Americans have a passion for soda pop. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that around a third of the population drinks at least one sugary soda or other sweetened drink daily. All that sugar can add up to a lot of health problems for a majority of people who consume soda regularly. Learning exactly how much sugar is in a can of full-sugar soda might be the ticket to helping a person kick the habit for good.

A Look at the Numbers
The amount of sugar in a 12-ounce can of soda depends on the variety chosen:

Orange soda: 10 to 13 teaspoons per 12 ounces
Cola: 10 teaspoons per 12 ounces
Lemon-lime: Around 8 teaspoons per 12 ounces
Root Beer: 11 teaspoons per 12 ounces
Ginger Ale: 8 teaspoons per 12 ounces
The Problem With Sugar
Consuming too much added sugar from soda, as well as from other sources, can cause a number of health problems, from weight gain to tooth decay. For example, Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes that an average can of sugar-sweetened soda contains about 150 calories, most of which come from sugar. This can lead to gaining up to 5 pounds in a year if no other lifestyle changes are made. Additionally, drinking soda regularly increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.