3 Real Reasons To Ditch Soda
Over the past couple decades, it has become increasingly known that soda is largely responsible for the obesity epidemic and skyrocketing healthcare costs in America. Many public health experts have even begun to push towards implementing a soda tax to help discourage people from consuming it. While weight gain and diabetes are clear repercussions of too much soda consumption, drinking these sugary beverages elicits some lesser-known health threats that are unveiled below.
Just How Much Sugar Is In Your Favorite "Healthy Juices"?
1. Soda causes hidden fat buildup around your organs
Danish researchers found that consuming non-diet soda leads to severe increases in dangerous invisible fats. Participants were asked to consume either soda sweetened with 50 percent glucose and 50 fructose, milk with the same amount of calories as regular soda, diet soda, or water each day for six months.
Though total fat mass remained consistent between all of the beverage-guzzling groups, researchers found huge spikes in hard-to-detect fats among drinkers of the regular cola. These participants experienced a 132 to 142 percent rise in liver fat, a 117 to 221 percent increase in skeletal fat, and approximately a 30 percent jump in triglyceride blood fats as well as other organ fat. Even worse, the regular soda sippers had an 11 percent cholesterol increase compared to members of the other groups.
Most American sodas are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup that can lead to even more buildup of these hidden fats. Plus, food dyes and artificial sweeteners have been connected with brain cell damage and hyperactivity in people.
Check Out A Healthy New Alternative To Soda!
2. Some soda contains toxic flame retardants
Many of America’s favorite sodas use toxic flame retardant chemicals in their ingredients to keep the artificial flavoring embedded within the remainder of the liquid. Brominated vegetable oil that’s also found in soda can even lead to bromide poisoning symptoms, such as skin lesions, nerve disorders, and even memory loss.
3. Soda consumption is an ongoing science experiment
The high-fructose corn syrup found in many soda beverages found on the market today is a heart-killing compound derived primarily from genetically engineered corn. This food engineering technology was introduced into our foods as recently as the 1990s, and because we don’t yet have a full understanding of the long-term health impacts associated with it, it might be best to wait a few decades before we give the shady stuff a real chance. Besides, consider this: some independent scientists are realizing that GE crops are associated with digestive tract damage, accelerated aging, and even infertility.
Always consult your chiropractor or primary care physician for all your health related advice.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Bradley Gordon