12 reasons that will make you quit soda drinks

Be it a party, movie, gathering, enjoying your “me time” or just quenching thirst on a hot sultry day, a chill, sparkling cola is the common beverage that lends itself to any occasion without a second thought. This fizzy liquid excites not just your taste buds but also your mind and body, making you reach out for more of it and enjoy every sip. But it’s time you change your beverage buddy, as these 13 reasons will show why it’s not a friend but a foe to your health.

Sugar 

The sweetness of your favourite soda is because of the large quantity of sugar added to it. A can of sweetened, flavoured soda (300ml) has 25g of sugar, which is the recommended limit for a day from all foods! With so much sugar going into your body in one time, all it does is convert to fat and make itself comfortable in your body but making your body uncomfortable.

Diseases 

Researches have positively linked the drinking of soft drinks to obesity, heart disease, blood pressure, kidney damage, reproductive disorders and diabetes to name a few. The risk of getting these diseases nearly doubles if you are a regular soft drink consumer. 

Tooth and bone decay

Soft drinks contain high levels of phosphoric acid which cause erosion of tooth enamel and bone loss leading to fractures. So if you want to save your smile, avoid painful trips to dentist and not get bone fractures easily, let go of those cans and bottles of soft drinks.

Artificial Sweeteners

Addition of artificial sweeteners in diet cola makes it calorie free, but not you. When you consume normal sugar (glucose) the body accurately determines that it has received enough calories, thereby signaling satiety or fullness. Incase of artificial sweetners like aspartame, the body assumes calories received due to the sweet taste,  but as it keeps waiting for the calories to come, the appetite is activated and sensations of hunger remains. Thus Aspartame can make you gain weight, by stimulating your appetite, increasing your cravings for carbohydrates (such has highly sweetened foods and drinks) and assisting in fat storage. Also, this “diet cola” are high in acidic content to balance out the extreme sweetness in them. Better to avoid such beverages.

Brown Colour

Majority of soft drinks form various companies are brown in colour. The brown colour is by addition of a caramel compound called 4-methylimidazole or 4-mel which is cancer causing. Hence, this cheaply made colour will later be expensive if you are a habitual soft drink consumer.

Empty calories

When you eat or drink anything it adds upto to your days intake of calories as well as nutrients. But in case of soft drinks all you get is calories and zero nutrients. Without these nutrients your body converts the sugary calories to fat. Such calories are called empty calories which are harmful to the body.

Dehydration

Do you head for a can of soda when you get thirsty? Then beware. This liquid candy will actually dehydrate you instead of quenching your thirst. The high sugar and caffeine in the soda leads to dehydration. Our suggestion is to replace your soda can with plain water from earthen pot or go through our list of natural healthy coolers. This will keep you hydrated and happy.

Fluctuating sugar levels

Sodas cause instant spike in blood sugar level, thus giving you a momentary boost of energy. The spike soon normalises leaving you hungry. You then again hunt for instant energizing foods and the cycle repeats. The only way to get out of this vicious cycle is to give up on the vicious drink.

The syrup

High fructose corn syrup is added to your favourite cola to make it sweet. But, this syrup is the sweet poison that leads to lifestyle diseases.

Teenage/ childhood obesity

Is your child a soft drink guzzler? Then you may want to reconsider his/her habit of soft drink consumption as it has been linked to childhood obesity and behavioural problems. Teenagers and children are among the highest soda consumers with easy access to sugary drinks at schools. Do not let your child develop a habit of regular soda drinking. Best way to keep your child hydrated is with plain water and by making sure he/she carries a water bottle whenever away from home.

Appetite loss

Soda suppresses your appetite and makes you eat less of other nutritious foods. This causes poor nutritional status which makes you fall sick more easily.

Water 

What is present in the highest quantity in the bubbly soda? Of course it’s plain water which is then decorated with many unhealthy ingredients to give you the liquid candy (soft drink). But how good is the water used in soft drinks? Generally the water used to make soft d­­­rinks has traces of elements like fluorine, chlorine, lead and other pollutants. Drinking loads of this will tax your liver and lead to liver diseases.­

So, the next time you go out dining or are asked for super-sizing your soft drink at the movies, think twice before having one as giving up on the “liquid candy” will do you nothing but good.