A researcher at Purdue University (Indiana, United States) says public health officials should urge people to avoid using soda light, just as they do with natural sweetened soda. Susan E. Swithers, professor of psychology and behavioral specialist at Purdue, adds that it may be necessary to disseminate warnings about the limited consumption of all sweeteners, including those without calories and present in sodas Light.
Swithers has reviewed a series of recent studies with the goal of answering the question "Is soda light bad for you? ". She found that 30% of adults and 15% of American children ingest artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, sucralose and saccharin.
She explains that there is a lot of pressure on the part of the public health sector to find solutions to counter the increase in obesity and chronic diseases, while there is a lot of money involved In the agro-food industry, which develops and supplies these products (artificial sweeteners).
The effects of artificial sweeteners and soda light on health:
Keep this in mind: people who consume beverages containing artificial sweeteners are twice as likely to develop a metabolic syndrome. These beverages have been associated with many health problems, according to various scientific studies. Here are a few :
1. Depression
The consumption of soda light would be linked to greater risks of depression. Indeed, people who consume these drinks are 30% more likely to develop this problem.
Opt for coffee, which would have protective effects against depression. According to a study published in the Journal of International Medicine, women who consume 4 cups of coffee a day reduce the risk of developing depressive symptoms by 20%.
2. Kidney problems:
According to a study conducted by researchers at the Brigham & Womens Hospital in Boston and conducted on 3,000 women, consuming soda enriched with artificial sugar long-term impact the proper functioning of the kidneys. This risk particularly affects women who drink 1 to 2 glasses of soda light per day.
3. Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome
According to an epidemiological study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, regular consumption of light drinks increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes twice as much. Researchers conducted the study on 66,118 women, followed for 14 years . The results showed that consuming more than 1.5 l of soda per week increases the risk of contracting type 2 diabetes by 130%.
Drinking at least one sweet or light soda per day also raises the risk of developing the metabolic syndrome by 48% more than the average. These data are the result of a study conducted in Massachusetts and published in the newspaper "Circulation".
4. Cardiovascular Diseases
A study by researchers at the University of Miami of 2564 people in New York who were followed for nearly 10 years showed that drinking soda light every day increases their risk of stroke by 61%. Throughout the study period, 559 vascular accidents were recorded.
5. Damaged Lungs
Soda light also has an effect on lung health! A Danish study of 60,000 pregnant women showed that consuming one glass of soda light per week can increase the risk of lung cancer.
Another study published in the journal Respirology also linked sweets to sweeteners and asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
So to answer the question "Is soda light bad for you?" ", YES.
- It is not a healthy substitute for natural sweet soda
- It does not promote weight loss, contrary to preconceived ideas
- It can cause metabolic disorders, heart disease and other health problems
- If you fancy a soft drink, opt for a healthier option like, for example, kombucha.