What's in Your Cupholder? Not Soda, I Hope!
What's wrong with drinking lots of soda each day? Let me count the ways...
It seems to me, handing 16-ounce bottles of sweetened soda to a nation that is in the middle of an obesity epidemic may not be the best idea. When I think of "junk food" pretty much the first thing I think of is sweetened soda and drinks because it's the perfect example of a food/beverage that contributes calories without any nutritional value.
Study after study is coming out adding weight to my argument. The latest was in the journal Circulation (2007; 116: 480-488). Consumption of sweetened soft drinks has been linked to obesity in children and adolescents but these researchers set out to discover whether it increases metabolic risk in middle-aged individuals.
(I'm now confirming that I, in fact, do not yet qualify as "middle aged" if I am technically in my "mid-forties," right? ...but I digress.)
According to their results, drinking one or more soft drink per day was associated with increased odds of developing metabolic syndrome (obesity, increased waist circumference, impaired fasting glucose, higher blood pressure, high triglycerides, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. And that was after adjustments were made for age, sex, physical activity, smoking, dietary intake of saturated fat, trans fat, fiber, magnesium, total calories, and glycemic index.
If you are a soda drinker and you can't imagine ever cutting it out of your life, cut back on it as far as you can. There are all sorts of other beverage options out there, many of which are the opposite of junk food because they offer nutritional benefits with little or no calories, like green or black tea; even coffee is suspected of having health attributes.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: soda, pop, metabolic syndrome, diet, healthy drinks, health and wellness
It seems to me, handing 16-ounce bottles of sweetened soda to a nation that is in the middle of an obesity epidemic may not be the best idea. When I think of "junk food" pretty much the first thing I think of is sweetened soda and drinks because it's the perfect example of a food/beverage that contributes calories without any nutritional value.
Study after study is coming out adding weight to my argument. The latest was in the journal Circulation (2007; 116: 480-488). Consumption of sweetened soft drinks has been linked to obesity in children and adolescents but these researchers set out to discover whether it increases metabolic risk in middle-aged individuals.
(I'm now confirming that I, in fact, do not yet qualify as "middle aged" if I am technically in my "mid-forties," right? ...but I digress.)
According to their results, drinking one or more soft drink per day was associated with increased odds of developing metabolic syndrome (obesity, increased waist circumference, impaired fasting glucose, higher blood pressure, high triglycerides, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. And that was after adjustments were made for age, sex, physical activity, smoking, dietary intake of saturated fat, trans fat, fiber, magnesium, total calories, and glycemic index.
If you are a soda drinker and you can't imagine ever cutting it out of your life, cut back on it as far as you can. There are all sorts of other beverage options out there, many of which are the opposite of junk food because they offer nutritional benefits with little or no calories, like green or black tea; even coffee is suspected of having health attributes.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: soda, pop, metabolic syndrome, diet, healthy drinks, health and wellness
14 Comments:
I agree 100%. As a father and a practicing family chiropractor, I am around a lot of children. It is amazing how many parents do not realize how bad soft drinks are. My daughter loves salt-free sparkling mineral water, she calls it POP. She has never even tasted a coca-cola or soft drink. It's all about educating the parents.
For those like me, how simple to switch to diet drinks. Elimates all the calories and you still can drink your "pop'with some benifit of it filling you up when hungry.
I haven't drunk a regular soda in many many years. My wife and I went on a diet, which included switching to diet soda and I can't go back. Regular soda taste nasty to me now. One question I have though is I've heard that even diet sodas are bad for the kidneys. Any medical personnel have any input?
it would be hard to imagine that switching to diet soda is truely an answer. yes, its true that the sugar content is eliminated, but it is replaced with artificial sweetners. now you are presented with another set of potential health issues. why not eliminate the soda all together. selzer with a wedge of lemon or lime is always refreshing.
Not so hard to just switch soda. I can't imagine having dinner or lunch without one what am I supposed to drink water? eww. Juice? Can't have citric acid. Tea. Oh come now that is disgusting. There is nothing like soda to drink after a meal. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? Hello, I'm a sodaholic.
I agree it is hard to switch. Try a vitamin and or flavored water. they have a sweet taste with added vitamins and not so many chemicals if any added in. Can't have Citric Acid? Read your ingredient labels on the soda. You might be surprised.
Everything in moderation - have some sugar, but limit youself. If sugar is so bad for you - better cut out cake and cookies and pies, chocolate, etc. A small glass of pop every couple of days does not make me gain weight and there is nothing better with popcorn. It's all about discipline. Reward yourself occasionally with a soda.
If someone wants to quit soda / pop drinking they can. It starts in the head followed with a lot of hard work. Water may not be appealing at the beginning but eventually you will develop thirst for water. People quit smoking, stop taking drugs...quitting pop is feasible. The first step is to want to quit in the first place.
SO, is there harm in drinking diet
soda?
Yes there IS harm in drinking diet soda. Aspartame is way worse than corn syrup filled regular sodas. If you're going to drink a soda, make it a regular. Just because it says diet, and it has close to zero calories, does not make it okay to drink on a regular basis! Aspartame also has addictive qualities, which may cause you to consume more diet drinks than you would a regular. Type Aspartame into your search engine, and then talk to me about drinking diet sodas. I know I'll never touch one again!
Suggesting that soda alone is responsible an unhealthy lifestyle and weight gain is rediculus. Soda can be incorporated into a healthy diet. If your interested in not gaining weight, then simply remember the concept of calories in versus calories out. I personally have one regular coke daily and maintain a healthy weight and balanced diet. It's really not rocket science. Don't take in too many calories, whatever you eat or drink.
The high levels of phosphoric acid, plus citric acid, the sugar (or aspartame in diet) make these drinks equal to drinking sweetened vinegar. This is definitely not something that one should drink after dinner, because it messes up the digestion process, and you shouldn't use it to "fill up" when you're hungry, because it is nothing but empty calories, with no nutritional value whatsoever.
I totally had to give up soda of ALL kinds (diet and regular) because I learned that diets high in sugar and soda consumption put you at a higher risk of pancreatic cancer which has about a 15% cure rate. I am high-risk for cancer having lost both parents to it-my mom when I was 16! I only drink water, and organic teas (green or peach)and have not missed it one bit. Another benefit?...it's better for your teeth not to drink all that soda!
It's the phosphoric acid that is bad, not necessarily the sugar or the aspartame. Studies have shown that phosphoric acid eventually leeches calcium out of your bones. LEECHES CALCIUM OUT OF YOUR BONES! Pass the tea, please.
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