If you’ve read the recent facts about soda, you may be as outraged as I am with the new commercial from Coke. I was watching one of my favorite programs the other day and as always, there was a commercial break. A young actress came on the screen and said, “Look, here’s the thing about Diet Coke. “It’s delicious. It makes me feel good. Life is short. If you want to live in a yurt, yurt it up. If you want to run in a marathon, I mean, that sounds super hard, but OK. I mean, just do you…” Basically, it was saying we know it’s not healthy, but do it anyway. Ironically, right afterward, a commercial saying the health risks of smoking and how you should quit followed it.
Dangers of regular cola or soda.
Might as well load up a glass with sugar if you’re drinking a soft drink. A single can of cola has approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar. Since the recommended guidelines for adding sugar to your daily diet limits it to just 6 teaspoons, just one takes you well over that limit. There’s a lot of sweetness we don’t taste in a Coke because of the phosphoric acid that offsets it on our taste buds. That doesn’t stop it from spiking blood sugar levels, though. It increases blood pressure levels, increases the risk of diabetes and increases the risk of heart disease.
The added sugar to your diet can cause extra pounds.
Seriously, Coca Cola and Pepsi aren’t the only soft drinks that can pack on the pounds. Some other soft drinks, like Fanta, have even more sugar. When you consider the empty calories–over 100 per 8 oz serving—and the food you could have eaten instead, you may reconsider your choice of drinks. Grabbing a bottle of water is far better for your health.
Diet soft drinks may even be less healthy.
You won’t get the sugar that’s in regular cola or other soft drinks, but you won’t be doing yourself a favor with diet drinks either. Your blood sugar levels do fluctuate with diet soda, since the body is tricked into thinking it’s drinking a sugar drink. It puts you at risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and even increases the risk for heart attack.
- One study found that anyone 69 or older who drank diet soda increased their risk dying of blood vessel problems, heart attack or stroke by 43%.
- Studies show that people who drink diet colas often weigh more and have more visceral fat. It affects your metabolism by affecting the bacteria in your digestive system.
- Drinking several diet sodas throughout the day can affect your kidneys and put you at risk for kidney disease.
- The best alternative for diet drinks and regular soft drinks is water. It’s actually easier on your budget, too. You can create your own drink by simply turning on the tap or if your water tastes terrible, getting a cooler for your home as a treat or buying bottled water at the store.