Diet soda is generally considered a healthy alternative to their sugar-filled counterparts. However, many studies have begun to link the consumption of diet soda to several diseases and conditions, including - ironically - diabetes and childhood obesity. Drinking diet sodas on a daily basis while pregnant has been associated with a higher deviation from the average body mass index among children at a year old, according to researchers at the University of Manitoba in Canada. Their data collection involved recording the BMI z-score, which is the deviation from the average BMI for children similar of gender and age, of one year old children whose mothers drank diet sodas and other artificially sweetened drinks frequently during pregnancy. These …show more content…
Most people, including some scientists, say that it is the inclusion of artificial sweeteners. In an effort to make their drinks more marketable to those desiring to lose weight, soda companies cut natural sugar from their drinks, opting instead for “healthier” artificial sweeteners. However, scientists are beginning to find correlations between artificial sweeteners and some of the precursors to diabetes. Some artificial sweeteners, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science say, cause changes in the body’s metabolic structures and functions to the point of a degraded ability to regulate blood sugar. This condition is directly linked to the development of diabetes (Chang 2014). Another study by researchers at the University of Texas found that diet sodas and artificial sweeteners actually caused people to have a severe increase in weight gain, directly correlated to the amount of diet soda that they consume (LaMotte 2016). The experiments of the researchers at the University of Manitoba also support these claims. They claim that the link of diet soda to childhood obesity is because of the artificial sweeteners present (Kaplan 2016). There are many varieties of artificial sweeteners, though one of the most widely used is high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is very similar to natural sugar in its chemical makeup. Despite this chemical similarity, however, both the flavor and the …show more content…
The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has approved five other types of artificial sweeteners in the United States. These sweeteners are acesulfame potassium, sold as Sunett and Sweet One; aspartame, sold as Equal, Nutrasweet and Sugar Twin; neotame, sold as Newtame; saccharin, sold as Sweet'N Low, Sweet Twin and Necta Sweet; and sucralose, sold as Splenda (LaMotte 2016). These sweeteners are also used in diet sodas, and each improves upon the taste and health risks of the last. However, the FDA also says that these sweeteners are safe when used “in moderation,” meaning that their consumption is confirmed to be unhealthy when in excess. The variety and uncertainty of these artificial sweeteners makes determining their effects substantially more difficult, especially considering that they are frequently used in combination with each other to make unique flavors and bring them closer to the taste of actual sugar. However, the FDA and many other researchers have decided that a largely excessive consumption of artificial sweeteners can be linked to the development of bladder cancer. Even daily consumption of diet soda has been discovered to be linked to metabolic syndrome, which is a precursor to type-2 diabetes, due to their effects on bacteria in the stomach (LaMotte
Abstract: The use of high fructose corn syrup as a sweetener in various food and drink products has drastically affected the American people in the last three decades. Dominating 55% of the sweetener market because of its industrial benefits, HFCS’s increased use has caused dramatic effects in its consumers, including upsetting normal hormonal functions, destroying vital organs, nerves, and throwing off the body’s mineral balance. As the use of HFCS increased, the rates of obesity, diabetes, and related health problems have escalated, resulting in a nationwide epidemic.
Did you know that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) accounts for over half of the artificial sweeteners used in the United States today? Although it is loved by big food companies due to its extended shelf life and cheap production, is it the healthiest option for the consumer? This is a widespread question that has been asked in the United States since the invention of HFCS in the 1960s. This artificial sweetener is rumored to increase one's chances of obesity, high cholesterol, etc. Due to the health risks linked to HFCS it is adamant that people in the United States greatly reduce the intake of this sweetener. This can be accomplished with three solutions, being, by simply raising general awareness about the health risks associated with HFCS, having stricter regulations on artificial sweeteners, or by lowering the tariffs on imported natural sugar.
The article I chose to read about is called Soda on the Menu. Throughout this article, it discusses the drink options that are available on the menus in restaurants and what should be done about it. This article is mainly focused on the drinks that are available to kids on their menu's and how this is a huge contributing factor to the childhood obesity our world is seeing right now. It has been proven that children get 25% of their calories from restaurant foods and beverages. Although there is usually a set menu for the kids, the drinks that are provided on it are not the best choices. Many of them include soda, lemonade, sugar sweetened juice drinks, and also milk. There are many statistics that are give throughout this article, but the one
There’s a consistent flood of warnings these days about the widespread habit of drinking sugar-laden soda, with most focusing on obesity-related health issues.
The global market for artificial sweeteners is expected to reach $1.7 billion by 2018, due in large part to increasing concerns about diabetes and the obesity epidemic (PRWeb). Artificially sweetened foods and drinks are increasingly viewed as a viable alternative for diabetics and people attempting to lose weight, but these products entered the marketplace before being tested thoroughly for any long-term health effects. The lack of data concerning this issue is important, in light of the fact that between 4 and 18% of all carbonated beverages consumed by children are artificially sweetened (reviewed by Brown, De Banate, and Rother 307). In the United States alone, 4,500 tons of the artificial sweetener aspartame is consumed in the form of diet soda each year, which represents 86% of the total amount of aspartame ingested (reviewed by Schernhammer et al. 1419). Given the amount of artificial sweeteners entering the food market globally, and the financial incentives involved, researchers and health professionals continue to be concerned about the long-term health effects of these chemicals.
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
Diet soda has been speculated to increase vascular events which is why Gardener et al began a cohort study on the association between diet soda consumption and vascular events. “Another Strike against Diet Soda” summarizes the cohort study that was written by Gardener et al.
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
Did you know that soft drinks that are sugar sweetened contribute to the development of diabetes? Well, drinking soda not only causes diabetes but it also causes heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity, strokes and tooth decay. High consumption of sugary drinks can obstruct with a number of neurological processes, mostly those associated with memory making and with that everyday intellectual work like memory formations and learning become much more difficult as a result. And also a research states that it can also increase people’s risk of getting chronic heart disease and an inflated risk of pulmonary complications, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (“Effects of Soda”). Soda is consisted of high-fructose corn syrup, many different
“Americans drink 13.15 billion gallons of carbonated drinks every year” Marion Nestle. Most of these carbonated drinks are different types of soda, which when boiled down leaves behind a tar that causes things as stroke, obesity, and heart disease. They have been taught all of their lives that it’s okay to drink soda from advertisements on the television and magazines, or from people around them, but have been told to avoid alcohol whether in school health class, by family members, or by advertisements on the television, which in moderation can lower the risk of both heart disease and stroke. Both alcohol and soda can cause major health problems, however the strokes and obesity from soda consumption
Aim 2: To determine if regular consumption of soda causes a change in the incidence rate of diabetes and obesity.
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
According to Kim, Hyuksoo, Yangsun, Jungsun, and Ki-Young,(2016,201-210) most people understand that consumption of sodas is not good for their health. The rate of soda consumption has been decreasing over the years though younger adults have been consuming more sodas than the older adults. Questions have been posed if the science opposing soda has solid findings as those of smoking. Despite the fact that soda has the potential of causing diabetes type 2 relative to those who do not drink soda, is that supposed to mean that the determining factor is soda or is there a possibility of confounding factors that influence a person to drinking soda and diabetes? Reasons for declining the warning labels on soda outweigh those of posting the warning sign.
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.
“Artificial Sweeteners: Sugar-Free, but at What Cost?” Harvard Health Blog, Harvard Medical School, 12 Dec. 2016, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017. Holly Strawbridge is an author for Harvard Health Blog. Strawbridge’s purpose in writing this article was to inform the general public of the dangers of artificial sweeteners. The article mainly briefs over the negative effects of consuming artificial sweeteners, specifically the diseases potentially caused by them. This article speaks more negatively of artificial sweeteners than any other source used. It is also fairly short and direct. It can be determined unbiased and credible due to the fact that it was published through Harvard Medical School. This source would not be optimal for this essay because it provides information showing that artificial sweeteners are unhealthy and lead to weight