Cut out the killer colas ........
Most of us opt for a soft drink when thirsty. But have you thought of what it does inside the body?
We know that colas are bad for health; yet, most of us drink them all the time. In the 1970s, a soft drink was a treat. Today, a chilled cola is the first thing we reach out for after a hot trip. For the hip youth, they are the ‘right’ choice. Buying (and guzzling down!) a 600 ml bottle of cola on the way home from school has become routine for children.
Research has now categorically proved that a glass of fizzy soft drink — or soda as it is called in the U.S. — is nothing less than a killer assault on the body! Consider this: One can of soda (330 ml) contains about 8-10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites. How can a drink that provides a whole lot of calories, sugar and caffeine be good for health?
What it does ?
What exactly does soda do inside our body? Within 10 minutes of drinking a cola, a huge dose of sugar hits our system. Within 20 minutes, blood sugar spikes and is promptly converted to fat by the liver. Within 40 minutes, all the caffeine from the soda dilates the pupils, raises blood pressure and the liver dumps more sugar into the blood. The high sugar and caffeine in our blood gives us a ‘Feel Good’ high. However, soon thereafter, blood sugar begins to crash giving way to tiredness, lethargy and fatigue. Drink soda twice or thrice a day and our body keeps roller coasting between sugar highs and lows throughout! What’s more, drinking a single can a day translates to more than a pound of weight gain every month. And doubles the risk of diabetes! To make matters worse, phosphoric acid — added to colas for their distinct ‘tang’ — pulls calcium out of bones and weakens them for life. It also dissolves tooth enamel causing cavities and promotes formation of kidney stones. The caffeine — the ‘kick’ part of the soda — causes jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. Lately, doctors are warning that excessive cola consumption can lead to anything from mild weakness to profound muscle paralysis. This is because the drink can cause your blood potassium to drop dangerously low. Sodium benzoate — the preservative in soft drinks — can alter DNA eventually increasing our risk for liver damage and Parkinson’s disease.
Give it up :)
So there is absolutely no reason why anyone should ever drink soda. None at all. If you are a soda drinker (otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this), giving up this habit is the easiest way to improve health. So, take soda off your shopping list. Try a tall glass of chilled water instead. Add a dash of lemon — it is tasty, refreshing and harmless.
A posting on the Internet: My grandfather just turned 99. The secret to his long life and health? “I’ve never drunken cola. It’s poison!” If you think diet sodas are a healthy alternative, nothing could be further from truth.
In fact, diet colas often pack a lot more (20-47 per cent more) caffeine compared to regular cola. Aspartame -—the chemical in diet soda — causes slow damage over time: brain tumours, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures are a few of the 92 side-effects associated with the chemical. Anxiety, depression, dizziness, panic attacks, nausea, irritability and impaired memory/concentration are some of its immediate effects. They may even induce a whole set of physiologic and hormonal responses that actually make you gain extra pounds!
