Are you someone who can’t bear the thought of trading your diet soda for a non-fizzy drink? Or have you mulled around the idea of giving up artificial sweetener in your coffee or tea, but just can’t seem to do it? If so, you may be interested in a study that showed that it’s possible your inability to give up artificial sweeteners is more than just lack of willpower. In this study, scientists gave rats the choice between water sweetened with artificial sweetener and cocaine, and discovered that 94 percent preferred the sweet taste of the sweetener over the cocaine! The scientists said:

Our findings clearly demonstrate that intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward, even in drug-sensitized and -addicted individuals. We speculate that the addictive potential of intense sweetness results from an inborn hypersensitivity to sweet tastants.

If you’re not convinced yet to give up that soda pop you’re about to reach for, this graphic may help you understand how that fizzy stuff damages your health and contributes to overall health care costs. And it’s not just the old it-harms-tooth-enamel mantra that we’re talking about: from heart disease to kidney issues to asthma, soft drinks contribute to many major health problems. For example, did you know that soft drink cans are coated with a resin that contains BPA (bisphenyl-A) that is the same cancer-causing chemical found in plastic bottles?

With long-running corporate sponsorships like Disney’s Tomorrowland behind them, food giant Monsanto has managed to saturate the earth with five products that have changed both our health and the way we manage Earth’s resources. The sponsorships make this company look good – but the list that TakePart.com has assembled of Monsanto’s product achievements is dubious at best. TakePart.com’s run-down includes:

1. Saccharin – slapped with a warning label in the ’70s when it was found to cause cancer in lab rats
2. Polystyrene – a disaster that breaks off into tiny pieces and releases cancer-causing benzene
3. Agent Orange – first developed as a defoliant, this herbicide is responsible for 400,000 deaths and disfigurements and 500,000 babies born with birth defects
4. Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) – Why is the U.S. the only developed country that allows this cancer-causing hormone in milk?
5. Genetically Modified Seeds – With scare tactics and massive advertising campaigns, Monsanto has managed to corner the market on seeds – and possibly is sowing disaster in places that need food help most.