For more than a century, generations have enjoyed the refreshing benefit of drinking soda. Be it through a soda fountain, in a bottle or in a can—sodas have become part and parcel of our lives. Yet despite the nice and refreshing feeling of drinking soda, underneath lurks potential adverse health effects. Today, more people have become aware about the ill effects of drinking too much soda. If you have been living under a rock for the past few years, here are some reasons why soda is no good for health.
Sodas can cause hypertension
Cutting back on soda drinking can lead to better blood pressure levels. A new study involving more than 800 adults revealed that cutting soda lead to better blood pressure when combined with the right diet and enough amount of exercise. People in the study tried to cut their sugary soda consumption in half which led to a 1.8-point reduction in the systolic blood pressure and a corresponding 1.1-point drop in diastolic pressure. Cutting soda drinking can lower blood pressure in the short term which translates to lower risks of heart ailments over the long term.
Soda is bad for teeth
In case you don’t know the sugar in soda can damage the teeth. This is aside from the fact that the acid in sodas can also smear and stain the teeth. What is worse the acidity may contribute to tooth decay when combined with sugars. A study made in Southern Illinois University showed that prolonged soda drinking can cause corrosion in the teeth’s enamel but more importantly it can fuel a feeding frenzy for oral bacteria that can lead to increased risk of tooth decay.
Soda has a harmful ingredient
BVO a chemical that used to be marketed as a flame retardant and banned for human consumption in Europe has been used by pop manufacturers. There have been few medical cases of BVO poisoning have been reported. The buildup of BVO in tissues of rats has been linked to reproductive issues and even behavioral problems. Sodas that have brominated vegetable oils could cause lots of health problems. Colas generally do not contain BVO.
Soda can make you fat
Soda is known to be a great contributor to weight and indirectly cause obesity. Drinking a can of soda may cause an increase in body weight as much as one pound in a month. A single can of soda may contain as much as 13 teaspoons of sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup which is the most preferred sweetener in sodas. If you want to burn the calories of a can of cola you need to do 30 minutes of brisk walking. Diet soda? Don’t even think about it because the absence of calories will make the body to binge eat to compensate for the lack of calories.
Soda is bad for the heart
Heavy drinkers of soda are at a risk of developing heart disease. A research showed that drinking one can of soft drink a day may cause metabolic syndromes which can cause obesity and diabetes. This could lead to elevated blood pressure which even cause a rise in triglycerides and bad cholesterol which can be harmful to the overall health of the ticker. For better heart health it is best to stick to non-soda beverages or better yet stick to water which is the safest beverage in the universe.
Soda is bad for the mind
Norwegian youngsters that drank soda are more likely to develop mental disorders, a study said. More than 5,000 youngsters in Norway showed anxiety symptoms and even often exhibit panic attacks which impacts their sleeping habits that lead to unhappiness and a feeling that eventually could cause depression and drive them to commit suicide. Teenagers that drank more than a glass of soda a day are likely to feel less hopeful and less happy.
Drinking soda should be done in moderation. While sodas are great refreshments it can cause a lot of adverse health issues when drank excessively. It pays to keep the consumption at a minimum or to avoid drinking soda. Sodas are loaded with sugars that can cause a lot of problems in the body and it pays to start decreasing the consumption today.