Reasons Not To Drink Soda

7 Reasons to Avoid All Soda (Even Diet)

The new fad today is 'Diet Soda' that claims to have less amount of sugar. There are studies that show soda is very bad for your health. They claim it causes dental caries, obesity, diabetes, dehydration, lowering of immunity, calcium loss, depletion of minerals, osteoporosis, deprivation of oxygen to the body parts, etc., the list is endless. So what are these soda ingredients that can cause the innumerable health problems and yet we cannot stop ourselves from drinking them? Is it the attractive colors like orange, green, black, brown, pink, etc. that make you have a sip of the artificial taste? Let us learn about the various ingredients of soda to help us answer our doubt.

Ingredients in Soda
Soda ingredients basically comprise of water, sweeteners, an acid and some flavor. The extra or optional ingredients include fruit or fruit juice, carbon dioxide, preservatives and color. 86% of carbonated drink or soda comprises of water. The sugar added to soda is mostly sucrose that is made up of two simple sugars, fructose and glucose. This sugar provides about 17kJ/g of energy to the body. There are many other artificial sweeteners added like aspartame. This aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar, so the manufactures add very little of it to the soda.

The natural flavors added are derived from fruits, vegetables, nuts, leaves, herbs, spices, etc. The sodas that are added with natural ingredients require preservatives to prevent spoilage. The artificial flavor added can give you many choices and flavors. There are many artificial flavors that mimic natural flavors very well.

But that innocent-looking can of soda pop, no matter what it’s sweetened with, may be taking a toll on your immunity. Here’s why:

1. The preservatives added like citric acid and phosphoric acids help not only in preventing spoilage, but giving a distinct tartness or bite to the drink. If there is too much citric acid or phosphoric acid in the blood, you will need calcium to help normalize the pH of the blood. The calcium is leached from the bones that leads to osteoporosis. Thus, many teenagers complain of weak bones due to excessive soda drinking. Therefore, people who drink sodas instead of healthy beverages (think low-fat milk and pure fruit juice) are less likely to get adequate vitamin A, calcium, and magnesium. The phosphoric acid contained in soda depletes calcium and magnesium. These two nutrients help keep your immunity operating at peak efficiency.

2. Sodas containing high-fructose corn syrup also contain high levels of free radicals linked to tissue damage, the development of diabetes, and diabetic complications.

3. Sodium benzoate (E211) is a preservative in carbonated drinks (carbonic acid). Professor Peter W Piper of the University of Sheffield claims that sodium benzoate by itself can damage and inactivate vital parts of DNA in a cell's mitochondria. Mitochondria consume oxygen to generate ATP, the body's energy currency. If they are damaged due to disease, the cell malfunctions and may enter apoptosis. There are many illnesses now tied to DNA damage, including Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases, but above all, the aging process in general.

4. Plastic soda (and water) bottles contain a toxic chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) that can leach from bottles into soda…into you. Emerging evidence links BPA to a myriad of maladies, including immune system depression. Public health experts recommend that we protect children from exposure to products containing BPA-especially those they consume or use every day.



5. Diet soda actually contributes to weight gain. A study of 1,550 people concluded that people who drink diet soda have a 41 percent increased risk of being overweight or obese-for every can or bottle they drink per day! Turns out, any sweet taste signals body cells to store fat and carbohydrates, which makes you hungrier. Sweet tastes also promote insulin release, which blocks your body’s ability to burn fat. The hard truth: No published study has ever proven that drinking diet soda will help you lose weight.

6. Caffeine is an age-old ingredient of soda which is nothing but extracted cola leaf and cola nut. Excessive caffeine in the body can cause dehydration of the body. It will also lead to large scale depletion of minerals from the body. The bubbly appeal of soda drinks is due to carbon dioxide. The process called carbonation that occurs under pressure and chilled temperatures helps adding the bubbles to the soft drink. This makes the drink refreshing and adds the zing in soda. The carbonated water ingested with every soda bottle decreases the oxygen in blood by 25% for up to 3 hours. 

7. Hyperactivity. 

Research published in 2007 for the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) suggests that certain artificial colours, when paired with sodium benzoate (E211) may be linked to hyperactive behaviour. The results were inconsistent regarding sodium benzoate, so the FSA recommended further study.

Professor Jim Stevenson from Southampton University, and author of the report, said: "This has been a major study investigating an important area of research. The results suggest that consumption of certain mixtures of artificial food colours and sodium benzoate preservative are associated with increases in hyperactive behaviour in children. However, parents should not think that simply taking these additives out of food will prevent hyperactive disorders. We know that many other influences are at work but this at least is one a child can avoid."

In response to consumer insistence on a more natural product and E211's links to DNA damage and ADHD, the Coca Cola Company is in the process of phasing Sodium Benzoate out of Diet Coke. The company has stated that it plans to remove E211 from its other products — including Sprite, Fanta, and Oasis — as soon as a satisfactory alternative is discovered.