Facts About Soft Drinks
Many people in the United States, adults and children, drink at least one can of soda each day, and many more drink significantly larger amounts. To some it seems like a harmless habit, but to others it explains the growing numbers of obesity, hyperactivity and tooth decay in America. It's important to know the facts about soft drinks before you decide how big a part they should play in your diet. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Types
-
The main ingredients in most soft drinks are carbonated water, sugar and flavoring. Many also have artificial color added. Different types of soft drinks are created by adding, removing or adjusting these ingredients. For instance, cola is made with carbonated water, sugar and flavoring from the cola nut, and diet cola is created by replacing the sugar with an artificial sweetener. Other types of soft drinks use lemon, lime or orange flavorings. Acids are also used to flavor soft drinks. Most colas contain phosphoric acid, while most fruit-flavored sodas include citric acid.
Sugar Facts
-
Most soft drinks include high-fructose corn syrup instead of sugar in their recipes. On average, a 12-oz. can of soda contains 40 g sugar, which is equivalent to about 10 tsp. According to Mardel Meinke, of the University of Nebraska, drinking one can of soda each day adds about 150 calories to your daily diet and could lead to a weight gain of 15 pounds a year. This sugar can also contribute to tooth decay, particularly if you sip a soft drink slowly throughout the day, so that your teeth are continually bathed in sugar.
Diet sodas use artificial sweetener, most often aspartame, instead of sugar. They don't cause weight gain or tooth decay, but they don't contribute any health benefits, either.
-
Caffeine Facts
-
Caffeine content can vary widely in soft drinks, from 20 to 70 mg in a 12-oz. can. However, even the more highly caffeinated soft drinks contain less caffeine than the 80 to 175 mg in an 8-oz. cup of coffee. In general, you don't need to worry about the amount of caffeine in soda unless you're drinking several cans a day or you're combining it with excessive amounts of other caffeinated beverages.
In children, you should watch for signs of hyperactivity after consuming soft drinks. If they appear to be affected, encourage them to adjust their drinking habits accordingly. You may want to consider caffeine-free soda instead.
Benzene Facts
-
In November 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received reports of benzene, a cancer-causing agent, in some soft drinks that contained benzoate salts and ascorbic acid. The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) launched a study but found either no or extremely low benzene levels in all soft drinks tested.
The FDA's Total Diet Study, conducted between 1995 and 2001, seems to contradict these findings, because that study found much higher levels of benzene in soft drinks. However, other studies support the CFSAN findings, and the FDA is trying to discover the reason for the contradictory results.
The FDA says there is no cause to worry about benzene in soft drinks.
Considerations
-
When consuming soft drinks, moderation is the key. It's important to be aware of the amounts of sugar and caffeine in soda so you don't drink it mindlessly. However, as long as your soft drink consumption is balanced with healthy eating habits, there's nothing inherently harmful in it. If you feel like you're drinking too many soft drinks, you should cut back gradually by replacing your soda with water.
-
