The health dangers of sugary soft drinks
How popular are sodas?
Today, in the United States, sugary soft drinks are replacing healthier drinks like milk. There are many radio and TV soda ads that try to get you to buy your soda, but what they don’t tell you is how bad it is for you. These sugar-filled sodas cause not only weight gain, but also type 2 diabetes. People who consume 1-2 cans of sugar and soda a day have a 26% increased risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease along with obesity, according to Harvard University.
How much sugar in soft drinks?
In a 20 ounce bottle of a sugar soda has 16-20 teaspoons of sugar. Yet millions of Americans drink more than one 20-ounce bottle of soda a day. The more cans or bottles you drink, the more sugar you consume, which leads to weight gain. Some people believe that soft drinks fill you up, but they don’t. In fact, sugar increases hunger which leads to obesity. Let’s say you ate a high-calorie meal at McDonald’s with a sugary drink, you increased your calorie intake even further, up to over 1000 calories.
obesity is on the rise
In the United States, 2 out of 3 adults are obese and 1 out of 3 children are also obese from drinking sugary drinks, and that number will continue to rise over time. If you want to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, stop drinking these high fructose soft drinks. Instead, choose healthy drinks like milk or sparkling water. That way, you’ll reduce your risk of adult-onset diabetes.
Sugar is converted to fat in the liver
Sugar is made up of two molecules: glucose and fructose. Glucose metabolizes every cell in your body, while fructose is metabolized only in the liver. When we consume these sugary soft drinks, our liver is overloaded and as a result, the liver will store more fat, making us overweight. Some of the fat turns into high triglycerides (blood fats) that can lead to heart disease over time.
Increase belly fat
Sugar, especially fructose, stores body fat around the abdomen and other organs, also called visceral fat. During a 10-week study, 32 people drank two types of beverages, glucose or fructose. People who drank glucose drinks had only subcutaneous fat (not related to metabolic diseases) while people who drank high fructose soft drinks had increased visceral fat which leads to metabolic diseases.
High fructose drinks linked to heart disease
During the 1960s and 1970s, studies found that regular soft drinks were linked to certain diseases like adult-onset diabetes, high triglycerides (fats in the blood), and high cholesterol that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Cancer risk in sugary soft drinks
In a study of 60,000 men and women, those who drank regular soft drinks had an 87% increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. In women after menopause, they were found to have an increased risk of endometrial cancer and an increased risk of colon cancer in both men and women.
risk of dental caries
Eventually, drinking too many regular sodas will cause cavities. Sodas have phosphoric acid and carbonic acid, which makes the mouth sour. Sugar provides digestible energy for the bad bacteria in your mouth; however, combine it with acids, it’s a disaster for your teeth and gums.
How to stay healthier
If you want to stay healthy over time and lose weight, avoid these sugary sodas. Will pay overtime.