Sunday, July 03, 2011

5 Reasons Why Soda Is Bad for Your Health

By Danny Mitchell Ashton

Soda quenches your thirst and it gives you that cool feeling once you gulp down a few mouthfuls. Because they taste really nice, people consume more than they should. Have you heard that soda drinks can contribute to health problems to your body? You should have, as many medical experts have proved its harmful effects for so many years now.

You may feel distraught, but here are the facts to prove that soda is bad for your health

1. Sodacauses tooth decay.

Soda drinks can cause dental cavities. There is a higher risk if they are consumed regularly. Almost all soft drinks are highly concentrated with simple carbohydrates, sucrose, glucose and fructose. The presence of oral bacteria in your mouth ferments carbohydrates which are converted into acid.If it remains in contact with your teeth's surfaces, these acids cause the enamel to soften due to loss of minerals. As a result, tooth decay takes place. Children are at high risk of getting a lot of tooth decay.

2. Soda increases the risk of developing lifestyle diseases.

The use of sugar-sweetened beverages is related with lifestyle disorders, such as obesity, heart diseases and diabetes. Soda drinks could be one of the major factors in weight gain. One can of coke is loaded with 150 calories. The chief sweetener in soda is high fructose corn syrup, which is 42% percent glucose and 55% fructose.

Fructose is mainly processed in the liver, and is not regulated by insulin. When too much fructose enters the liver, it cannot be processed soon enough to be used as sugar for the body. Instead, it is converted into fats which are carried to the bloodstream in the form of triglycerides. If there are high concentrations of triglycerides, there is a very high risk of having a stroke.

3. Soda intensifies pre-existing illnesses.

Diabetes most often results from a very unhealthy diet, particularly one with too much soda intake. Glycemic index is a measurement used to check the effects of foods on blood glucose levels. Soda drinks have a 65 glycemic index which is remarkably high. When it is consumed, it rapidly increases blood sugar levels. Insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas, controls the supply of glucose in the blood. Continuous ingestion of sugar can weaken the pancreas and may fail to produce insulin, causing adverse effects to the body resulting in type 2 diabetes.

4. Soda induces anxiety and sleep disturbance.

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and produces certain side effects if higher doses are consumed. A can of soda drink actually contains 40 mg of caffeine, and if taken in excess amounts, it will affect the body's natural physiologic mechanisms leading to anxiety, sleep disturbance, irritability and insomnia.

5. Soda has a low nutritional value.

Soda drinks do not provide the essential nutrients that the body needs. They contain ingredients that are mostly made of artificial sweeteners that cause obesity, diabetes and hormonal imbalances.

Soda indeed quenches your thirst, and it does a great deal of satisfying your sugar cravings. However, frequent soda intake has a price, and your health will pay for it. Water is still the best fluid to take; even without a distinct taste, it does a perfectly good job of replenishing your body with fluids and electrolytes that not even a sip of your favorite soda can give.

Danny loves writing about High cholesterol foods at his blog. If you are worried about your cholesterol then you should also check out this article deadly cholesterol foods to see if there are foods you should be giving up.

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