Yes, we’ve all heard that soda’s bad for our health, but we continue to consume it. It’s easy to tell by the multi-billion dollar industry we keep a float with each purchase and the billions the soda companies spend on marketing so we will continue to buy that bubbling bottle, can or cup of brown sugary liquid to accompany our pizza, burgers or fried chicken.
Listed below are a few reasons we should all STOP drinking it.
It makes our bodies store fat
Within 20 minutes of consuming a soda, our liver takes the high insulin our pancreas has to produce and changes that sugar into fat, increasing our risk for obesity and diabetes. When soda drinkers choose the diet variety, they increase their risk of metabolic syndrome, which can cause belly fat, raised cholesterol levels, high blood sugar and heart disease. Aspartame has also been linked to seizures, brain tumors, emotional disorders and multiple sclerosis.
Increases our risk for Osteoporosis
Soda contains phosphoric acid, and high phosphate diets cause the bones to break down. When phosphorus is excreted through urine, it takes calcium with it and depletes the body of this essential mineral which in turns leads to osteopetrosis. It also interferes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium.
It has zero nutritional value
There are no upsides to drinking soda because it’s an unnatural substance. When soda is ingested, it interacts with your stomach acid and slows down digestion making it harder for the body to absorb vital nutrients from our food― and without the right nutrients, our health suffers greatly in all areas by weakening our immune system.
It causes dehydration
Because of the high sodium, sugar and caffeine content in soda, it dehydrates the body, causing kidney stones and other renal problems. Most people do not drink the recommended amount of water our bodies need on a daily basis anyways, and then when we reach for a can of soda to quench our thirst, it actually makes it worse.
It ruins our teeth
We’ve already covered how osteoporosis causes our bones to break down, and that goes for our teeth too. Most people use a straw when drinking soda to avoid discoloration of the teeth by bypassing them, yet, soda does more than just stain the teeth; it increases our risk for cavities by softening the surrounding enamel.
When we take into account all the bad things soda can do to our health, why do we continue to drink it? Make a change by reaching for tea or natural fruit juices and let’s not forget the power of good ole’ water.
