Consumption of soft drinks can have several health consequences, as they are composed of large amounts of sugar and components that can compromise the functioning of the body, such as phosphoric acid, corn syrup and potassium.
In addition, soft drinks have no nutritional value and contain large amounts of salt, which promotes water retention, weight gain, full stomach and swollen legs.
Some of the main health consequences of soft drinking are
A single can of soda contains about 10 tablespoons of sugar, which greatly increases blood sugar and decreases the action of insulin in the body. For example, if consumed regularly, soft drinks can promote weight gain and promote the long-term development of diabetes.
Also, when your blood sugar increases too fast, such as after drinking a can of soda, it’s normal to be hungrier, which encourages the person to eat and contributes to weight gain.
Most sodas contain a large amount of phosphoric acid that prevents the body from absorbing the calcium needed to strengthen bones. In this way, people who drink sodas can usually develop problems such as cavities or osteoporosis.
This phosphoric acid also makes it difficult for the stomach to produce stomach acid, delaying the process of digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Because of the acidity of soft drinks, the body needs to use calcium, which would be used in the bones, to aid digestion and balance pH.
Thus, the kidneys should eliminate the calcium used in this process, which increases the risk of kidney stones, due to the accumulation of calcium inside.
Soft drinks can cause a gradual increase in blood pressure, especially due to their high amounts of sodium and caffeine. In addition, several studies indicate that excessive consumption of fructose, which is the sugar found in soft drinks, is also a major cause of high blood pressure.
This type of drink can cause changes in the brain due to its caffeine content, as it stimulates various substances in the body that may be related to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, for example. Caffeine can also cause insomnia, restlessness, tremors and headaches.
Soft drinks also contain another substance called sodium benzoate, which may also be related to changes in memory, motor coordination, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
Because it is high in sugar, frequent soft drink consumption increases the risk of cancer, even in people with low weight. In addition, its consumption promotes weight gain and the development of diabetes, problems that are also related to the increased risk of cancer.
Soda is bad during pregnancy because it causes abdominal discomfort, contributes to weight gain, and can lead to water retention. In addition, cola-based soft drinks, such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, contain a lot of caffeine, which during pregnancy cannot exceed 200 mg per day. If the pregnant woman drinks 2 cups of coffee a day, she can no longer drink caffeine.
Soft drinks containing caffeine should also not be drunk during breast-feeding, as caffeine passes into breast milk and can cause insomnia in the baby.
In children, however, sodas can hinder physical and mental development, as well as facilitate the onset of diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Soft drinks should be excluded from the baby’s diet and fruit juices, in addition to water, can be chosen for proper water intake.
One way to replace soft drinks is to consume flavored water, also known as flavored water. In fact, gas water is usually used and fruits such as lemon, strawberry or orange are added, for example, that can remind us of the taste of soda. Check out some flavored water recipes.
Discover the health benefits of sparkling water by watching the video below: