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WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT SODA POP?
The Center
for Science in the Public Interest issued a 46 page report in June of 2005 on
just this subject. It’s called, “Liquid Candy: How Soft Drinks are Harming
Americans’ Health.” Here are some of the highlights. (Remember that each 12
ounce can of soda contain 10 teaspoons of sugar.)
- Consumption of soft drinks in America has more than
doubled since 1971.
- Boys 13-18 consume on average* 25 ounces of soda**
each day. That’s 303 calories and 20 teaspoons of sugar.***
- Girls 13-18 consume on average* 17 ounces of soda**
each day. That’s 194 calories and 14 teaspoons of sugar.***
- Teenagers get 13% of their calories from soft drinks.
- One-fifth of 1 & 2 year-olds consume about 7 ounces of
soda each day.
- One-half of 6-11 year olds consume an average of 15
ounces per day.
- Heavy soft drink consumption is associated with lower
intake of numerous vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber because they
replace foods that are more nutritious.
- Frequent consumption of soft drinks may increase the
risk of osteoporosis, especially in people who drink soft drinks instead of
milk.
- Likewise, the consumption of diet sodas usually
replaces more nutritious drinks.
- The empty calories of soft drinks are likely
contributing to overweight and obesity and this weight gain is a prime risk
factor for Type 2 diabetes.
- The sugar and acids in soda contribute to tooth decay
and erosion.
What happens when you drink a
lot of soda? You get a lot of sugar and calories and these empty calories
replace calories that contain NUTRITION that your body needs. Soda
drinkers generally don’t get the daily recommended daily allowance of
calcium—something we all need for bone growth, density and health. Drinking soda
instead of eating fruits and vegetables decreases vitamin and mineral intake, as
well as fiber intake.
So what should you drink instead of
soda? Low fat milk—up to 3 8-ounce glasses per day—and good old tap water! Tap
water contains fluoride, an added mineral to most public water supplies that
helps prevent tooth decay. Bottled water, flavored water with no sugar added and
100% fruit juice with no sugar added (contain calories so limit to 8 oz. per
day). Limited amounts of unsweetened tea or coffee are also good but remember
that coffee and tea contain caffeine, a stimulant in most children and adults.
They also have no real nutritional value. Overall, your calories should come
from nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, dairy and
protein sources, and not empty calories like soda.
For more on the Liquid Candy Report,
go here:
http://www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/liquid_candy_final_w_new_supplement.pdf
*This is just the AVERAGE. Some boys in the survey consumed
as many as 7 cans per day and some girls reported drinking as many as 5 cans per
day.
**Carbonated, non-diet soft drinks.
***The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that
people eating 1600 calories a day eat no more than 6 teaspoons of refined sugars
per day.
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