Carbonated Soft Drinks (Aerated Water) – Likely Contributing to Health Problems

An unfortunate news for the lovers of bubbly beverages…We drink colas and aerated drinks enough to put our health at risk. The amount of soda you sip on to might not only boost your sugar intake and pack on pounds—it may also increase risk for various health related issues. Many studies add a new consideration to the list of links that have tied sugary carbonated beverages to obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, dental caries, low nutrient levels and development of kidney stones.
“Sugar-sweetened” drinks include those that use high-fructose corn syrup as well as those which use sucrose.
Many soft drinks contain such ingredients that are themselves a source of concern: caffeine if consumed in excess may cause anxiety disorder and sleep apnea. According to University of Sheffield’s, Sodium benzoate, a well-known preservative has been investigated as a possible cause of DNA damage and hyperactivity.
Most soft drinks contain high concentration of simple carbohydrates namely the monosaccharides-glucose and fructose, and disaccharide-sucrose, and other simple sugars. Oral bacteria produce acid on fermenting carbohydrates which dissolves tooth enamel; thus, increasing risk of dental caries. The risk is the greater if the frequency of consumption is high.
A large number of soft drinks are also acidic with pH of 3.0 or even lower. Drinking acidic drinks over a long period of time and continuous sipping can also erode the tooth enamel.
A drinking straw is often advised by dentists so that the drink does not come into as much contact with the teeth. It is also suggested that brushing teeth right after drinking soft drinks should be avoided as this can result in additional erosion to the teeth due to the presence of acid. In a meta-analysis of 88 studies, drinking soda correlates with a decrease in milk consumption along with the vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, calcium, protein and other micronutrients.
A study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology in 2013 concluded that consumption of soft drinks was associated with a 23% higher risk of developing kidney stones.
A chemical called 4-methylimidazole (4-MeI) is a potential carcinogen found in some types of caramel color. The artificial ingredient is used to turn colas and other soft drinks brown.
Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened sodas might influence disease development, not only by straining the body’s metabolic control of sugars, but also through accelerated cellular aging of tissue. So all you lovers of bubbly beverages, beware of the risks you are putting your health into. Instead of the colas drink lemon water, lassi, aam panna, jaljeera, weak tea and fresh juice. Drink a lot of water and detoxify your body to stay healthy, fresh and young.