Increased soft drink consumption is a major factor that contributes to osteoporosis. Soft drinks contain large amounts of phosphorus, which when excreted pulls calcium out of the bones. The phosphate content of soft drinks( as well as processed foods) like Coca-Cola and Pepsi is very high, and they contain virtually no calcium.
Soft drink consumption in children poses a significant risk factor for impaired calcification of growing bones. Adolescents who consume soft drinks display a risk of bone fractures 3 to 4 times higher than those who do not. Sugar and acid in soft drinks so easily dissolve tooth enamel. The Navel Medical Research Institute performed an experiment. They put human teeth in a cola beverage and found they softened and started to dissolve within a short period. The acidity of cola beverages is about the same as vinegar. The sugar content masks the acidity and people do not realize they are drinking this strange mixture of: phosphoric acid, sugar, caffeine, coloring and flavoring matter.
In an interesting experiment the sugar from one soft drink was able to damage the white blood cells ability to ingest and kill bacteria for 7 hours.
Caffeine is a weak diuretic that causes calcium loss through the kidneys. For anyone over the age of 40, soft drinks can be especially hazardous because the kidneys are less able to excrete excess phosphorus, causing depletion of vital calcium. Heavy soft drink consumption can interfere with your body's metabolism of iron and diminish nerve impulse transmission.
A study on the relationship between caffeine and fertility found that just one caffeinated soft drink per day was associated with a reduced monthly chance of conception of 50%.
No comments:
Post a Comment