Well it's funny you should ask b/c I just recently asked the same of a nutritionist who works in my office! Soda no matter what type of soda it isn't the greatest choice. Flavor packets are just fine, sugar free and calorie free! You can also drink unsweet ice tea. So for me here in the south, thats a great news! You can also add Slenda to it and it counts! You can actually get the jugs from Walgreens or CVS that is the Dr recommended amount of water you should drink a day and it helps me keep focus on where I am and how much I have to drink a day! I just leave it at me desk at work!

Okay....I am no expert but here is what I know about this subject....Pop-all kinds- is not considered water. Diet soda makes you retain water due to the sodium. If your going to drink soda, limit it to 1 diet can a day. The plastic bottles you get out of soda machines, is actually like 2.5 servings (I think)....so watch that. Now, the dark colored soda (ie, pepsi, coke) actually draws calcium out of your bones. I think its due to the phosphoric acid but you might want to double check that. Over time, it will contribute to bone mass loss. I love soda but I try to keep it limited to 1 a day. Sometimes I keep a 12 pack of sprite zero in my fridge and I drink one a day. The packets you can add into your water bottles, as long as they are decaff and sugar free, 0 cal's...I think DO count as water. I bought a bottle of lemon juice and I just squirt some into it the water...I like it. I also like the Green Tea packets that have vitamins....it counts. But I limit those packets to one a day too. We bought water jugs that hold 32 oz of water. I fill that up before every meal and by the end of the meal its gone. It was hard to drink at first, but now I can drink it pretty quickly! Also, I find the key to wanting to drink water is making sure its really cold. Which I hear helps rev-up the metabolism too. Like I said, I am not an expert but this is what I have learned. If you search it on the internet you can probably find a lot more info. Water consumption is best for you when its just water! I hope this helps! ~Christine