dark side of soft drink

8/7/2019 dark side of soft drink

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Dental Decay

Most soft drinks contain high concentration of simple

carbohydrates - glucose, fructose, sucrose and other simple

sugars. Oral bacteria ferment carbohydrates and produce

acid, which dissolves tooth enamel during the dental decay

process; thus, sweetened drinks are likely to increase risk ofdental caries. The risk is greater if the frequency of

consumption is high.

A large number of soft drinks are acidic, and some may have

a pH of 3.0 or even lower. Drinking acidic drinks over a long

period of time and continuous sipping can therefore erode the

tooth enamel.


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Obesity And Weight-Related Diseases

One study followed 548 schoolchildren over 19 months and

found that each soft drink that a child added to his or her daily

consumption was accompanied by an increase in BMI of

0.24 kg/m2

.

In this studies, the absolute number of soft drinks consumed per

day was also positively associated with weight gain. The

consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks is also associated

with many weight-related diseases, including diabetes,

metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors, and

elevated blood pressure.


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Sugar Content

Until 1985, most of the calories in soft drinks came from sugar or corn syrup.

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been criticized as having a number of

detrimental effects on human health, such as diabetes, hyperactivity,

hypertension, and other problems.

Human body breaks sucrose down into glucose and fructose before it is

absorbed by the intestines. Simple sugars such as fructose are converted into the

same intermediates as in glucose metabolism. However, metabolism of fructose is

extremely rapid and is initiated by fructokinase. Fructokinase activity is not

regulated by metabolism or hormones and proceeds rapidly after intake of

fructose. While the intermediates of fructose metabolism are similar to those of

glucose, the rates of formation are excessive. This fact promotes fatty acid and

triglyceride synthesis in the liver, leading to accumulation o f fat throughout the

body and possibly non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Increased blood lipid levels

also seem to follow fructose ingestion over time.


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Stimulant soft drinks and violenceStimulant soft drinks usually consist of higher-than-usual levels of

caffeine.

In December 2000, the Irish government ordered "urgent research"

into the effects of or stimulant soft drinks after the death of an 18-

year-old boy who died while playing basketball. He had consumed

three cans of "Red Bull," a stimulant soft drink. The article noted there

have been reports of a rise in aggressive late-night violence

occurring when people switch to these drinks while drowsy from too

much alcohol. The resulting violence was so pervasive that someestablishments in Ireland have refused to sell stimulant drinks.


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Bone Density

Research suggests a statistically significant inverse relationship

between consumption of carbonated beverages and bone mineral

density in young girls, which places them at increased risk of suffering

fractures in the future. One hypothesis to explain this relationship is

that the phosphoric acid contained in some soft drinks (colas)

displaces calcium from the bones, lowering bone density of the

skeleton and leading to weakened bones, or osteoporosis.

Dr. Robert Heaney said that carbonated soft drinks, which do not

contain the nutrients needed for bone health, may displace other

foods which do, and that caused people who drink a lot of soft drinksalso tend to have an overall diet that is low in calcium.


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Nutritional valueUnless fortified, soft drinks also contain little

to no vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, or

other essential nutrients. Soft drinks may alsodisplace other healthier choices in people's

diets, such as water, milk, fruit juice, and

vegetable juice


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Sports drinks

There are three problems with using sport drinks as a rehydration

solution. First, most soft drinks are diuretics, meaning they squeeze

liquids out of the body, thus exacerbating dehydration instead of

correcting it. Second, most people actually lose few electrolytes during

exercise. After exercise the body is usually in an electrolyte load having

lost more fluids than electrolytes.If sweating has been profuse,electrolytes can be replaced by drinking a lacto-fermented beverage

or pure mineral water, which contains a proper ratio of minerals

(electrolytes), and by eating a healthy diet containing Celtic sea salt.

Third, when we give sugar-laden drinks to dehydrated kids, the highsugar content requires that blood be sent to the stomach to digest it. This

fluid shift can lower the blood volume in other parts of the body making

them more susceptible to cramps and heat-related illnesses.

dark side of soft drink

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