I love me some diet soda. Diet Coke, Diet Fresca, Diet A&W, Diet Sprite... I love them all! However, I get creeped out when I hear that diet soda may actually make people eat more (I don't need a bigger appetite) and that the plastic tubing in soda fountains at restaurants have to be replaced regularly because the acid eats through the plastic. Ahh.. just makes me want to pop the top on a cold one.
The pitfalls of soda usually come down to sugar(or artificial sweeteners), caffeine, preservatives and carbonated acid.
We all know that white sugar is empty calories and consuming too much is linked to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. Plus people are downing the soda instead of healthier drinks (like milk or water) and missing out on the nutrients (like calcium) they need. The average can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar. Ugh! So diet soda is the perfect solution right? I (and lots of others) have some strong feeling about artificial sweeteners, but I will save that for a later post.
Aside from all that sugar, there is the caffeine, preservatives and acid. Any dentist will tell you that the acidity of sodas (or any other carbonated drink) erodes tooth enamel. Acid oxidizes whatever it touches. If you left a metal spoon in a glass of soda, it would rust. Or if it is running through plastic tubing, it will eat through the tubing.
Caffeine is a diuretic (meaning it makes your urinate more). This sends good-for-you nutrients out of the body and can lead to dehydration.
Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on a can of soda? I have no idea what any of those things are and my grandma surely wouldn't recognize them either. Phosphoric acid is added to soda to give it the tangy taste and acts as a preservative. It is linked to an increase in kidney disease.
Sodium benzoate is a preservative used in sodas to prevent mold. It can damage DNA leading to Parkinson's and cirrhosis of the liver and turns into a carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substance when mixed with Vitamin C. Read more here
So, let's keep it real. I will still drink a can here and there, but it should be a treat not the go-to beverage of choice.
If you want to kick your soda habit, you can go cold-turkey or gradually reduce your intake. Every week cut your consumption in half. If you drink two cans a day, make it one a day this week. Then next week make it every other day and so on. You will probably feel the effects (less bloating, etc) immediately and see the results (whiter teeth, hydrated skin) soon thereafter.
As the warm weather approaches, here are some thirst-quenching alternatives to soda:
1) WATER - Water is what your body needs for hydration. nuff said. Flavor it up with a slice of lemon or lime.
2) Iced Tea - Make your own tea or ask for it unsweetened at restaurants. If you must add sweetener, use as little as you can tolerate.
3) Iced Coffee - Iced black coffee or iced lattes are both good for you. Again, go easy on the sweetener.
Other drinks like juices and carbonated flavored waters still have lots of sugar and/or carbonation and preservatives.
My takeaway: Aim to get 80% of your beverage consumption with water and 20% with all the others. Your body will thank you!
What do you think? What's your favorite alternative to soda? If your trying to cut back, tell me how its going.
The pitfalls of soda usually come down to sugar(or artificial sweeteners), caffeine, preservatives and carbonated acid.
We all know that white sugar is empty calories and consuming too much is linked to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. Plus people are downing the soda instead of healthier drinks (like milk or water) and missing out on the nutrients (like calcium) they need. The average can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar. Ugh! So diet soda is the perfect solution right? I (and lots of others) have some strong feeling about artificial sweeteners, but I will save that for a later post.
Aside from all that sugar, there is the caffeine, preservatives and acid. Any dentist will tell you that the acidity of sodas (or any other carbonated drink) erodes tooth enamel. Acid oxidizes whatever it touches. If you left a metal spoon in a glass of soda, it would rust. Or if it is running through plastic tubing, it will eat through the tubing.
Caffeine is a diuretic (meaning it makes your urinate more). This sends good-for-you nutrients out of the body and can lead to dehydration.
Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on a can of soda? I have no idea what any of those things are and my grandma surely wouldn't recognize them either. Phosphoric acid is added to soda to give it the tangy taste and acts as a preservative. It is linked to an increase in kidney disease.
Sodium benzoate is a preservative used in sodas to prevent mold. It can damage DNA leading to Parkinson's and cirrhosis of the liver and turns into a carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substance when mixed with Vitamin C. Read more here
So, let's keep it real. I will still drink a can here and there, but it should be a treat not the go-to beverage of choice.
If you want to kick your soda habit, you can go cold-turkey or gradually reduce your intake. Every week cut your consumption in half. If you drink two cans a day, make it one a day this week. Then next week make it every other day and so on. You will probably feel the effects (less bloating, etc) immediately and see the results (whiter teeth, hydrated skin) soon thereafter.
As the warm weather approaches, here are some thirst-quenching alternatives to soda:
1) WATER - Water is what your body needs for hydration. nuff said. Flavor it up with a slice of lemon or lime.
2) Iced Tea - Make your own tea or ask for it unsweetened at restaurants. If you must add sweetener, use as little as you can tolerate.
3) Iced Coffee - Iced black coffee or iced lattes are both good for you. Again, go easy on the sweetener.
Other drinks like juices and carbonated flavored waters still have lots of sugar and/or carbonation and preservatives.
My takeaway: Aim to get 80% of your beverage consumption with water and 20% with all the others. Your body will thank you!
What do you think? What's your favorite alternative to soda? If your trying to cut back, tell me how its going.
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