Soda Is a Killer!
I’ve already talked about this before I feel like I really need to revisit this topic. So many patients come into the clinic and just can’t seem to believe 
that pop is that bad for them. This is often what I hear, “Come on, it can’t be that bad”, “I only have it as an occasional treat”, or “People have been drinking it for years and they’re okay”. So let’s get down to it and address each of these statements!
“Come on, it can’t be that bad!”
It not only is that bad, it’s even worse! It is absolutely and without a doubt one of the worst things you can consume. I’m not going to sugarcoat it because I think that would be doing a disservice to everyone. Let’s break down what’s in a can of pop if you don’t believe me:
- 10 teaspoons of sugar! Which by the way, is more than 100% of the the recommended daily intake. Two cans of pop will also suppress your immune system for up to 48 hours! Yet we allow children to drink this.
- 150 completely useless and empty calories! Meaning you’re drinking something that gives you absolutely zero nutrition.
- 30 to 55 mg of caffeine! For the record, children should ideally be consuming no caffeine at all. And definitely not 30 to 55 mg of it!
- High fructose corn syrup! Enough said.
- Artificial food colouring & sulphites! Harmful and unnatural chemicals that should not be consumed by human beings. Please don’t use the standard “but it’s in everything” because that’s not a valid argument.
“People have been drinking it for years and they’re okay!”
Actually, no they’re not okay at all. Let’s look at why I say that:
- Obesity: One can of pop a day may add up to fifteen pounds of fat each year. Research has stated again and again that soda is one of the main contributors to the high rates of obesity in North America.
- Diabetes: One can of pop a day increases the risk of diabetes by 85 percent. That’s huge. Just think of it the opposite way. If you’re currently drinking one can of pop a day, stopping will decrease your risk of diabetes by 85 percent.
- Tooth Decay: This one is apparent because of the high levels of sugar found in pop. Another, less known fact is that the acids in pop starts to dissolve tooth enamel in only 20 minutes. It’s not good for your teeth and it’s not good for your body.
- Weakened Bones: The phosphorus in soda depletes bone calcium. Please note that I didn’t say it may deplete bone calcium because it does deplete bone calcium. Bones become much more porous, brittle, and prone to fractures with the consumption of pop. Young children are supposed to be building bone strength but by drinking pop, they are depleting the very source of bone strength. By the age of 30, women will have gained all the calcium they can possibly add to their bones and after that age, they begin to lose it. So during those critical years, it’s imperative to stay away from pop.
Pop has also been linked to insomnia, increased blood pressure, vitamin & mineral depletion, breast lumps, epilepsy, brain tremors, birth defects, and some cancers to name just a few. I’d have to say that people definitely
aren’t doing too well with pop consumption.
“I only have it as an occasional treat!”
First of all, that’s a lot of treats that people are drinking. More than 15 billion gallons of soda were sold in 2000 in the United States. That number has only risen and Canada is hardly different. That’s enough for every person on the entire planet to have one 12 ounce can! Clearly, soda has become more than an occasional treat for a lot of people.
Secondly, let’s discuss what this ‘treat’ does to your body:
- 10 minutes after drinking soda – The sugar causes the system to crash. It is so severe that your body would actually throw it back up but the phosphoric acid in soda prevents you from vomiting it up.
- 20 minutes after drinking soda – Your blood sugar has risen drastically. Your liver and insulin respond by turning the sugar into FAT. It’s the only way your body can cope with what you’ve just done to it.
- 40 minutes after drinking soda – The caffeine absorption is now complete. In case you’re wondering, this is bad for your body. Basically your pupils dilate, blood pressure goes way up, and the liver dumps even more sugar into the blood.
- 45 minutes after drinking soda – Your body experiences increased dopamine production. This is similar to the body’s response to hard drugs such as heroin and stimulates the pleasure center of the brain.
- 60 minutes after drinking soda – You experience a sugar crash. Your body will crave more sugar to get that rush back and the cycle starts all over again.
Still think soda is such a treat?! Your body sure doesn’t. If you’re still not convinced, please go back and read http://drbinningsdose.com/2011/10/25/563/ I hope that what you read may help change your mind about the way you view soda and maybe help you realize just how bad it really is!
Have a healthy and happy long weekend!