Is drinking soda really that bad for you?

Read the low down on drinking soda. Great report from CNN News! Personally, I prefer Water.

Editor's note: Dr. Melina Jampolis, CNN's diet and fitness expert, is a physician nutrition specialist and the author of "The Calendar Diet: A Month by Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life."

(CNN) -- Q: I've heard so much about the dangers of drinking soda. Is it really all that bad for you? Or is it just empty calories?

You may have heard about a new study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Nutrition that found an increased risk of stroke in people who consumed more than one soda per day.

These findings are not surprising in light of the growing body of evidence linking intake of sugar sweetened beverages -- of which soda makes up the largest percentage -- and diseases such as......

read complete article here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/18/health/jampolis-dangers-drinking-soda/index.html

Beware Alcoholic Holiday Drinks

Tis the season for holiday parties. You might be drinking alcoholic beverages, but those liquid calories can really add up! It's important to keep track of those liquid calories, so you don't gain weight throughout the Season.

When it comes to counting calories, overall, allot of nutrition experts will say that beverages are often ignored when you are counting everything up.

Which drinks offer the least amount of calories per serving?

• 100 calories for 12 ounce Light Beer
• 150 calories for 12 ounce Regular Beer
• 100 calories for 4 ounces (1/2 cup) Red Wine
• 340 calories for 8 ounces Eggnog
• 440 calories for 8 ounces Eggnog plus 1 shot Rum
• 400 calories for 8 ounce Mixed Drinks (Daiquiri)
• 800 calories for 8 ounce Margarita

What is it about alcohol? The thing that people tend to forget sometimes is that you gain weight because of those extra calories that are loaded with alot of carbohydrates and sugar as well, so it's not just the calories, it's what those calories are.