Our diet plays a vital role for our organization. Guarantors of a contribution of vitamins, proteins and trace elements, foods are our first source of nutrients. They favor the good functioning of our organism or on the contrary, alter it. Indeed, everything depends on our choice of food and drink. Moreover, if there is a drink harmful to our health, it is the soda!
Although governments have implemented sensitization campaigns on the harmful effects of soft and sugary drinks, the global consumption of soda, including cola, is sobering. Soft drinks, which are however real sugar traps, with additives and which undermine the health. Indeed, according to various scientific studies, sodas increase the risk of suffering from:
Osteoporosis
According to a scientific study, Framingham Osteoporosis Study, soda affects bones. Indeed, thanks to the participation of 1413 women and 1225 men, scientists have found that the regular consumption of soft drinks leads to a significant reduction in bone mineral density (BMD), especially in the hips. This bone loss is all the more obvious in women than in men. This phenomenon is explained by the excessive amounts of phosphorus in soda that prevent the absorption of calcium by the body and the caffeine content and sugar of these drinks.
Obesity
The relationship between soda consumption and weight is increasingly demonstrated by scientific studies. Indeed, the risk of obesity increases as we consume soft drinks because a can of soda contains between 6 to 7 pieces of sugar, about 70% of the daily intake of sugar recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the case of low-fat and sugar-free sodas, they also increase the risk of suffering from obesity because they contain sweeteners. These would be the cause of an increase in the feeling of hunger and a decrease in satiety hormones that deregulate the control of blood glucose.
Soda disease
Recently, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or soda, has been talked about. Hitherto little known by the general public, this pathology, which is illustrated by inflammation of the liver, is caused by poor nutrition and excessive consumption of sugars. The liver then accumulates fat and faces inflammation and cell damage. In some cases, this pathology can lead to cirrhosis and require liver transplantation. Currently, no treatment exists and the best way to prevent soda is to ensure a healthy diet, accompanied by regular physical activity.
Caries
Although it is already known that sugar is responsible for dental caries, it should be remembered that sugars and acid contained in soft drinks erode tooth enamel. In the long term and untreated, these caries can reach the pulp of the tooth, its root and then the nerves. As a result, the tooth rots and dies, forming an abscess and increasing the risk of having a periapical infection.
Kidney stones
Soft drinks, especially those containing cola, contain high levels of phosphoric acid, which has been linked to the formation of kidney stones. This is explained by the calcium / phosphorus imbalance in the body. Thus, the excessive consumption of soda increases the renal disorders and the risk of forming a calculation based on calcium phosphate.
Note that sodas are also involved in other diseases such as diabetes, reproductive disorders, heart disease and asthma. Thus, the best drink is water, essential to the body. In addition, sugar acts as a drug in case of overload in the body.
Besides, what happens in the body after drinking a soda?
- After 20 minutes: the blood sugar level rises sharply, causing a peak of insulin. The pancreas responds to this shock by turning sugar into fat.
- After 40 minutes: the caffeine absorption is over, the pupils dilate, the blood pressure increases, the liver pours more sugar into the bloodstream, while the caffeine in the blood reaches the brain. As a result, adenosine receptors in the brain, which normally protect it through regulation of nerve activity, are blocked, resulting in fatigue and exhaustion.
- After 45 minutes: the body massively produces dopamine, which stimulates the pleasure zones of the brain and activates the reward circuit, in the same way as when taking a hard drug (heroin or cocaine) . Conclusion: sugar acts as a drug and can be addictive.