Soft drinks have become the beverage of choice for
many people, replacing healthier drinks such as water and milk. People
in different parts of the country refer to soft drinks with many
different names. Although they are pleasing to the palate, drinking soft
drinks on a regular basis poses many disadvantages.
Dehydration
Water makes up approximately 60 percent of your total body weight. Each
day you lose water through urination, breathing and sweating. The lost
water must be replaced to keep your body functioning. Although the
recommended fluid intake varies based on your health, your level of
activity and where you live, doctors generally recommend adults drink 8
to 9 cups a day, according to MayoClinic.com. Replacing water with soft
drinks fails to provide adequate hydration because the high sugar
content and caffeine in soft drinks promote dehydration.
|
|
Too Much Sugar
Regular soft drinks, meaning those not sold as diet soft drinks, contain
significant amounts of sugar. One can of cola contains 39 g of sugar
which equals 3.3 tbsp. of sugar, according to Wichita State University.
Consuming foods containing so much added sugar contributes to increased
blood glucose levels, a condition that increases the risk of developing
diabetes and provides additional calories.
Empty Calories
The U.S. Department of Agriculture 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
suggests the average adult consume between 1,800 and 2,500 calories per
day, depending on gender and level of activity. To meet your daily
nutritional needs, meaning to get the recommended amounts of vitamins
and minerals, within your daily calorie intake you need to consume
nutrient dense foods -- foods that provide the highest level of
nutrients in the fewest calories. The average can of cola contain 140
calories. Drinking soft drinks in the place of other beverages such as
water significantly increases your calorie intake without providing any
nutrients.
|
|
Carbonation
Soft drinks contain carbonation. To carbonate a liquid you must saturate
it with carbon dioxide creating carbonic acid -- the hydrated form of
carbon dioxide. The carbonation creates the tiny bubbles that give soft
drinks their distinctive feel in the mouth. Although carbonation is one
of the factors that draws so many to drink soft drinks, ingesting
carbonation causes a buildup of gases in the body that leads to
excessive burping.
|
|
Reduction in Healthy Foods
Maintaining a healthy weight requires eating a low-fat diet that
provides only the number of calories you body needs to function.
Consuming more calories than you body uses within a day leads to weight
gain. A study conducted by Bowman and associates and published in the
January 2004 issue of "Pediatrics" reveals that children who consume
sugar-sweetened soft drinks drink less milk and eat less fruits and
vegetables. This combination of factors increases the risk of obesity, a
condition that affects one-third of the adults in the U.S., according to
the 2007-2008 statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. |