Health Efect of Drinking Soda

What are the Health
Effects of Drinking Soda?
Soda is one of society’s favorite beverages. Each year, billions of
gallons of soda are sold in the United States alone. Though it is
popular with men, women, and children, many experts believe
drinking soda may have serious health consequences.
Some studies have suggested a link between drinking soda and
obesity. Soda is high in sugar and calories. Combined with its
practically nonexistent nutritional value, soda may cause drinkers
to pack on the pounds without receiving even the smallest
nutritional benefit. Surprisingly, drinking diet soda has been linked
to weight gain as well. However, some experts assert that
obesity may be caused not by drinking soda, but by the
combination of drinking soda and leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Drinking soda has been shown to contribute to tooth decay.
Spokesmen for the soda industry have conceded this point.
Interestingly, in recent years, levels of tooth decay in the United
States and similarly developed countries have decreased. This is
in spite of the fact that more people are drinking soda than ever
before. At the same time, levels of obesity have risen.
Obviously, the sugar consumption involved in drinking soda is
cited for causing tooth decay. However, the acid in soda has
been shown to erode tooth enamel, leading to dental cavities as
well. In fact, the acid in soda can begin damaging enamel just 20
minutes after drinking soda.
Caffeine dependence may also form as a result of drinking soda
that contains caffeine. Some health care advocates assert that
caffeine may interfere with brain development in children. So far,
however, this assertion has not been proven. Research suggests
that individuals can develop caffeine dependence as a result of
drinking soda and may experience withdrawal when caffeine
consumption decreases.
Another unfortunate health effect of drinking soda is the
weakening of bones. Some animal studies have shown that
phosphorus in soda leaches calcium from bones. Similar studies
on humans have suggested that drinking soda may lead to a
tendency toward broken bones.
Many individuals choose to drink diet soda in order to avoid the
sugar and calories in regular soda. Drinking diet soda, however,
is not a perfect solution. Diet soda drinkers are still vulnerable to
the acidic effects of soda. Furthermore, some artificial
sweeteners, commonly used in diet soda, may contribute to
serious health issues as well.