Diet Tips | Soda: Worth Eliminating
Soda is being consumed by Americans in record amounts. Most Americansdon’t even notice how much they drink; we grab a coke in the morning to wake us up, have a 20 oz with lunch, maybe grab one mid afternoon to get us through the workday, and often have it at night. One can easily drink hundreds of calories per day without ever noticing it! Science has linked soda to several health problems from obesity to tooth decay but, here are some more serious soda-caused conditions that may help you nip soda in the bud forever:
Pancreatic Cancer:
A new study released this week found that drinking two sodas a week was linked to increased incidences of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer a rare but deadly form of cancer — only around five percent of those stricken with it live five years or longer. Scientists believe that the high levels of sugar in soda may increase insulin levels in the body, which contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth.
Kidney Decline:
Artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas caused increased kidney decline when two or more drinks a day were consumed. Additionally, a study found that drinking soda put women at risk for early Kidney Disease. The study found that men were not at a similar risk. Women who drank two or more sodas in a 24-hour period were almost two times as likely to have signs of ablumenuria — an excess amount of a protein called albumin in the urine — which is an early marker for kidney disease.
Increased Risk of Miscariage:
A 2008 study found that high doses of daily caffeine during pregnancy — whether from coffee, tea, caffeinated soda or hot chocolate — cause an increased risk of miscarriage. Women who consumed 200 mg of caffeine or more a day (that’s five sodas or two cups of coffee) had twice the miscarriage risk as women who consumed no caffeine. The caffeine-miscarriage link is caused because fetuses have a difficult time metabolizing caffeine.
Increases of Gout in Men:
A 2008 study found that high levels of soda consumption increased the risk of contracting gout in men aged 40 and older. Increased levels of gout, a painful joint disease caused by excess uric acid in the blood, was found in men who consumed two or more soft drinks a week. While gout was typically treated by limiting meat and dairy intake, sugar intake was never considered a cause.
If you don’t feel that you are ready to give up soda just yet, here is our suggestion: Cut your soda intake in half. This may be hard for some but it will be easier to ween yourself off your sugar and caffeine addiction then just quitting cold turkey.
Next time you find yourself going to grab a soda, whether it be from the fridge, out to eat, or just the gas station, get water instead, your body and your wallet will be so much happier!
We found these soda facts at: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/latest/soda-research-health-effects#ixzz25TAxyetQ
