Prevention Magazine says the highest number of calories Americans consume is from one thing: Soda. Harvard has a fact sheet on soda consumption in the U.S. and the statistics are eye-opening:
- From 1989 to 2008, the calories consumed by children in soda and other sugary beverages increased by 60%.
- Every day in the U.S. one-half of all Americans consume soda.
- Sugar-filled drinks increase diabetes, obesity, gout, and heart disease.
- Americans that consume one to two cans of soda per day have a 26% higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Men who drink just one sugary can of soda per day increase their chance of having a heart attack by 20%.
If you’ve made the switch to diet soda – that’s a very good start. But we’ve done some research and found that any type of soda is bad for your teeth and your overall health. This article looks at diet soda and how it can harm your body and destroy your oral health.
Diet Without the “T” Spells…
Regular and diet soda is delicious. But weaning yourself off both is one of the best things you can do to improve your overall health quickly. While you may be thinking that transitioning to diet is better, in fact, it is not. Diet soda has been linked to a whole host of health issues, including tooth decay. Here’s what the experts are saying:
- Prevention Magazine says diet soda causes kidney problems. They mention the Harvard Medical School study of 3,000 women that showed diet soda doubles their risk for kidney disease. The researchers surmised that the diet sweeteners found in the products were the culprits.
- They also mentioned the University of Minnesota research that followed 10,000 adults to track their metabolism. The study found that diet soda is linked to metabolic syndrome that causes belly fat, high cholesterol, and diabetes. The researchers noted that diet soda puts people at risk for heart disease.
- The Science of Eating quoted a professor of molecular biology at the University of Sheffield (U.K.) as saying the research ties the mold inhibitors sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate in diet sodas to the damaging effects in our DNA, along with asthma and hives.
- The American Diabetes Association suggests that, while diet soda is better than regular soda at preventing dangerous spikes in blood sugar levels, diet soda does have detrimental health effects. Water, they suggest, is best.
It is for all these reasons that Dr. Hadley and his team suggest cutting back or eliminating diet soda from your diet. Diet soda is very acidic, which for your teeth, means that it is an enamel dissolver. The adults that we see that drink three or more sodas a day struggle more with a dental disease – and that’s even with diet. Diet soda can lead to dehydration; it simply does not supply your body with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. The caffeine in these chemically enhanced beverages also makes you urinate more, which increases the risk of dehydration.
Contact Dr. Hadley and his team for a check-up today and discuss more ways to improve your health by improving the foods you eat.