Soda has a prominent place in our kitchen cupboards. Why do people drink soda at all? Studies have indicated that its taste, low price, easy availability, convenience in grabbing it, soda drinking habit and to a great extent caffeine addiction keep them attached to their daily quota of soda.

How Good is Soda for Health?

In simple terms soda is nothing but carbonated water. It is also known as seltzer or club soda. Soda has a rejuvenating effect on the human body. One can feel that difference after a strenuous day’s work out. Soda contains high amount of caffeine and fructose corn syrup which are energy boosting additives.

There are studies that indicate diet soda is better than regular soda if moderately consumed because it is calorie free. An expert in beverage consumption Michael Jacobson who is the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest based in Washington, D.C. feels that diet soda has less sugar content compared to other regular ones and therefore it doesn’t contribute to increased body weight. However, there are reports that aspartame used in diet soda contributes to as many as 92 side effects from birth defects to epilepsy/seizures.

Why is it Bad for Health?

People are often found addicted to soft drinks and children are the worst sufferers from addiction. Caffeine content in soda is said to interfere with the brain development of children. Dental problems and impaired calcification of growing bones are the main risk areas among children. Carbonic acid in soda causes acidity.

In the case of adults, excessive consumption of soda is known to cause arthritis and osteoporosis because of its high phosphorous content. Soft drinks lower the calcium levels and increase the phosphate levels in blood. Also high phosphate level and low calcium level in the blood lead to slowing down of kidney functions apart from causing disturbances in heartbeats and nerve and muscle functions. Experts have argued that artificial sweetening and coloring agents found in soft drinks are carcinogenic although advocates of beverage organizations have so far preferred to differ on the issue.

There are studies about the chances for getting heart attack and stroke among people who drink diet soda compared to those who do not, but those studies are observational in nature and nothing is known to have been proved yet.

Soda – The Avoidable Drink

Soda contains hardly any vitamin or minerals and it has no nutrition value. It merely pumps in unwanted calories. The so called energizing agent Fructose corn syrup present in soda has no dietary benefit. The rest of the additives found in soda are sweeteners, preservatives and coloring agents that are harmful. When the potion is taken in excess, it will be at the cost of other nutritious beverages like a glass of fresh fruit juice. Therefore, consumption of soda has hardly any positive impact on our general health – in fact the impact is negative.

Drink for your Health

There are good beverages like low fat milk that supplements the nutritional needs of our body. Always drink for ones health. Here social groups have a major role to play by educating people.

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Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Personal Trainers Cronulla