Some Fun Facts About Soft Drinks

Here are a few statistics on soft drinks that you might find interesting.

Worldwide the consumption of soft drinks is 89.8 billion liters per year. The United States alone consumes 49.78 billion liters in a year. To break that down even more....that equates to 216 liters per person or 57 gallons of pop per person per year.......That amounts to a staggering amount of sugar ingested.

21% of all sugar consumed in the average American diet is from soft drinks.

If you drink 2 soft drinks per week, it will increase your risk of pancreatic cancer by 87%

If you drink one soft drink per day, it increases your risk of getting metabolic syndrome by 44%
(Metabolic Syndrome is a 21st century medical condition that includes a cluster of symptoms...such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure, increased risk of stroke and heart disease).....much of this syndrome has been linked to the diet that we consume.

If children are allowed to drink pop on a daily basis, it increases their risk of becoming overweight or obese by 60%. For adults, it can increase their risk of becoming overweight or obese by 65%


Studies have also found that too much pop causes scarring of the liver. The liver is an organ responsible for helping the body rid itself of toxins. Needless, to say, it is very important to do all that you can to keep your liver functioning at its best.

Anyway, back to soda pop. Most soft drinks today are sweetened with HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and it has become the number one source of calories in the United States. Many people, think they are making a wise choice when they buy artificially sweetened soft drinks so as to avoid the sugar but studies are finding that those pose many health risks as well which would be another blog entirely about the dangers of artificial sweeteners.

One can of Coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar!!!! That is 100% of your daily recommended intake. Within 20 minutes of drinking the pop, your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into fat. Within 40 minutes, your blood pressure rises.....and then your liver dumps even MORE sugar into your bloodstream. At 60 minutes, your blood sugar will crash which could lead to a vicious cycle of having to consume more sugar to bring your blood sugar up. Sugar increases your insulin levels, which can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, premature aging and significantly increases your risk of developing cancer. Did you know that a cancer cell has insulin receptor sites and so, therefore, the cell feeds off of sugar. Cut out the sugar and the cancer cell starves and the reverse is also true....sugar feeds cancer.

Soda has also been shown to cause DNA damage because of a common preservative found in many soft drinks which is sodium benzoate. It can also lead to diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

The best choice would be to avoid soda pop altogether and instead drink water. One-half ounce for every pound of body weight is your best gauge. Drinks containing caffeine or soda pop do NOT count towards your daily fluid intake because they actually deplete your body of necessary minerals and vitamins and end up dehydrating you. You can find better alternatives in the health food stores. We are fortunate enough to have Sprouts and Vitamin Cottage plus where I work. :) Read labels carefully because not everything that is sold in a 'health food'store is actually good for you. Here is something that I like to do occasionally when I find myself craving a soft drink. I will buy mineral water and add a few drops of flavoring such as orange, lemon, or cherry.

BPA---What in the heck is that?!?!??!

Ok, this post might be L-O-N-G!!! and perhaps everyone knows about BPA but if not, I hope you read this and realize just how dangerous it can be...

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical which is used to harden plastic. It has been linked to cancer and several mental/physical disorders. BPA is found in many plastic food containers, bottles, mugs, and in the lining of metal cans. BPA (labeled #7) can leach into our food and drink. Heating this plastic further accelerates the leaching process. This toxic chemical mimics estrogen...which is a hormone that both men and women possess. Estrogen also controls our brain development, the reproductive system and fetus development.

Although BPA has been around for years, studies are now proving just how unsafe this chemical is.

Bisphenol A is found in baby bottles, water bottes, dental fillings, the linings of most food and beverage cans.....anything that comes in a can from soda pop to soup cans can have this plastic lining on the inside and consequently leaching of the BPA crosses over into your food or drink. BPA is also found in children's toy, teethers and pacifiers.

WHAT ARE THE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS OF BPA?

Increased risk for heart disease
Increased risk of developing cancer
Neuroblastoma---a cancer that often begins in early childhood
Increased risk of asthma in children
Agression and hyperactivity in toddlers/children
Sexual dysfunction and early puberty
Endocrine disruption..i.e. diabetes, etc.
Obesity
Neurological problems such as....depression, memory, learning disabilities, ADD, hyperactivity...and the list goes on.

HOW CAN YOU AVOID THE DANGERS OF BPA?

When buying bottles or containers that are plastic, look at the bottom of your bottle. If it has the #7 on the bottom, there is a good chance that it contains BPA. Choose safer plastics with the numbers 2, 4 and 5.

Choose BPA free alternatives such as glass, porcelain, or stainless steel.

Invest in safe resuable water and food containers. Rubber Maid has a line of their products that are BPA free. You can also find infant/children's items that are BPA free.

If you drink bottled water, NEVER reuse the bottle as the leaching process breaks down even further with continued use and NEVER leave bottled water in your car or in the hot sun.

Never heat plastic wrap, baby bottles or plastic containers in the microwave unless you are using BPA free products.

Avoid canned tomatoes as they are highly acidic and increase BPA leaching.

One of the safest ways to avoid BPA in your diet is to cook fresh. However, as we all know, that is not always possible. Frozen or products that come in jars are the safest foods to eat if you are buying already prepared. Companies that are putting their products in BPA free cans are: Eden, Native Forest, Vital Choice, Trader Joe's, and Wild Planet.

Do your own research. I have listed a few companies that I know of that are BPA free but I am sure there are many more because consumers are starting to demand more BPA free choices

.......and guess what.....this is my second post in a week. :):):) xoxoxoxooxoxox