There are countless effects that soda has on the body, none of which are healthy.

 The average person in the United States drinks about 14.5 ounces of soda everyday. This grave statistic lines up the support factor that soda is in direct correlation with the constantly rising morbid obesity rate, amongst other negative health impacts. There have been rumors for quite some time about how bad soda is, but the warnings haven’t been taken seriously; not by the consumers, nor the manufacturers creating the delicious poison in a can.

 

Some of the major components of soda are the insurmountable amounts of sugar/high fructose corn syrup, the added caffeine, phosphorous, preservatives, dyes, and carbon; none of which are nutritional or beneficial to the body, especially in abundance. Take sugar, one of the most predominant ingredients in pop, for starters. One regular can of soda is loaded with an incredible 10 teaspoons of sugar, sometimes even more. That is the total (RDA) allotment based on a 2,000 calorie diet for the entire day! So not only are you completely throwing off the balance of your nutritional diet for the day by overloading on sugar; everything you consume that contains sugar after that immediately becomes excess and will most likely be turned into fat. It happens that quickly. The sugar causes an insulin spike which triggers the liver to turn any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. A note to those whom are thinking of switching to diet, or for that matter praising your diet soda: don’t—they are even worse! The alternative sweetener, aspartame, is a poisonous chemical that is sure to cause havoc on your body in due time (That makes for another article).

 

There is no argument against how outrageous the oversized serving of sugar in soda is. However, manufacturers use a specific type of sugar that makes matters far worse. That type of sugar is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and should pretty much be considered a heinous crime to use. Before the 1980s cola companies were still using regular refined cane sugars or pure corn syrup, which was far better because these types of sugars provided glucose which is useful to the body as an immediate energy source that is stored in the liver and released as insulin as we need it. On the other hand, whereas every cell in the body is capable of metabolizing glucose; only the liver is equipped to metabolize fructose, seriously straining the organ and potentially causing long term harm. High levels of fructose have also been attributed to cause insulin resistance, elevated triglyceride and cholesterol levels, metabolic disorders, and yes, of course, obesity. There’s more. High levels of fructose, glucose, and sucrose, all simple carbohydrates, land on teeth and begin to dissolve as acids that eat away tooth enamel.

 

 

The phosphoric acid has been known to bind with magnesium and calcium in the body and zinc in the lower intestine, pulling these important minerals away from nourishing the body. This ingredient has been linked to kidney disease, and it directly decreases bone density and weakens teeth. The added caffeine, which is a natural diuretic, dehydrates the body and causes increased urination. At this point, the body pees away all minerals and nutrients, including the phosphoric acid-bound calcium and magnesium. Caffeine, paired with malignant sugar, creates a very addictive drink. Because of this, Americans increasingly consume more and more soda; addicted to the rush that caffeine ignites, and the high sugar causes. Soon the crash, after the sugar and caffeine have dropped, creates the urge to drink another soda in order to prevent drowsiness, lethargy, and withdrawal symptoms such as headache, upset stomach, irritability, and inability to focus. It has gotten to the point that water is being replaced with soda, and some addicts consume over 2 liters per day!

 

Soda, in and of itself, packed with a bodily biohazard of ingredients, is an addictive detriment to anyone who consumes it. Not only is it utterly bare of any nutritional value, it strips the minerals and vitamins that are already in the body. It causes unnatural effects on the body, spiking insulin, crashing sugar levels, and ultimately ending in an absolutely unhealthy, unsightly weight gain that is difficult to reverse. The potential harm soda inflicts on the body such as possible kidney disease, a stressed and unhealthy liver, hypertension, high cholesterol, dental disaster, diabetes, weakened bones, dehydration and malnutrition are extreme and many. Many of these issues are unseen. However; obesity is quite visible and prevalent. It should be taken as a warning sign that soda is in no way good for anyone. In fact, it is like drinking poison from a can.