I was in an endocrinologist's office and while I was checking out I noticed a copy of a chart-a chart detailing what happens to your body after drinking a soda( the chart actually said Coke but the point it was making was sodas in general) on the wall. I asked for a copy and the nurse obliged. The chart and accompanying article was published in the NY Times written originally by Wade Meredith and then repurposed by The Renegade Pharmacist.The Renegade Pharmacist actually did a couple of stories one on coke/soda then followed that up with one on diet coke/ diet soda;
Now we all know( or at least we should) that soda is not a health food, a healthy drink or a major food group. However it seems society has welcomed it with open arms as a major part of the fabric of our lives. With that said a little history:
Believe it or not soda during it's infancy was actually created with the idea of being a "health" product. The origination of soda actually began in Europe with the consumption of natural mineral water. At the time claims were made that this liquid could cure anything from gallstones to scurvy . About the best and only thing it did was settle upset stomachs.
Fast forward to the 1800's, carbonated water was still seen as a health drink and ingredients and flavorings such as Sarsaparilla, root beer, ginger and phosphoric acid also were thought to help with syphilis and hypertension among other ailments. It came to be that pharmacies and pharmacists became the place and the people to make, sell and create new soda concoctions. As other ingredients like iron and quinine were added sweet flavorings were added to help hide the bitter taste of these ingredients. As the 19th century moved along so did the number of Soda Fountains and the number of ingredients. Pharmacists starting putting in things like strychnine, cannabis,morphine, opium, heroin and yes cocaine. Actually an interesting side note, Coke was developed while looking for an antidote to the common morphine addictions that followed the Civil War.
As the 1900's came along the government and physicians got smart and realized these drinks were not only not medicinal they were addictive. In 1906 the government passed the Pure Food and Drug Act which required all narcotics be clearly labeled. This was the end of soda being considered a "health" drink it was however received well as a sweet treat.
As bottling became perfected and sugar was becoming the ingredient that people were getting hooked on sodas like Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Dr. Pepper were taking off.
Fast forward to today, to help cut production costs these soda makers and others have gone to tweaking their recipes and going to cheaper alternatives to sugar-high fructose corn syrup and caramel coloring and making them "healthier" by using sugar substitutes.
That leads me to the charts and this blog- I personally do not drink a lot of soda( I have to thank my high school tennis coach for creating that good habit!)-I will drink it now again and when I drink it I will drink regular soda not diet. If there is a soda with real sugar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup I will drink that. My point is soda is junk; diet soda is even worse junk. These charts help explain why. Do I believe a soda will kill you, no, but I do know there are better alternatives to quench a thirst or get your daily intake of caffeine.
Is soda a nice treat or sugar craving quencher yes should it be a staple in what one drinks...NO. I believe everything in moderation.I also believe too much of anything is not a good thing, especially soda!
REMEMBER,
YOU ARE THE DIFFERENCE!!!