Are Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Killing You Softly?
Sugar … a word that sends chills down many people’s spines these days. Since the 1970s, reports about the negative health implications of consuming too much sugar have gained steam and there’s no denying that something needs to be done. One of the biggest areas of concern is with regards to sugar-sweetened beverages, often referred to as soft drinks, soda, or pop.
Today, almost every country in the world is affected by the overconsumption of these sugary beverages which contribute to rising levels of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. But how exactly do these drinks harm health and why have some countries taken such drastic measures to limit their consumption? Let’s take a closer look.
First, it’s important to understand the amount of sugar in each drink. Soft drinks are often loaded with added sugar, usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, which contains large amounts of fructose, a naturally occurring sugar. A typical 12-oz soda contains about 39 grams of sugar which is almost equal to 10 teaspoons or 78 calories of sugar. This amount greatly exceeds the recommended daily intake of sugar, which is 50 grams or roughly 12.5 teaspoons.
It’s not just the amount of sugar but also the speed with which it’s consumed that makes drinking sugary beverages so dangerous. The digestion of fructose is much faster than anything else and this causes a spike in blood sugar levels which in turn triggers a release of insulin; a hormone responsible for converting the sugar into energy for the body.
However, when too much fructose is consumed a few things happen. As the body become overloaded it’s forced to convert the glucose into fat which is then stored in your body, resulting in weight gain. The sudden rush of energy followed by a crash often leaves you craving more sugary drinks because your body sends signals to the brain asking for nutrition.
What’s more, sustained overconsumption of sugary drinks can lead to long-term health consequences such as an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cavities, strokes, and even some types of cancer.
For these reasons, governments around the world are introducing various measures aimed at reducing the amount of sugar people consume. The recently introduced “soda tax” in several countries is a great example of this. These taxes place an additional cost on soda, thus making them more expensive and less likely to be purchased.
At this point, it’s clear that sugary drinks are bad for health and need to be avoided. Replacing soda with water or healthier alternatives is a great way to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet and improve overall health.
