|

The first commercial soft drinks were produced in the 17th century from water and lemon juice sweetened with honey.
In 1885 Charles Aderton invented "Dr Pepper" in Waco, Texas.
In 1886 Dr. John S. Pemberton invented "Coca-Cola" in Atlanta, Georgia.
Americans drink 13.15 billion gallons of carbonated drinks every year, and the average American drinks 57 gallons of soft drinks in a year.
High-fructose corn syrup is used in sodas and soft drinks as a sweetener because of its low cost.
Health Problems
-
Nutrients
Sodas provide the human body with empty calories that lack any nutrients, and these calories are generally converted into fat. Sodas also rob the body of nutrients by replacing milk, juices and water, and soft drink consumption is thus associated with lower intake of numerous vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Participants in a study of school children, who had high soft drink consumption, consumed less milk and fruit juice compared with those whose soft drink intake was low.
|
-
Osteoporosis
Studies have indicated that intake of cola is associated with low bone marrow density in women. Another study concluded that high consumption of carbonated beverages and the declining consumption of milk are of great public health significance for girls and women because of their proneness to osteoporosis in later life. The phosphate content of some sodas is high, and this leads to high phosphate and low calcium levels in the blood. When phosphate levels are high and calcium levels low, calcium is pulled out of the bones.
|
-
Obesity
Soft drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the diet and exceed the recommended total sugar consumption, and a 330 ml can a day of soda translates to more than 1lb of weight gain every month. A study of children concluded that regular soft drink consumption might put some young children at a greater risk for obesity. Another study at Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, indicates that a greater consumption of soft drinks is associated with weight gain and obesity. Obesity also contributes to other health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, back pain, etc.
|
|
|
-
Kidney Stones
Results in a human study demonstrate increased urinary magnesium, citrate, and oxalate levels after cola consumption, which could contribute to kidney stone formation. Another study proved that consumption of cola causes unfavorable changes in the risk factors associated with calcium oxalate stone formation.
|
-
Toxic Artificial Sweeteners
Perhaps the worst ingredients in sodas are the artificial sweeteners aspartame, acesulfame K and Sucralose that are a serious health hazard despite FDA reassurances.
Research has shown that aspartame and/or the components of aspartame may cause brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, headaches, migraines, panic attacks, dizziness, irritability, nausea, intestinal discomfort, skin rash, nervousness, depression and male infertility. For further insight into the dangers of aspartame, watch the movie Sweet Misery.
Acesulfame K contains the carcinogen methylene chloride, which can cause headaches, depression, nausea, mental confusion, liver defects, kidney defects, visual disturbances, and cancer.
Studies on Sucralose in rats have shown shrunken thymus glands, enlarged liver and kidneys, atrophy of lymph follicles in the spleen and thymus, increased cecal weight, reduced growth rate, decreased red blood cell count, hyperplasia of the pelvis, extension of the pregnancy period, aborted pregnancy, decreased fetal body weights and placental weights, and diarrhea.
The latest research on diet sodas prove suggest that they do not assist in weight loss, they in fact contribute to weight gain by stimulating appetite.
|
|
|
|
|
-
Caffeine
Sodas contain caffeine, which in high dosages can cause high blood pressure, dehydration, gastrointestinal disturbance, irritability, restlessness, tension, insomnia, excessive urination, irregular heartbeat, and other side effects.
|
-
Acidity
Colas have an acidic pH of 2.5, the pH scale ranges from 0 to 14 for most liquids, with 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. A recent study conducted at the University of California in San Francisco on 9,000 women showed that those who have chronic acidosis are at greater risk for bone loss than those who have normal pH levels. Mild acidosis can lead to heartburn, fatigue, immune deficiency, gout, and candida, and cancerous cells thrive in an acidic environment.
|
Nutrient Values of Cola Carbonated Beverage per 100mg
|
|
|
Energy Value
157kj
|
|
|
Sugars
8.97g
|
|
Dietary Fiber
0.0g
|
|
Sodium
4mg
|
Zinc
0.02mg
|
Potassium
2mg
|
|
|
Magnesium
0mg
|
Copper
0.001mg
|
Calcium
2mg
|
Vitamin C
0.0mg
|
|
Vitamin E
0.0mg
|
Vit. B3 (Niacin)
0.0mg
|
Vitamin B6
0.0mg
|
Vit. B1 (Thiamin)
0.0mg
|
Vit. B2 (Riboflavin)
0.0mg
|
References:
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
The Physics Factbook.
PubMed. PMID: 10207395
PubMed. PMID: 17023723
PubMed. PMID: 8075091
PubMed. PMID: 17524711
PubMed. PMID: 16895873
PubMed. PMID: 15328324
PubMed. PMID: 1557843
PubMed. PMID: 10092157
PubMed. PMID: 18163396
PubMed. PMID: 16498075
|