Sodas: Health Hazards that Taste Good

"Sodas" are by far the most enjoyed drinks, irrespective of which part of the world you belong to. I was shocked to read that on an average, an American drinks about 57 gallons of sodas each year! Now that is a little too much soda, don't you think?

Though sodas taste fabulous with pizza, or when you are watching a movie, you need to realize that sodas have several ill effects. Here are just 8 of these negative effects of soda. So don't drink soda pop like you are consuming water!

1- Soda Pops have excessive sugar, which basically means 'high calories'. So if you consume too much soda, it can lead to problems such as high BP, diabetes and premature aging, among other things.

2- Even Diet sodas are not all that great, since they still have the 'sweet flavor' due to artificial sweeteners. This sweetness triggers the release of excess insulin from the pancreas. Thus, the cells in your body will start storing this sugar to reduce the sugar concentration in your bloodstream. Since the sugar gets stored, it gets that much harder to burn the sugar.

3- Sodas like coke and Pepsi contain caffeine, which can cause insomnia and high BP. In children, sodas can hinder brain development.

4- Studies have shown that excessive consumption of sodas can lower bone marrow density, especially in women. This means that over-consumption of sodas can actually lead to Osteoporosis. This is because, some sodas have a high phosphate content. If you don't drink enough milk and have low levels of calcium, then this phosphate can actually pull out calcium from your bones.

5- Sodas can also weaken the teeth enamel as they contain an acidic base. Excessive consumption of sodas increases the risk of dental problems, especially in children. Check out some more facts about Oral health that your orthodontists won't reveal.

6- When it comes to obesity, it is seen that people who consume soda pops are at a higher risk. It does make sense, as sodas do have a lot of sugar. With obesity comes other health issues like,heart diseases, back pain, joint pain, high BP, high cholesterol, risk of diabetes etc.

7- Sodas can cause nutritional deficiency too! 'How?', you ask? Sodas provide you with calories, but no real nutrients. Thus, they make you feel full and you don't feel like having milk, water, fruits, fruit juices and other healthy foods. What this means is you get the calories thanks to the sodas, but you don't consume nutrients that your body really needs.

So the next time you are on your second can of soda, think again. Have your sodas once in a while, but don't make it a habit. If you can avoid sodas completely, there is nothing like it!

Sources:

http://www.elements4health.com/10-good-reasons-to-avoid-sodas.html

http://www.oleda.com/oleda_tips/tips.asp?dept=48

http://www.emaxhealth.com/11/586.html