Even though soda tastes pleasant to many people, today’s generation should reduce the consumption of soda due to its harmful qualities. Sodas, like Coca-Cola and Sprite, contains numerous grams of sugar per can. To put the amount of sugar in perspective, sugarstacks.com claims that a can of Coca-Cola contains as much sugar as ten regular sugar cubes(sugarstacks.com). Furthermore, webmd.com states that the consumption of sugar triggers the “pleasure center” in the brain, resulting in one craving and downing more soda which ultimately means consuming more sugar (Smith). Sure, the body requires sugar daily, but most average first-world citizens already consume an abundance of sugar through his or her everyday meals, making soda’s sugar energy
Sugary beverages suggest a poor dietary quality; they are loaded with added sugars and attribute to the body’s energy density. “A 20-year study on 120,000 men and women found that people who increased their sugary drink consumption by one 12-ounce serving per day gained more weight over time—about 4 pounds per year” (19). Through increasing the daily intake in trivial increments, the body substantially results in an increased BMI (body mass index) and an increased body fat percentage score. Another study conducted at Harvard found that a 60 percent increase occurs in children for each 12-ounce they additionally drink daily. (________) The growing correlation between obesity and sugar has led to further studies, and statistical data. Researchers have revealed that in total, “half the people in the U.S. consume sugary drinks; 1 in 4 get at least 200 calories from such drinks; and 5% get at least 567 calories.” It was additionally found that one-fourth of Americans are consuming more than 135 grams of sugar per day from soda and other sweetened beverages, which compares to people of the past who only had 10 grams of fructose a day (_____). Such a high daily intake of sugar and calories illustrates the risk that arises when people consume too much sugar; that is, sugary drinks result in weight issues and medical consequences.
Recently, people have become worried about the health issues associated with consuming sugary drinks, especially soda. The rate of people being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease has been going up primarily because of beverages with added sugar (Cited in Crawford, 2016). Several studies have found that soda is linked to over 180,000 deaths per year (Cited in Crawford, 2016). An article by the Huffington Post (2011) said that an average American drinks about 44.7 gallons of carbonated beverages a year, which adds up to over 350 pounds of soda. Comparatively, in 2005 an average American drank only 0.5 gallons, making soft drinks the most consumed beverage in America (n/a, 2011). The way the government is trying to fix
A single can of soda can have at least ten teaspoons of sugar, that is already the daily maximum recommended intake. Sugar can increase cholesterol levels, heart disease, diabetes and weight gain.Moreover. The obesity is a colossal problem in America. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 35.9% of U.S. adults over the age of twenty are obese (CDC, 2013). The CDC also notes that 69.2% of U.S. adults twenty years of age and over are overweight. The obesity problem does not only affect adults in the U.S. The CDC notes that 18.4% of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 are currently obese (CDC, 2013). These numbers show the harshness of the obesity problem in this
The impact sugary sodas have on our bodies is known by everybody. But this didn’t stop people consume large quantities of sugary beverages. This is what the change observed in the consumption of such drinks appears to be curious. In accordance with the report, the average American has cut down on soda consumption by 25 percent in the last 25 years.
The excessive consumption of sugar has a strong correlation with the most of the diseases considered a common cause of death like cancer and heart disease. Furthermore, sugary beverages are one of the biggest sources of sugar consumption in American’s diet. As Humhnergarth, states in her article, “Berkeley's Soda Tax is working and That Could Be a Game Changer”: “Sugary drink consumption is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, tooth decay and obesity…” Therefore, tax on sugary drinks will raise the price, which will turn the consumer to a healthier food choice, and in consequence will decrease the consumer’s consumption of
Those figures include teens who consumed little or no soda pop. For the average 13- to 18-year-old boy or girl drinker, soft drinks provide about 9% of calories. Boys and girls in the 75th percentile of consumption obtained 12% of their calories from soft drinks, and those in the 90th percentile about 18% of their calories." (USDA) As much as this world revolves around weight and looks, it seems that by giving up a soda or two per day would be a very smart start towards that "diet" that many of us are looking for. By giving up this one beverage, and not replacing it with something as sugary, it would be a big step in the right direction for people who are not happy with the way that they look. Many nutritionists state that soft drinks and other calorie-rich, nutrient-poor foods can fit into a good diet. In theory, they are correct, but, regrettably, they ignore the fact that most Americans consume great quantities of soft drinks and meager quantities of healthful foods. One
It is no secret that one of America’s biggest health concerns is obesity. Sugar has been linked as one of the greatest causes of obesity. The amount of daily sugar intake has increased over the past years and with it so has it’s health risks. The food industry is now adding additional sugar to their products. Many of the big named companies are great contributors to the obesity rate in the United States. Those with the greatest impact are soda companies. These sugary drinks are a major contributor to this epidemic. Sadly, many people are unaware of the consequences that excessive sugar can cause. Therefore, soda companies should add to the beverages that contain
Is soda really as big of a problem as people make it out to be?Soda does not cause obesity, alone.Obesity is mostly caused by overeating and a lack of exercise.Soda only makes
A comparison between the results of the two different studies shows that there are negative effects of drinking soda. In the article, “Drinking Soda as an Adolescent May Damage Memory” it described the negative effects of drinking soda as damaging to your memory. For example, in the article, it says, “Drinking too many sugary drinks as an adolescent can lead to poorer memory function.“ This shows that soda leads to poorer memory function, therefore having a negative effect on your health. In the other article,”Big beverage still wants you to think soda is healthy” it shows that soda has negative effects on your health because it can actually lead to diabetes and obesity. According to the article,”In the decades that followed,
Whether we are male, female, white, black, republican or democrat, the government will weave its way into the life of the citizen. Today, the government is beginning to grow exponentially, and are now able to control our basic rights and freedoms, it can even regulate what we eat. These rights go from what size of soda we drink to whether we can eat fatty foods. The government should remain out of what citizens can eat because it limits our choices and freedoms and will put many businesses out of business.
In 2010 alone sugary- drink consumption killed almost 200,000 people. Despite it being so detrimental to health, Soda is the most popular beverage in the US and makes up almost thirty percent of all beverages consumed annually. The average person drinks over six thousand ounces of soda each year Soda consumption has been directly linked to diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity. It is time for us to take action and place a “junk food” tax on soft drinks to discourage people from purchasing them. . Some people believe that a soda ban would limit personal freedom, which they believe is essential in a democracy, and past proposals was rejected because of this. However, soda is taking many lives, and it is time for us to take action; we need to make our world a happier, healthier place.
Drinking sugary drinks is like a seed and grows overtime in your body until the tree tries to burst from your body. Mayor Bloomberg of New York tried to enforce the soda ban to lower obesity rates but there were many loopholes in his plan. The citizens of New York are able to pick whatever unhealthy food or “sugary drinks,” they want, regardless of the ban. The citizens can refill their drinks or order more than one. Additionally, bigger drinks with a certain amount of sugar or milk are exempt from the ban. With these loopholes, citizens will still be drinking unhealthy drinks; the ban is unnecessary. Many people
According to livestrong.com in 2015, “Drinking large amounts of soda may affect your brain health and alter your risk of certain diseases. Naturopathic physician Scott Olson says that several scientific studies suggest that a high sugar diet may increase your risk of schizophrenia, depression and anxiety,” (Adams, “Can Food Cause Chemical Imbalance in the Brain”). Sugar in soda can advance to permanent long-term damage to the brain. Additionally, the sugar in a person’s body can increase blood pressure and dilate pupils. While, this evidence had been scientifically proven precisely there are still people who don’t see the ethics in the soda ban. That’s why a state judge ruled against it. According to BusinessInsider.com in 2010, “A New York state judge struck down Mayor Bloomberg's controversial ban on large sodas on Monday, arguing that the restrictions on sugary sweetened drinks did not make sense, partly because the ban wasn't evenly enforced.” (Spector, “New Yorkers Will Be Significantly Fatter Because Of The Soda Ban Repeal”). Although the judge thinks the ban is inefficient he is inaccurate, the restrictions on the ban are based on scientific evidence. The ban will still make sense, even though it does not include diet sodas and fruit juices. Everybody knows fruit juice and diet sodas are better for people
Focus/Thesis: Over the years soda has become a staple in our lives, and is unfortunately extremely toxic to our bodies. Which is why we need to make the effort to limit the amount we drink and make ourselves aware of the risks we expose to our health when choosing to drink soda.
Although most nutritionists know that soda has contributed to the obesity epidemic, I hate the idea of banning things, because it infringes on personal liberties. Should we ban Netflix because binge television watching is linked to obesity? It would be better to concentrate on public education though the schools and public service announcements on media. Advertisement by soda companies that target children could be regulated and/or reduced, as has been done with cigarette advertisements. Parents and the schools should protect children – with no soda served at schools and not allowed in vending machines. Adults should have access to legal items, and make decisions for themselves.