The first thing most of us would opt for on a hot summer day is a bottle of soda. While a lot has already been advocated about the disastrous health effects of drinking soda, we tend to opt for these drinks on a regular basis. Some of the reasons for this include their taste, convenience and affordability.
Of course, the myriad promotions and advertisements for these products do a very good job of brainwashing us into buying these sodas whenever we get the chance. But to which extent would we be willing to let go of health in order to give taste the first preference? Take a look at what you stand to benefit from the same.
Zero Nutritional Value
Soda is nothing but a liquid with no nutritional value at all. All you can find in these drinks are filtered water, refined sugars and plenty of gas that do more bad than good to your body.
Dehydration
Sodas may quench your thirst for the moment. However, the caffeine and sugar content in sodas actually contain dehydrating properties that would strip your body of all the water it has, thus making you thirsty and ready for the next bottle of soda in no time at all.
Diabetes
Studies have revealed that soda is the number one cause for diabetes in the U.S. Sodas can inhibit the body’s natural ability to process the sugars that it absorbs. This, in turn, would increase the sugar content in your blood, thereby contributing directly to Type II diabetes.
Obesity
Soda also happens to be one of the main reasons for rising obesity concerns in countries like the U.S. While sodas do not contain any nutritional values, they are loaded with plenty of calories that add on oodles of weight to the body. In fact, it has been found out that drinking at least 330 ml of soda a day can lead to a weight gain of over 1lb in just a month.
Cavities and Dental Erosion
It is a known fact that soda can have detrimental effects on your teeth. In addition to eating away the tooth enamel, soda can triple the risks of experiencing tooth decay at a young age itself. Regular consumption of soda can therefore, make your teeth weaker and more sensitive with time, eventually leading to dental erosion.
Digestive Disorders
Not many know that soda is a very acidic beverage (2.5pH). The body itself can tolerate only 2.0pH. So consider the effect the soda would have on your body all the way from the throat to the stomach. The abnormal acidic environment caused by the soda would hence, create a slew of digestive disorders, including gas, bloating and indigestion, etc.
Osteoporosis
Soda is known to contain high levels of phosphoric acid which can restrict the amount of calcium produced by the body. In addition to causing dental issues, this would lead to the bones softening with time, eventually leading to osteoporosis. Drinking plenty of soda can therefore, increase your chances of getting osteoporosis at a young age itself.
Chronic Heart Disease
Studies have revealed that drinking soda on a regular basis can increase your chances of suffering from chronic heart disease. Regular consumption of soda increases the risks of suffering from heart attacks and strokes as well.
Neurological Disorders
Soda does not let your brain escape unscathed. Regular consumption of soda can have its share of side effects on the brain as well. Increased levels of sugar present in the soda would inhibit the amount of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which, in turn, would lead to several cognitive impairments like learning, concentration and memory problems.
A lot of us tend to drink soda on a regular basis. While they may taste good and quench our thirst at that moment, sodas are best avoided for the myriad health problems they cause.