The United States consumes more soft drinks than any other country, with a high per-capita consumption level at 150 quarts per year, or three quarts per week. Soft drinks are available everywhere, from vending machines, restaurants, to public schools across the U.S. With the increase of health concerns in recent years, there has been much speculation on the negative health effects of soft drinks. We’ll clarify these acquisitions with help from the experts.
Obesity
Scientists confirm the high levels of sugar and calories in soft drinks and low levels of nutrients contribute to obesity amongst people of any age. The combination of junk food, heavy consumption of soft drinks, television, video games, and computers contributed to a 300% increase in child obesity in recent years. The Phosphoric acid in soft drinks contends with the hydrochloric acid of the stomach and negatively affects its functions causing indigestion, gassiness or bloating (swelling of stomach).
Weakens Bones
Studies show that consuming soft drinks reduces calcium levels, and promotes higher levels of phosphate in the blood. With the combination of these two factors, calcium is forced to be extracted from the bones which weakens your bones. In children, soft drinks can impair calcification of growing bones causing osteoporosis.
Tooth Decay
Soft drinks contain high levels of sugar and acid which dissolve tooth enamel, and increase tooth decay. The soft drink industry has admitted to this negative health effect of drinking soft drinks. To lower risk of tooth decay reduce sugar levels, maintain a healthy diet, and consume water on a daily basis.
Caffeine Dependency
Caffeine has the potential of becoming very dependent by people of any age, including more negative effects in children. Caffeine agitates healthy sleep patterns by stimulating the nervous system; it also promotes dehydration as the stomach produces acids aggravating hyperacidity.
Malnutrition
When people become dependent upon the caffeine they deny themselves of the proper vitamins, and nutrients to sustain a healthy lifestyle, thus disrupting the body’s natural growth. Soft drinks are the #1 source of caffeine in children’s diets, with 45 to 100 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can; this is almost equivalent to coffee.
Undermine Future Health in Children
In addition to the negative effects mentioned above, drinking soft drinks early in a child’s life can increase dependency later in life. This will contribute to a very unhealthy lifestyle: weak bones, obesity, tooth decay, and many other factors.
Increased Aging Effects
Soft drinks lack vitamins and minerals for a healthy diet, and force people to neglect healthy fruit juices and water. Various vitamins can help improve the skin’s health including vitamins A, C, E, K, and B complexes. When the vitamins are not supplied to the body you are more prone to wrinkles and aging.
Helpful Tips
We recommend changing your diet to fit a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating healthy daily servings of fruit, vegetables, proteins, “good” fats, and carbohydrates. Also, change your drinking patterns to consume higher servings of water (eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day), 100% fruit juices, and milk.
Resources:
http://www.naturalnews.com/004416.html
http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/cocacola021605.cfm
http://nutrihealth.in/2008/07/why-should-you-not-drink-coke/
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