drawing water from your cells, which can negatively impact hydration.

The caffeine in soda acts as a mild diuretic, meaning it increases urine production. While a small amount may not cause significant dehydration, it does cause fluid loss that counteracts hydration.

Yes, but it is not an efficient way to hydrate. You would need to consume additional water to properly balance the fluid loss caused by the soda's ingredients and to support your body's overall health.

The carbonation itself in soda or sparkling water is not harmful to hydration. However, it can cause a temporary feeling of fullness, which might lead some people to drink less overall fluid.