Diet Soda: A Guilt Free Beverage with Harmful Effects on the Body
Think of the countless times at a restaurant you have been put on the spot to choose a beverage once seated by the waiter. Considering what you may have heard about sugar- free soda, would the possibly harmful affects it may have on your body outweigh the number of calories you may be saving by allowing you to consume a high calorie meal? To some, artificially sweetened carbonated beverages, such as diet soda, have the same delicious taste as regular soda, but only with the satisfaction of knowing the beverage spares calories to compensate in a high calorie meal. Some people enjoy nothing more than a nice cold glass of sugar-free and calorie free diet soda to wash down
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Therefore, aspartame (APM) in diet soda can lead to cancer and the risk of developing carcinogenic effects increase in those who have a life span exposure to APM.
In addition to aspartame in diet soda contributing to cancer, it also causes memory loss. Carbonated beverages began containing aspartame in 1983, after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it (Gold, 1995). Aspartame contains 40% aspartic acid, which is an amino acid that increases the level of aspartate and glutamate in blood plasma, according to Gold (1995). This increase of aspartate, as explained by Gold (1995), causes over stimulation of the nerves by acting within the brain as neurotransmitters, which aid in sending and receiving information between neurons. Aspartate increases the possibility of destroying the cell surface’s membrane on the opposite side of the area between nerve cells (where transmission of nerve impulses occur) in the brain (Humphries, Prestorius, & Naude, 2008). As a result, excessive aspartate or glutamate can slowly destroy neurons in the brain contributed by an influx of calcium contained in the cells, thus causing memory loss.
Besides diet soda developing an effect on memory loss, the aspartame in diet soda can lead to weight gain. Mehl-Madrona, (2005), as cited in Humphries et al. (2008) explains how ingestion of aspartame can cause cravings for consumption of
Numerous neurological and behavioral side effects have been linked with consuming aspartame at well below the approved safe limits set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that has been ingested in the United States for over three decades. Even though there are several studies showing the harmful effects of its consumption. When aspartame is digested several toxic chemicals are produced, most notability formic acid & glutamate. Both of these chemicals cause the body to mimic the side effects of multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer. Even the passing of aspartame to be allowed in food was controversial. Just as the studies on it, continue to be today.
Soda consumption can lead to numerous, serious health issues. It can decrease calcium absorption in the intestines. Calcium is necessary not only for keeping our bones strong, but also to help our nerves send messages to our brain and muscles contract. Less calcium can lead low bone density and fractured bones. Soda consumption can lead to health issues such as obesity and diabetes. The more soda consumed the higher insulin level. High insulin levels can result in visceral fat gain, leading to America’s major problem; obesity. 24.1% of Californians are obese and 18.4% are obese in Cupertino. Although our body needs cholesterol to function like anything, too much can be harmful. High cholesterol can clog the coronary arteries, which surround and supply the heart. The outcome of high cholesterol is heart disease. Another health issue which can occur if consumption of soda is very high is diabetes. Diabetes occurs when the body can’t produce enough insulin or can’t use the insulin the body produces properly. The higher the consumption of SSB(Sugar sweetened beverages) the higher chance of getting diabetes. Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, says that "the people getting diabetes are people who consume very high levels of SSBs and have only slightly reduced in these very high levels of their soda consumption."
Karen Congro, the director of the Wellness for Life Club program at the Brooklyn Hospital Center and nutritionist stated that long-term effects of aspartame in humans have not been studied . So from a marketing standpoint Pepsi’s switch away from aspartame may benefit their falling rates. In contrast, Diet Coke still only uses aspartame in their diet soda product. Though their advertising does not consistently, directly address the aspartame in their products, Diet Coke in 2013 defended their use of aspartame by stating in an ad that studies over the last 40 years has not discovered negative effects of aspartame . Interesting, today in 2015, 61 percent of Americans rely on online, websites or social media apps: Twitter, Snapchat, etc.—media reports—for their news . While 38 percent of Americans receive their news from offline sources, like newspapers, journals, etc. . Therefore, individuals should be wary that both journals and media reports, particularly the latter, may be withholding significant details or exaggerating scientific results in order to persuade the
Diet coke is just as harmful as regular coke, maybe even more. In the article “What happens in one hour” by Dr.Kathleen Berchelmann she says The phosphoric acid attacks the enamel in your teeth. This is one reason why you should not drink diet coke. Another fact that Dr.Kathleen states is “A can a coke provides no nourishment and would replace a more nutritious drink. People are getting diabetes from lack of water.Another fact that the Dr. K says is artificial sweetening doubles the risk of metabolic syndrome. This is also tied to type two diabetes. At the end Diet coke is bad and addictive.The flamin hot cheetos .
Is soda really that bad? Time and time again magazines, schools, and television say that sodas are harmful to the body. They go on to scare people to death, by saying that sodas have been linked to obesity. They state that the rising consumption of sugary drinks has been a major contributor to the obesity epidemic (Harvard). They also say, that it is related to kidney damage and cancer (Boyles). In reality, these sodas are not as bad as they have been made out to be, as long as they are drunk in moderation. Drinking one soda will not kill people, soda is not the enemy! As a matter of fact, sodas have a great benefit to everyone who drinks them, from curing multiple stomach issues, giving people that extra boost to get you through the day, to using it as a multi-purpose household cleaner. Come and join the millions of soda drinkers and enjoy the pleasing taste and big benefits found is this small can.
There is a lot of High Fructose Corn Syrup, the sugar of choice, in regular sodas. People started finding out about how bad sugar is for them and how much sugar was really in their favorite every day drink. Everyone started turning against all of the soda companies and they had no choice but to come up with an alternative. So, instead of using natural sugar or High Fructose Corn Syrup in sodas, scientists invented artificial sweeteners, a way to keep the soda sweet yet contain no sugar. Artificial sweeteners like Aspartame that are added to diet soda are actually worse for us than the sugar that is in regular soda. This was proven by an Osteopathic Physician from the American Colledge of Nutrition who states, "While many of the artificial sweeteners have reportedly similar side effects, aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA" (Mercola).
Aspartame in soda is considered safe as a diet drink according to the European Food Safety Authority. The review done by this agency confirms the safety of using aspartame sweetener in soda without any potential risk of cancer or damage to genes. It ensures its safety if consumed in the adequate levels of a diet drink. The safety concerns about aspartame in soda had led a fall in the sales of diet drink due to the presence of artificial sweetener that might cause side
In conclusion, there is nothing healthy about diet soda and it is simply water with artificial sweeteners and other additives, especially phosphoric acid. So the less soda you drink, the better. In addition, people should not keep sodas in their home such as refrigerator because it is a big temptation. Instead, people can put healthier options include fresh juice, low fat milk, green tea, hot chocolate, and ginger tea. Moreover, people should drink more water instead of reaching for diet soda. Liquid helps human’s body get rid of toxins that can cause a big risk for diseases like cancer. As you know, water has zero calories so it is one of the healthiest ways for people to stay hydrated. According to my research, people should drink at least
People reach for diet soda as a healthier alternative to regular soda, but as recent studies have shown, they are mistaken. Recent studies have shown that “diet soda can have the same effect on your tooth enamel as methamphetamine or crack cocaine use” (Diet Soda’s Effect on Teeth). They have done studies comparing drug addicts to soda drinkers and have found similar results to the effects of the substance on teeth. One study was published in the March/April 2013 issue of General Dentistry. The results of the study concluded that the erosion being the same on all the people was due to the fact that methamphetamine, cocaine, and soda are all highly acidic substances (Dental Erosion Due to Abuse). According to the article, “Soda’s Effect on our Teeth”, some scientists have come to suggest that drinking soda is just as harmful on your teeth as drinking battery fluid. Sugar is not the most harmful quality of soda, the phosphoric acid present in some sodas and the staining effect are much worse. The acid creates bacteria on our teeth and then that bacteria feeds on the sugar from the soda which just leads to an increase in tooth decay. Besides increasing the production of bacteria on our teeth, the phosphoric acid also increases teeth erosion. It can also lead to hypersensitivity in teeth. Drinking soda multiple times leads to multiple layers of sugars on your teeth that over time can cause teeth to yellow. If a person still wishes to drink soda, they should
Diet Coke is just as harmful as regular Coke, maybe even more. For example, the Diet Coke depletes nutrients and make you more hungry and thirsty to have more. In the info graphic created by “TheRenegadePharmacist.com” it states,”It will never quench your thirst as it dehydrates rather than hydrates your body.” The quote relates to the topic because when it dehydrates you, it makes you want to get more so you can become hydrated but you only get dehydrated from drinking it
The soda ban is a bad idea because it excludes other sugary drinks that cause obesity and diabetes as often as soda. Diet soda can still cause diabetes even if it doesn’t have calories. Dr. Andrew Weil M.D. states “We’ve known for some time that the more artificially sweetened food and drink we consume, the fatter we get.”
Diet Coke is just as harmful as regular coke, maybe even more. Diet Coke provides no nourishment and would replace a more nutritious drink that you could have drunk while potentially depleting your body of essential minerals. Regular Coke can trigger insulin, which sends the body into fat storage mode. Drinking these kind of beverages will probably make you hungry and thirsty even more. Either way if Diet Coke is better than regular Coke it is bad because there is still a lot of sugar and fat. Kids that are under age shouldn't drink these because they will probably get high blood pressure or diabetes. Other people would think the same thing because none of the drinks are not healthy or good for your body to drink. This is important
Many people have faced problems in deciding which pop to drink, regular or diet. People have different opinions on the reasons why they prefer one particular pop to another. Through various researches done all over the world, people have tried to figure out specific causes of ailments especially those thought to be associated with food. As an avid pop drinker, the need to know the best pop option has made me curious about how big of a difference there is. It is important to know the components of each of these pops and decide on the one that has the least side effects or harm on human health (Brownell et al, 2007). Diet pop contains aspartame, which is a sweetener although it is non-sugar. Diet pop is consumed worldwide.
The leading cause of death among women in the United States is heart disease and stroke according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2014). These can be brought on by a substantial amount for sugar or sodium consumption. People all across the globe have a bad habit of becoming addicted to sugary sodas. An example of this would be my golf coach here at Marshall University. He has been addicted to diet cola for almost forty years. He drinks a six pack of soda every day. This causes him to have a fluctuation in his weight. During a summer we tested his habit to see what the damage actually is. He stopped drinking the diet cola for five weeks. Doing this helped him to lose almost twenty five pounds. This was a drastic change for him and he said he felt very different. When we stopped doing the testing, he put the weight that he had lost back on and went back to his unhealthy habit.
Introduction: According to the cspinet.org, last updated January 17, 2017, “In 2013, the average American drank just over 38 gallons of soda a year…” Most of us could agree that we’ve indulged on a cold refreshing coca-cola, for that matter any other soda. Throughout the years soda has became a staple in our lives, it completes our dinners, and goes great with popcorn at the movies. However, consuming soda has far more serious health risks than we may realize. For that reason, I invite you all to limit the amount of soda you in take. Today I will discuss the ingredients found in soda, the health risks of drinking soda, and alternatives to drinking soda.