Why You Should Avoid Drinking Soda - Essay Example

Why You Should Avoid Drinking Soda Soda companies continue to market their products aggressively in many countries worldwide. Coca-Cola, for one, developed an extensive distribution infrastructure designed to increase their reach. It targeted fast food outlets, leisure centers and even schools. They advertise in all kinds of media so as to increase their market (Hawkes 103). Yet over the years, several organizations have started protesting against the sale of soft drinks in schools. For example, the Center of Food and Justice published a report in 2002 which called on the Los Angeles Unified School District board to ban soda as a consequence of increasing obesity and Type II diabetes among children. On the other hand, a Huffington Post article (Bennett) called for its readers to protest an alliance between Coca-Cola and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) to help educate consumers how they can fit soda into a healthy lifestyle. For many doctors, this is a distasteful move because soda does not contain any kind of essential nutrients and does not help the body in any way. Yet, despite these allegations, people still persist in drinking soda because they are unaware of its health implications. Through a review of previous literature, the researcher hopes to show that soda is not only devoid of nutrients but it can also cause several diseases. Soda: Its Advantages One of the fastest ways to satisfy thirst is by drinking soda. It provides relief from the heat and in many cases provides the energy that one will need to get through the day. With the introduction of diet soda, people who are watching their weight can now get a sweet treat minus the calories. Soda Ingredients: A Review Aside from these advantages, however, there is very little of value in sodaTo better understand this claim, a quick look in the ingredient list will reveal a lot of information. Eight of the most common ingredients used in soda include the following: carbonated water, food color, food flavoring, phosphoric acid, calcium saccharin, potassium benzoate, caffeine, and aspartame. Carbonated water gives the soda its fizz and tangy taste. It is used in many alcoholic beverages to increase the uptake of alcohol in the blood. As its name implies, this is plain water mixed with carbon dioxide. Carbonated water can occur in nature (also referred to as sparkling water) and in this form, can actually have health benefits. Unfortunately, the carbonated water used in soda has undergone an artificial process and it lacks the nutrients that sparkling water has. In an article posted at LiveStrong.com (Jannen), it says that the danger with carbonated water is that most people have the tendency to drink too much. Also, most health issues concerning carbonated water are related to bone density. In a 2001 study (Heaney) involving children and adults, it was found that intake of carbonated beverages, especially colas, is associated higher risks for fracture due to increased excretion of calcium through urine. In the same paper (Heaney 346), it was also found that reduced bone mass is also due to increased intake of phosphoric acid. These finding is corroborated by another study done by Tucker, et.al. wherein the subject of research are men and women aged 30 to 87 years old. Just like in the 2001 research, Trucker, et.al found that increased intake of carbonated beverages (particularly the caffeinated ones) caused as much as 3 to 5% decrease in bone mass density in both men and women (Tucker 937). Phosphoric acid, which is also found in soda, interferes with carbon absorption and is considered as a risk factor for osteoporosis. Moreover, the research discovered the same effects on both regular and diet cola varieties. Food coloring and food flavoring are purely synthetic materials and are processed with ammonium compounds which are my cause gastrointestinal problems. In an article published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Goldschmiedt), it was discovered that food additives such as food coloring caused an increase in the secretion of gastric acid in humans. On the other hand, many soda companies have taken to referring to food flavoring as natural flavors but these compounds are not in any way “natural”. These are chemically derived and may contain monosodium glutamate – again, another chemical known for its negative effects. Calcium saccharin and aspartame are both artificial sweeteners, their difference is that aspartame is used mainly in diet soda. Calcium saccharin is a known coal tar additive and has been banned in Canada since the 1970s. It was initially designed to provide sweeteners to diabetics. While the saccharin used in soda has been reformulated, studies show that it is no different to other sources of glucose (Lenner). On the other hand, aspartame is found to cause brain cancer in rats. The study shows that when consumed in large amounts, it can increase body weight. In another study conducted by Spiers, et.al., it was found that aspartame causes neuropsychologic effects. While aspartame has no effect on healthy young adults (Spiers 531), it is known to cause chronic renal failure among diabetic patients (Gupta 1305). Just by reading the discussion above, one can already see that the very ingredients used in soda are potential health risks. Now imagine mixing them together in one beverage and you get a potion that’s enough to make anyone sick almost immediately. Of course, for healthy young adults, the effects of soda consumption have a lag but very young children, toddlers in particular, may experience stunted development. In one article published at LiveStrong.com (Nnama), the different physiological effects of carbonated drinks was summarized. The article listed dehydration, dental erosion, and weakened bones as possible effects of carbonated drink consumption. Moreover, carbonated drinks, soda in particular, contain 110 calories and can increase obesity in children (The New York Times). Redbranch, an organization aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle among children and young adults claims that consumption of soda is linked with type II diabetes as well as the formation of kidney stones (Red Branch). Drinking Soda: A Conclusion Based on the research above, one can say that there is very little value in drinking soda. Aside from the fact that it does not contain nutrients and minerals which are essential for the bod, its very ingredients are considered risk factors for many types of diseases. The regular soda variety is associated with obesity, type II diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, and osteoporosis, to name a few. On the other hand, diet soda, which is preferred by weight watchers can cause neurophysiologic and can stunt growth in children. Works Cited Bennett, Connie. "Speak Out Against Ill-Advised Coke-Doctors Partnership." Huffington Post 6 November 2009. Connie Bennett, author of Smart Habits Girl and Sugar Shock! criticizes the decision of American Academy of Family Physicians to partner with Coca-Cola, currently the worlds largest beverage producer. She says that alliance is a sell out and will cause problems for the organization. This article is mainly an editorial and it calls for people to protest the partnership because according to the author, it is "a conflict of interest… [f]or a doctors group to take a high six-figure sum from Coke is like accepting hundreds of thousands from Big Tobacco to create physician approved content that claims smoking cigarettes can be a part of a healthy lifestyle” (Bennett). This article is important because it shows that there are active groups which continue to monitor the health impacts of consumer products. Goldschmiedt, M., Redfern, J.S. and Feldman, M. "Food coloring and monosodium glutamate: effects on the cephalic phase of gastric acid secretion and gastrin release in humans ." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1990): 794-797. Published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a society of researchers commited at improving quality of life through nutrition, this article is considered as an authority. Its observations centered mainly on the effects of food additives on the cephalic phase of gastric acid secretion. Through experimentation, its findings are conclusive – food additives can cause interruption of the normal function of the gastric processes in humans. Gupta, V., Cochran,C., Parker,T.F., Long, D.F., Ashby, J., Gorman, M.A. and Liepa,G.U. "Effect of aspartame on plasma amino acid profiles of diabetic patients with chronic renal failure." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1989): 1302-1306. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener made especially for diabetics. Since its introduction, there is ensuing debate on the effects of aspartame to health. In this study, the researchers provided subjects with different sets of meals, including one with aspartame. Its results show that in the case of diabetics, high intake of aspartame can impair metabolic processes and may cause additional harm to the subject. Hawkes, Corinna. "Marketing Activities of Global Soft Drink and Fast Food Companies in Emerging Markets: A Review." Organization, World Health. Globalization, Diets and Noncommunicable Diseases. Geneva: WHO, 2002. 98-156. This book section is published by WHO and is part of its annual health report. Hawkes created a review of the different marketing strategies of soda and fast food companies and tried to discover whether such methods have affected their sales. Her results show that the aggressive marketing strategies rolled out by these organizations were focused on emerging markets and caused changes in diet. It has also discovered that soda intake has increased in almost every country. No statistical correlation was made to connect diseases and soda intake. Heaney, Robert P., Rafferty, Karen. "Carbonated beverages and urinary calcium excretion." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2001): 343-347. This article published on the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which involved children and adolescents as subject, shows that the increase in the consumption of carbonated beverages led to increased urinary calcium excretion. Moreover, phosphoric acid which is typically found in caffeinated drinks (like soda) can impair the body’capability to absorb calcium and can cause complications. This study also found that in children and adolescents, increased consumption of carbonated drinks can caused decreased bone density. Jannen, Billie Jo. "Why Carbonated Drinks Are Dangerous." 29 January 2011. Livestrong. 7 April 2011 . In this article, Billie Jo Jannen summarizes the different dangers of consuming carbonated drinks in huge amounts. The author claims that carbonated drinks, particularly soda, have adverse effects on bone and oral health. It cites journal articles and is a good secondary resource. Lenner, R.A. "Specially designed sweeteners and food for diabetics--a real need?" The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1976): 726-766.ro Is there are need for artificial sweeteners for diabetics? This is the main question that this journal article hopes to answer. Through experimentation, the author found that artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol and aspartame have no immediate effects on the patient’s body glucose, hence, it has no real value to diabetics. Note that this article was published as early as 1976 and is one of the classic literature cited in favor of the debate against aspartame. Many groups have called for a ban on such compound on the basis that it has no real nutritional value and is possibly harmful for the human body. Nnama, Helen. "Physiological Effects of Carbonated Drinks." 5 January 2011. Livestrong. 8 April 2011 < http://www.livestrong.com/article/350190-physiological-effects-of-carbonated-drinks/ >. In this article, Helen Nnama discusses the immediate effects of the consumption of carbonated beverages. She stressed that while soda is used as thirst quencher, it actually causes dehydration because it contains caffeine, which is a diuretic. She also mentioned that the acid content of sodas can erode the enamel and is thereby, detrimental to dental health. Lastly, it cites journal articles which proved that carbonated beverages with high phosphoric content can cause a calcium imbalance and is a potential risk for osteoporosis. Red Branch. "Soft Drinks, Hard Facts." 2006. Red Branch. 7 April 2011 . Red Branch is an international organization committed at educating children and young adults about their different choices toward a healthier lifestyle. One of its main thrust is to decrease (if not altogether eliminate) soda consumption in children. It uses different scholarly work to create the website content cited in this paper. While this site can’t be used as a primary source, it serves as a stepping stone for a more thorough discussion of soft drinks and its negative effects on health. Spiers, P.A., Sabounjian, L.,Reiner, A., Myers,D.K., Wurtman, J. and Schomer D.L. "Aspartame: neuropsychologic and neurophysiologic evaluation of acute and chronic effects." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1998): 531-537. This article from Spiers, et.al. is one of the most important literature which provides a conclusive evidence on the negative effects of aspartame. Through experimentation, it was found that subjects experienced neuropsychologic issues after consumption of the compound. While this study shows that aspartame has no effect on healthy young adults, it also develop arguments that aspartame must not be given to children or to those who are in the later years because of the various effects associated with it. The New York Times. "Extra Soft Drink Is Cited as Major Factor in Obesity." 16 February 2001. The New York Times. 7 April 2011 . This 2001 article from New York Times shows that soda is now one of the top factors causing obesity, along with the consumption of fast food. This is a good resource because it shows that as early as 2001, there were already researches related with the topic. It also provides data on the consumption of soda as well as expert opinions. Again this is a good starting point for discussion and can help researchers find more resources tackling obesity and softdrink consumption. Tucker, K.L., Morita,K., Qiao, N., Hannan,M.T., Cupples, L.A., and Kiel, D.P. "Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, are associated with low bone mineral density in older women: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006): 936-942. Not all carbonated drinks can cause low bone mineral density for women – this is the conclusion of the experiment conducted by Tucker, et.al. This study consisted of males and females aged 30 to 87 years and is one of the authorities used in support for the call against soda consumption. Through this study, it was finally discovered that phosphoric acid, a component of cola, prevents calcium absorption and can cause an decrease in bone mineral density in women who are in their later years. Read More