Sherry Brescia sent me this excellent post about the best soda.
“I have a talent for hitting the grocery store at the precise moment when it’s mobbed, the lines are a mile long and there are cashiers in training.
Recently as I waited in a L-O-N-G, slow line to pay for my groceries, I began doing one of my favorite things.
Peeking in other people’s carts as they walked by.
Most times when I do this, what I see isn’t pretty–there are a LOT of people out there whose 4 food groups are Kraft, Frito-Lay, Campbell’s and Kellogg’s.
But recently my observations were especially disturbing…
Because every single cart I looked in had soda in it.
EVERY SINGLE ONE.
And I’m not talking just one bottle! Most carts had several 2-liter bottles, 6-packs or even one or more cases!
So my “cart-snooping” was my inspiration for today’s email…
“The best kind of soda to drink.”
Before I tell you the best kind of soda to drink, let’s take a look at some facts about all soda in general, as well as some specific things about both diet and regular soda.
The acid war
Any kind of soda — whether diet or regular — is extremely acidic.
The typical pH of soda is between 2.5 and 3.0–nearly the same as the pH of the acid in your stomach!
In fact, soda is SO acidic to your body that it takes 32 cups of water to neutralize the acid in just ONE 12 oz. can of soda!
Having to deal with that much acid puts a tremendous strain on your kidneys, which are responsible for filtering acid out of your bloodstream and putting it into your urine.
Your body also uses its own alkaline minerals (which includes calcium from your bones and magnesium from your muscles) to neutralize the acid.
Contrary to what most people believe, there is NOT an endless mine of minerals in your body. Sooner or later, you end up taking more than you’re replacing…and things begin breaking down.
When this happens, it’s called arthritis, osteoporosis, tooth decay, brittle, porous bones that fracture easily and weak muscles.
Hmmm…funny you don’t see images like THAT on the Pepsi, Coke or Mountain Dew commercials.
Acid also hampers your stomach’s ability to break down your food, so soda is, in all respects, the absolute WORST drink on the planet to have with a meal.
So not only will soda encourage acid reflux, but it can also lead to bloating, gas and constipation.
The average American now consumes about 45 gallons of soda a year–that’s well over a can a day and 39 pounds of sugar packing on your backside each year!
Even scarier is that millions of people drink FAR more than the average–teenage boys lead the pack with at least 2-3 sodas a day.
Is it really THAT bad?
Now you may be thinking, “Is it really THAT bad? After all, what’s the harm in drinking just one soda?”
Well, take a look at this and you tell me.
A European study recently published in the journal Diabetologia concluded that drinking just ONE 12 oz. regular soda a day can increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 22%.
And other studies conducted in North America showed even more grim results–daily sugar-sweetened soda consumption was associated with a 25% increased risk of diabetes!
Of course this goes above and beyond the obvious–that all that extra sugar consumption is one of the major reasons that currently 1 out of 3 Americans is obese.
But what about DIET soda?
While diet soda does admittedly have few or zero calories, that’s no cause for celebration.
Here’s why:
An 8-year University of Texas study showed that soda use was linked to excess weight and obesity, which isn’t surprising. However, when the researchers looked at people only drinking DIET sodas, their risk of obesity was even HIGHER than the regular soda drinkers!
The study showed there was a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soda a person drinks each day.
Shocked? Don’t be.
What happens is the artificial sweeteners (more on those below) in diet sodas create a hormonal response in the body thatincreases your cravings for sweets and refined carbohydrates (sugar).
So, those “diet” drinks are anything BUT diet!
Another reason is that people often believe that because they are drinking a diet soda, that gives them more leeway to eat more of everything else.
And they end up consuming more calories overall.
I used to work with a guy who used that ridiculous logic. He would eat a cheeseburger and fries for lunch and wash it down with a Diet Pepsi.
He was plump then and is obese now.
Let’s take a little closer look at…
Artificial sweeteners in diet soda
Simply put, artificial sweeteners are poisons. There’s no other way to say it.
Most diet sodas contain aspartame (the better known brand names are Equal or NutraSweet).
Here are just some of the documented side effects of aspartame:
Eyes:
- -Blindness in one or both eyes
- -Decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as blurring, bright flashes, tunnel vision
- -Eye pain
- -Dry eyes/decreased tears
Nerves:
- -Seizures
- -Headaches/migraines
- -Dizziness
- -Confusion/memory loss
- -Severe drowsiness and sleepiness
- -Numbness of the arms and legs
- -Slurring of speech
- -Facial pain
- -Tremors/trembling
Psychological/Psychiatric:
- -Severe depression
- -Irritability/agitation
- -Anxiety/phobias (fears)
- -Personality changes
Chest/Cardiac:
- -Heart palpitations/rapid heart beat
- -Shortness of breath
- -High blood pressure
Digestive:
- -Nausea
- -Diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools
- -Stomach pain/pain while swallowing
Skin and Allergies:
- -Itching without a rash
- -Hives
- -Worsening of asthma problems
Endocrine and Metabolic:
- -Loss of control of diabetes
- -Thinning or loss of hair
- -Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- -Severe PMS symptoms
You can see the complete list of aspartame side effects here:
– http://www.sweetpoison.com/
Finally-Sherry reveals the best soda to drink!
By now you’ve probably surmised that the best soda to drink is…
NO SODA AT ALL.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some tasty beverages!
Better, healthier alternatives to soda are iced herbal teas, water with a splash of fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice (and no, lemons and limes are NOT acidic to your body!) and fresh vegetable juices.
If you want to sweeten your iced tea with a non-calorie sweetener or make a low-cal homemade lemonade, try using Stevia. It’s been around for centuries and has a proven track record of safety.
Reduce your Type 2 diabetes & obesity risk
In addition to avoiding soda, the best way to reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes and obesity is to have a diet of real foods that nourish your body and digest easily.
You see, when you eat real foods that your body can digest well, you get the maximum nutrition from them. This helps keep you feeling satisfied and FAR less likely to snack or overeat.
Just watch those pounds disappear!
Plus delicious nourishing foods are inherently lower in calories, so you’ll naturally take in fewer calories overall.
Fewer calories = less of you to love.
Your elimination channels will be better able to detoxify your body and reduce fat without the undue strain from excess acid wastes.
And eating more real foods means avoiding refined carbs–which can not only help you drop the pounds but also help reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes!”
Here’s Sherry’s Facebook page