Still Drinking Soda?

Why Regular and Diet Are Both Bad for You

When you think of the bad habits that people can have, drinking soda doesn’t seem like such a big deal.

After all, it’s cheap, it’s everywhere, and it can give you a quick energy boost, similar to coffee. It certainly can’t be as bad as drugs or cigarettes, right?

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but soda is really not good, and can affect everything from your mood to your waistline.

One of the best things you can do for your health is to remove soda (both regular and diet) from your life.

I know it’s not easy, I used to drink loads of soda, it’s cheap and you can get it everywhere, but look at these reasons for quiting:

What is so Bad About Soda?

Would you ever think about sitting down and eating eight teaspoons of pure sugar at once?

Probably not. But when you drink a can of soda, that’s exactly what you’re doing, since one can of cola contains about 39 grams of sugar.

When you consider that the American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons of added sugar for women and nine teaspoons for men for the entire day, it’s easy to see why soda is on every doctor’s “no” list.

One of sugars effects is that it allows substances to transfer from the gut to the bloodstream, which can trigger obesity and other metabolic diseases. Sugar also feeds bad bacteria and yeast in the gut.

Too much added sugar, like the amounts found in soda, can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and certain types of cancer.

Soda is also a dentist’s nightmare – not just because of the sugar it contains, but also because of it contains acid that actually erodes your tooth enamel and increases your risk for plaque buildup, cavities, and decay.

As if all of that wasn’t bad enough, research also suggests that people who regularly drink sugary beverages like sodas have a poorer memory than those who don’t.

Diet Soda’s not as Bad Though, Right?

If most of the problems with soda seem to stem from its high sugar content, you’d probably assume that diet soda is a healthier choice. I used to think so, until I found out the truth:

The artificial sweetener Aspartame is regularly used in diet sodas, and when it’s consumed it breaks down into three chemical compounds: phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol.

The first two are amino acids that, once in the body, skip enzyme breakdown and go straight into the bloodstream, which can affect neuronal processes.

Methanol, however, is even nastier. It is converted to formaldehyde, a carcinogen that’s able to cross the blood-brain barrier. And although every other animal can process formaldehyde into a harmless substance, we humans lack the enzyme necessary for that change.

For those who switch from regular soda to diet soda to help treat (or reduce their risk of) type-2 diabetes, it may be surprising to learn that diet soda actually has the opposite effect, it can actually worsen the disease. And speaking of diseases, diet soda may also increase the risk of heart disease.

Artificial sweeteners, in general, also have a more intense taste than normal sugar, which can dull your taste buds, making it more difficult to enjoy naturally sweet foods like fruit and, therefore, increasing cravings for foods containing refined sugar.

It’s also likely that our bodies treat artificial sweeteners in the same way as sugar, meaning weight gain and other health concerns are still an issue.

Choosing diet soda as a mixer when enjoying a cocktail may help shave off a few calories, but it’s likely a poor choice when other factors are considered. It’s believed that artificial sweeteners are absorbed more quickly in the bloodstream than regular sugar, so you might find that your tolerance levels change when drinking cocktails mixed with diet drinks.

And just like regular soda, diet soda has zero nutritional value.

There is absolutely nothing in regular or diet soda that your body needs.

Healthy Alternatives to Soda

I took a little while to change away from soda, so don’t be too surprised if you struggle a bit, but my favourite now is to mix sparkling water with fruit juice.

That way I get a nice taste with the healthy aspects of water.

I also drink water first thing in the morning, which helps me feel less hungry when I first get up and helps keep me hydrated for the day.

Hope this helps you rethink your drinking habits, and helps reduce your sugar intake.