Carbonated Drinks

Statistics show that The United States tops the list of countries for soft drink consumption. Studies show that milk or plain water in the diet of American people has been replaced by carbonated drinks. Low price, caffeine addiction, peer effect, vigorous advertising campaigns, good taste and flavors, easy availability, are some of the reasons behind increased consumption of these drinks. Majority of people do not know that excessive consumption of fizzy drinks leads to severe health complications.

Effects of carbonated Beverages on Human Body

Various types of sodas and soft drinks are served with snacks and meals in restaurants. After watching T.V. commercials, children demand soft drinks and soon become soft-drinks addicts. People just ignore the fact that they consume extra calories when they drink a can of their favorite soft drink. Researches show that drinking a single 330 ml can a day of sugary drinks can lead to weight gain of more than 1 pound per month. This is one of the main causes of increasing obesity worldwide. Moreover, sodas do not offer any nutritional benefits. Carbonated drinks and weight loss can never go hand in hand. Those who are on weight loss diet should strictly avoid fizzy drinks.

Aerated drinks (including sodas) contain refined sugars which can cause elevated blood cholesterol levels and phosphorus levels resulting in increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. They can cause tooth decay, high blood pressure, weight gain, premature aging, etc. Aspartame, the artificial sweetener used in these drinks is known as silent killer. It can cause shortness of breath, high blood pressure, tachycardia, gastrointestinal problems and it can affect your vision and hearing capacity also.

Phosphoric acid from these drinks is in fact an anti-nutrient, as it neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach and destroys the capacity of the body to absorb essential elements like iron, calcium, magnesium. Damaged stomach function can result in indigestion, bloating and worsen the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and several other stomach problems. Formation of kidney and bladder stones (calcium phosphate) is attributed to the presence of phosphoric acid in the body.

It is a fact that most of the popular aerated drinks contain high amount of phosphate and virtually no calcium. Do you know that high phosphate levels are responsible for extraction of calcium from bones? Regular consumption of these drinks can make your bones weak. Excessive consumption of carbonated beverages can lead to bone loss which may eventually result in osteoporosis.

Ingestion of excessive caffeine results in loss of calcium from bones, irregular heart beats, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, stiff muscles, depression and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms in women. Caffeine exhibits diuretic properties and increases the urine volume. This can cause dehydration. You should read more on effects of soda on body.

High fructose corn syrup, aspartame, caffeine, phosphoric acid, citric acid, artificial flavors, etc. are some of the common soda ingredients. They can cause removal of tooth enamel and tooth decay. They can lead to kidney diseases. Mineral imbalance and acidity of the carbonated beverages give rise to several health complications.

Soft drinks can destroy your health. Carbon acids from the drinks can drastically change your blood pH level. You may suffer from acidity, heartburn, leading to acid peptic disease and even cancer. Excessive consumption of carbonated beverages can result in dysfunction of liver. The linings of the mouth, pharynx and esophagus are damaged as an effect of acidity.

Dentists ask you to avoid aerated beverages after tooth extraction as the emitted bubbles are likely to take out the newly formed clot from the socket. Because of the recently experienced excruciating pain, people strictly follow dentist's instructions at that time. But, if such instructions are religiously followed for the rest of the life, one can lead a healthy and active life. Actually it is easy to quit carbonated drinks. Several healthy options are available in the market. People can easily prevent illnesses and diseases by preventing their causes. But they do exactly the opposite. They encourage illnesses and diseases.

The healthy options which can satisfy your taste buds and can improve your health are clean plain water, milk (soy milk, almond milk, etc.), milkshakes, lemon water, fresh fruit juices, coconut water or herbal teas like green tea. I hope this article creates awareness regarding quitting carbonated drinks and opting for healthy drinks.