Why Soda Is Bad, Makes You Gain Weight and Unhealthy
First of all, soda does not benefit the human body in any form. It's pretty much useless for us, other than the taste of sweetness.
Research shows that getting sugar in liquid form is much worse than getting it from solid food. This is why high sugar beverages like soda are among the worst things you can put into your body.
Liquid sugar is the sugar you consume in liquid form from beverages like sugar sweetened soda.
- The sugar in beverages is often highly concentrated and easy to consume in large amounts without feeling full.
Some examples of these drinks are fairly obvious, such as sodas and fruit punch. However, many other beverages are high in sugar as well.
For instance, although fruit juice is typically considered a healthier option, even varieties without added sugar can be as high in sugar and calories as sweetened drinks — sometimes even higher.
A major problem with liquid sugar calories is that your brain doesn’t register them like it does the calories from solid food.
- Studies show that drinking calories don’t elicit the same fullness signals as eating them. As a result, you don’t compensate by eating less of other foods later on
- In one study, people who ate 450 calories in the form of jellybeans ended up eating less later. When they drank 450 calories of soda, they ended up eating many more total calories later in the day
Solid and liquid forms of fruit affect hunger levels differently as well.
- In a 6-day study, people consumed a whole apple, applesauce, or apple juice. Whether drunk as a meal or snack, apple juice was shown to be the least filling while whole fruit satisfied appetite the most
Frequently consuming sugar may promote excessive calorie intake and weight gain.
- This may be because it generally contains a high amount of fructose, which is unhealthy when consumed in large amounts.
- several studies link excess fructose to weight gain. A high intake seems to promote belly fat, which increases disease risk
Sodas and other sweet drinks make it easy to consume large doses of sugar and fructose in a very short period of time. As stated above, these calories aren’t adequately compensated for later in the day.
- However, even when calorie intake is controlled, a high intake of liquid sugars may lead to an increase in body fat.
The more sugar sweetened beverages you drink, the greater your risk of health problems.
What to drink instead
Plain water is the healthiest beverage you can drink. However, alternating plain water with beverages that provide a little flavor is more realistic for many people.
Here are a few healthy alternatives to sugar sweetened beverages and fruit juice:
- plain or sparkling water with a slice of lemon or lime
- iced black or green tea with lemon
- iced herbal tea
- hot or iced coffee with milk or cream
- Most of these beverages are delicious without any added sweetener.
Liquid sugar is the sugar that’s contained in any sweet beverage, such as soda, juice, or energy drinks.
Because it doesn’t make you full, it’s prone to have a host of negative effects on your body.
In fact, it’s strongly linked to weight gain, high blood sugar, and heart disease risk. As such, it’s best to limit your intake and drink beverages like plain water, coffee, or tea instead.
Conclusion:
- 1. Sugary Drinks Do Not Make You Feel Full and Are Strongly Linked to Weight Gain
- 2. Large Amounts of Sugar Are Turned into Fat in Your Liver
- 3. Sugar Drastically Increases Belly Fat Accumulation
- 4. Sugary Soda May Cause Insulin Resistance — a Key Feature of Metabolic Syndrome
- 5. Sugar-Sweetened Beverages May Be the Leading Dietary Cause of Type 2 Diabetes
- 6. Sugary Soda Contains No Essential Nutrients — Just Sugar
- 7. Sugar May Cause Leptin Resistance
- 8. Sugary Soda May Be Addictive
- 9. Sugary Beverages May Increase Heart Disease Risk
- 10. Soda Drinkers Have a Higher Risk of Cancer
- 11. The Sugar and Acids in Soda Are a Disaster for Dental Health
- 12. Soda Drinkers Have a Drastically Increased Risk of Gout
- 13. Sugar Consumption Is Linked to an Increased Risk of Dementia