Diet soda is advertised to be a sugar-free and fat-free alternative, but it actually just as harmful!Most people around the world drink soda or have at least tried such sugary drinks once in their lifetime. Whether it be club soda, or regular soda, these sugar, and caffeine-loaded beverages are likely to wreak havoc once they are inside your body.Rich in carbs, sugar, and phosphoric and citric acids, soda is hardly a great choice for you if you have been wanting to lead a healthier lifestyle. This is because soda lacks many of the essential minerals and vitamins that you can easily get if you simply switch it out for other beverages such as fruit juice or milk. Keep reading to learn about the calorific and nutritional index of soda!If you enjoyed reading this article, why not also check out sashimi nutrition facts and squid nutrition facts here at Kidadl!Weight Loss: Diet SodaSoda consumption has become somewhat of a norm in parties and functions, but that does not mean that it is a healthy beverage.Whether it be regular or diet soda, soft drinks are not great for you. Not only will such drinks make you jittery and sleepless, but will also cause some lasting harm to your body. That is to say and reinstate that everything that we eat or choose to consume has either positive or negative effects. While there are some beverages such as milk and fruit juice that will help you in boosting immunity and live a healthy life, there are still others like soda which sure are great fun to have but very damaging in the long run. If you are thinking of embarking on a weight loss journey and are a soft drink lover, the first right thing to do would be to consciously reduce the amount of soda that you consume. Understandably, there are some components in soda that make humans addicted to the product. Hence, it may not be a cakewalk to quit this beverage but the practice is sure to see you to the finish line. The American Heart Association has set a daily value of sugar intake for human beings. Consistent failure to stick to these parameters, according to the association, can cause many effects such as insulin insensitivity and diabetes.Although there is no concrete data that links diet sodas or the sugar content in such products with issues in public health, it is quite obvious that such adversities would come free of cost with your can of soda. Most sodas contain enough sugar to fill your entire quota of sugar for the day in a single serving. That is to say that not only should you be wary of consuming large amounts of soda but should try to avoid products that contain added sugars. The sugars that are used in sodas are usually high in fructose corn syrup or sucrose. Intake of such sugar can directly be linked with adverse effects such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. This is because not only do sodas give you excess sugar, but also use sugar that is very difficult for the digestive system to recognize as nutrition. This leads to overeating and thereby causes lasting effects in the long run. The carbohydrate content in sodas is contributed completely by the sugar content. Hence, such nutrients have a higher chance of being deposited in the body in the form of fat. Experts say that sodas are made of empty calories, that is, their nutritional index for the body is zero and all the calories that you consume in the form of a can of regular or diet soda is simply going to add up to the list of bad foods and beverages. A high caloric intake can also lead to ailments such as a fatty liver and coronary heart disease. Hence, it would be best to make sure that you reduce the chances of weight gain by completely refusing soda.Helps In Gaining CarbsIf the nutritional value that you are looking for is carbs or carbohydrates, then regular sodas are sure to help you out on your quest.A 3.5 oz (100 g) average serving of regular sodas contains around 0.38 oz (11 g) of carbohydrates. Unlike in the case of a serving size of meat or vegetables, these carbohydrates come solely from the sugar found in soda. Hence, what you are essentially consuming per average serving of soda is carbonated water and sugar. There are many alternatives to soda, which will give you healthy carbs and dietary fiber. Soda, on the other hand, contains no dietary fiber and only sugar as a source of carbs. This is one of the reasons why soda is considered to be one of the reasons behind the obesity epidemic in the world. A large chunk of people tend to choose soda or cola over fruit juice since it is a cheaper option. Although it may be lighter on the pocket, soda is unlikely to be sustainable for your body. While choosing any drink, it must be kept in mind that your beverage has to be able to quench your thirst just as well as make sure that your daily nutritional needs are met. Since soda does not contain any protein, antioxidants, vitamins, or minerals, it is unlikely that this empty carbohydrate intake will help you or your health. Additionally, consumption of such a large amount of carbs from sugar also increases the risk and occurrence of type 2 diabetes. This should be another reason why you pick milk or juice off the shelf the next time you are at a grocery store.While sodas have a great overall taste and experience, they tend to pose a greater threat to older adults. Older people tend to suffer from diabetes through over-consumption of sodas. At the same time, even children face the might and power of soda. Whenever a child has an average serving of soda, they are given a huge amount of caffeine, since most colas and sodas have caffeine in them. Since children are often not acclimatized towards the intake of caffeine, they tend to get jittery and restless. Whenever a child needs a drink, it is better to give them some juice or milk or simply water, instead of a sugary soda!Drawback: Excessive ConsumptionTelling a soft drink lover that drinking soda would be harmful to them is a difficult task, but must be done nonetheless. The fact remains that regular and diet sodas have added sugar and other nutrients which should not be consumed in such large amounts.The high fructose corn syrup used in diet sodas is often at the risk of being contaminated with mercury, which is harmful and potentially toxic for human beings. Diet soda and club soda, when consumed in large amounts, can cause serious issues such as a fatty liver. A fatty liver caused due to high fructose corn syrup-based carbonated water is likely to be hard to treat and hence, must be avoided at all costs. In addition to this, the caramel color of such carbonated water-based drinks is linked to adverse effects such as the formation of cancer cells. It was because of the proving of this theory that cola companies in California had to change their formulation completely.Soda has empty calories, which means that this beverage is devoid of any nutrients that you would ideally want in something that you consume. There are virtually no health benefits that come with the consumption of soda since the nutrient index is short and rather skimpy. There is no protein in soda. Protein is an essential part of a human being’s diet since it has many functions in the body. You might have noticed that athletes and fitness enthusiasts often have protein-rich foods. This is because this nutrient helps in maintaining and increasing muscle mass - depending on the amount of the nutrient consumed. Protein is also essential for anyone who has been trying to lose weight. Protein intake makes people feel full for a longer period of time, which is essential when someone is trying to maintain a calorie deficit. Dietary fiber also does the same job to some extent but since soda lacks both protein and fiber, the optimum results are not to be expected. In turn, the health and well-being of routine soda drinkers are said to be compromised. Over time, they develop such a condition through which they are unable to give up on sodas. The taste of the high fructose corn syrup and added flavors contribute to the creation of an additive effect on people.If tooth decay and weight gain did not scare you enough from serving calories in the form of soda to your family and friends, the use of phosphoric acid in soda adds to the long list of problematic additives. The phosphoric and citric acids in soda contribute towards the tart and tangy taste of the products.If you are wondering if diet soda would be any better, it is hardly likely. Diet (also called sugar-free, zero-calorie, or low-calorie) beverages or soft drinks are sugar-free, artificially sweetened versions of carbonated beverages with few or no calories. Hence, diet soda is just as harmful as regular soda, if not more. This is because it poses a greater threat of tooth decay in humans.Soda often contains caffeine, which is a mild diuretic. If you have been drinking soda with the purpose of hydration, the caffeine content in the product is unlikely to retain the water that you drink through soda. Diuretics basically cause people to flush out the water content in their bodies through urinating. This is also one of the reasons why coffee makes people rush to the washroom in a few minutes of consumption. Although caffeine is not a bad thing to consume, there are healthier options to explore such as tea. Tea and coffee contain antioxidants, which soda does not. Hence, the next time you want to quench your thirst, reach for a cup of peppermint tea or coffee!Sodium RichExperts often ask us to watch what we eat and drink and it is definitely important for everyone to keep this in mind.While a nutritious drink may be the trick to finding bodily strength and comfort, a bad choice can lead to many bad effects which you may or may not have anticipated. Diet soda or even regular soda can be quite tempting but it is not the best option for you to explore if you have been wanting to pay more attention to your health. In addition to the tons of things that we have said about soda and how it may be best to steer away from it, such products also contain sodium and potassium. While these minerals are definitely required in the body in some amounts, the amount should be regulated. A food item or drink should ideally be chosen through meticulous research about its nutrient index. While carbonated water in the form of cola does provide us with some amounts of sodium and potassium, the intake of this beverage as a stable supply of the minerals would be unwise. This is because there are no supporting nutrients that would make soda a good investment for your health.Did You Know…A 12.6 oz (375 ml) of Coca-Cola Classic has 1.4 oz (39.8 g) of carbs.A 12 oz (355 ml) can of Coca-Cola has 1.37 oz (39 g) of sugar.An 11 oz (330 ml) can of Coca‑Cola Original Taste has 139 calories.A bottle of 16.9 oz (500 ml) Coca-Cola Classic Coke has 1.92 oz (55 g) of sugar.An equivalent of 16 teaspoons of sugar is in a 20 oz (591 ml) bottle of Coca-Cola.A single, 20 oz (591 ml) bottle of regular soda can have an equivalent of more than 16 teaspoons of sugar!Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for soda nutrition facts then why not take a look at sausage nutrition facts, or samosa nutrition facts.
Diet soda is advertised to be a sugar-free and fat-free alternative, but it actually just as harmful!
