Soft Drinks - The #1 Beverage in America?
posted Wednesday, 18 November 2009
A primary factor that contributes to degenerative diseases plaguing America happens to be the #1 drink in America - soft drinks. Soft drinks are readily accessible everywhere. There are some kids that don't even know that there is something else to drink, or if they do, would not want anything other than the addicting soft drink.
In my November 15th article, Soft Drinks Fill Beverage Case in Chinese Restaurant, I gave some interesting statistics such as the average American drinks an estimated 56 gallons of soft drinks each year; one can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites; soda accounts for more than one-quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States; teenage boys drink, on average, three or more cans of soda per day, and 10 percent drink seven or more cans a day, while teen age girls drink more than two cans of soda a day, and 10 percent drink more than five cans a day.
Is sugar harmful to your health? Absolutely! Sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging, to name a few things.
Sugar substitutes do not reduce the dependence on or craving for sweet-tasting foods. Some people actually gain weight when they drink diet sodas. The most widely used artificial sweetener (aspartame) is a neurotoxic substitute that has been associated with numerous health problems, including dizziness, visual impairment, severe muscle aches, numbing of extremities, pancreatitis, high blood pressure, retinal hemorrhaging, seizures and depression. It is also suspected of causing birth defects and chemical disruptions in the brain.
In a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services entitled Symptoms attributed to aspartame in Complaints Submitted to the FDA, 92 symptoms were listed including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. When aspartame is stored for long periods of time or dept in warm areas it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are know carcinogens.
Saccharin is a white, crystalline powder or solid. Sodium or calcium saccharin is used in many low calorie or reduced calorie foods. In addition, they are used in toothpaste, mouthwash, and other dental care products.
Saccharin has appeared on the "Hazardous Substance List" for irritating the skin and causing skin allergies. Sodium saccharin has been linked to increased incidence of bladder tumors in male rats when consumed at very high doses.
In addition to sugar or sugar substitutes, most soft drinks contain PHOSPHORIC ACID - which is what gives them their "kick." However, phosphoric acid blocks the absorption of calcium and magnesium in the intestines, thus contributing directly to fragile, easily fractured bones in children and osteoporosis or bone loss in adults. Magnesium deficiency contributes to impairment of the immune system, fatigue, high blood pressure and many other ailments. Phosphoric acid may also be a major cause of kidney stones, may also interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones.
Many soft drinks also contain CAFFEINE. Caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands to release an adrenaline-like substance, which in turn causes the liver to release sugar into the blood stream. That is what gives the "lift" when drinking beverages with caffeine. The problem is that the delicate blood-sugar-regulation mechanism cannot tolerate the constant stimulation of habitual caffeine consumption. Often the blood sugar lowering mechanisms overreact, causing low blood sugar and its associated complaints of chronic fatigue, dizziness, depression, allergies, and behavioral disorders. Prolonged use of caffeine can contribute to any one of a number of serious diseases such as cancer, bone loss, mental disorders and birth defects.
Caffeinated drinks cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, and birth defects.
Soft drinks have a variety of artificial flavoring, colorings, and preservatives. Common artificial colorings in sodas include Amaranth (red), Bordeaux (brown) Orange 1 (yellow) and Ponceau (scarlet dyes, all of which are unfit for human consumption. Yellow dye #6 found in candy and sodas, increases the number of kidney and adrenal gland tumors in lab rats.
Also be careful of fruit juice. The process of juicing fruit concentrates its sweetness. There is as much sugar in a glass of orange juice as there is in a candy bar. Only have an ounce or two of juice at a time, diluted with water.
It seems as though when you take away soft drinks and fruit juices, there is not a lot of other choices to drink. Instead of focusing on what is not good, let's focus on what we can have to help us be healthy. You might have guessed the perfect beverage - pure, filtered water. More on water in my next article.
I am a Wellness Coach, where coaching is by phone from the comfort of your own home. Contact me for a FREE consultation by email: mywellnesscoach@verizon.net or on my website:
www.MyPersonalWellnessCoach.com
Barbara Leynor
Certified Wellness Coach
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