Are soft drinks healthy?

There are many soft drinks in our world. There are many chemicals present in these soft drinks. These chemicals may have adverse effects on our health. Of course the major part is water, but all the other things present are not healthy.

The soft drink contains many chemicals and they include:

• Sugar – soft drink manufactures are the largest single user of refined sugar in our world. Sugar increases insulin levels. The result can be diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides. Weight gain and premature aging and many other health problems go to the account of sugar.

• Aspartame – many diet soft drinks contain this chemical, as a sugar substitute. Many side effects are associated with aspartame intake. Weight gain, diabetes, birth defects and many other health problems go to aspartame’s account. If stored in a warm place for a long time it is automatically converted in to methanol which is converted to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are carcinogens. Acesulfame-K and Saccharin are the other artificial sweeteners mostly used.

• Phosphoric acid – it may interfere with calcium metabolism. The result may be softening of bones, teeth and osteoporosis. Too much of this can affect the utilization of nutrients.

• Carbon dioxide – it is used to produce carbonated soft drinks. The adverse effects are acidosis and adverse effects in calcium metabolism. Brushing your teeth after drinking an acidic soft drink can increase the damage to your tooth enamel and dissolving down the gum line.

• Caffeine – excess caffeine is not good for our health. Two cups of coffee per day is good but too much from the soft drinks are not good.

Obesity is a big problem and one of the main reasons is soft drinks.

Moreover, the taste what we enjoy with soft drinks are also only chemicals. It is better to avoid all soft drinks. If it is not possible now and then a glass is good. Particularly we must inform the youth about the dangers of soft drinks. If explained properly surely they will understand the problems with the soft drinks.

Pure drinking water and fresh fruit juices are the best drinks.

What is the difference between sugar and fruit sugar?

Sugar is glucose and fruit sugar is fructose. We need for sugar metabolism insulin, but fructose is metabolised in the liver.

Many think that only fructose is present in the fruits. In fruits there are fructose, glucose and sucrose. Sucrose has one molecule of glucose and fructose. The fruits thus have approximately equal amount of glucose and fructose. Table sugar is normally sucrose.

High-fructose corn syrup which is present in many soft drinks is usually a mixture of approximately equal amounts of glucose and fructose.

Fructose is metabolised exactly like alcohol and so in excess bad for the liver health.

Both excess glucose and fructose are converted into triglycerides in the liver. We must be careful with sugar as well as with fructose.

Berries, melons, tree fruits are rich in fructose. Honey and some root vegetable also contain significant amount of fructose.