Effects of Soft Drinks

Before knowing anything about the harmful or ill effects of soft drinks, let’s first discuss the reasons as to why do we consume soft drinks and can’t resist a can every time we head towards the refrigerator or pass by a shop. 

First and the foremost reason of buying a can of soft drink is its ubiquitous status. You might not find ‘consumable’ water everywhere but can surely find soft drink even in the remotest corners of the world. Be it desert or mountain, malls or stores, you would find soft drink everywhere. 

Now, how is one supposed to resist the urge when soft drinks are displayed predominantly on the vending machines leaving no space for any other drinks or beverages? Kids will surely back the second reason which says that soft drinks are tasty. No wonder buying a soft drink is one of the top priorities of kids when strolling malls and supermarkets. 

The next reason is based on a question. What do you expect teenagers to do when their favorite pop singer or actor is relishing a bottle or can of soft drink on TV commercials or big hoardings? Without a doubt, it is imitating them.

Effects Of Soft Drinks

This is probably one of the prominent reasons why school and college-going students go for soft drinks. And if these reasons are not enough, the convenience with which they are available and the cheap price add to the craving. More than the thirst factor, gulping down soft drink has become a habit for people today. 

This is probably because of the caffeine components of soft drinks which have addictive properties. Soft drinks have a number of harmful effects that we should be aware of. Mentioned herein are some of the common side effects of soft drinks.

Side Effects Of Soft Drinks

It has been experimentally proved that soft drinks are one of the prominent reasons for obesity. The weight gain is directly related to the amount of soft drink that a person takes in. With every single can, people unknowingly add many extra calories to their body weight.

Another very common effect of soft drinks is diabetes. With every can of soft drink, people add large amount of sugar in their body. Long habitual intake of soft drinks can lead to ineffective insulin production from pancreases which consequently affect the sugar level in the body. This further leads to diabetes.

It has been proved that frequent consumption of soft drink can lead to weakening of the bones and osteoporosis. Soft drinks impair the calcification of the growing bones in children.

Studies also say that soft drinks increase the risk of tooth decay. The acidic content of soft drinks can dissolve the tooth enamel and make them weaker. It is recommended that people should avoid taking soft drinks between meals to prevent dental erosion and tooth decay.

This fact may shock you, but is quite true. Researches have proved that constant and habitual intake of soft drink can lead to kidney stones formation. This happens because of the acidic and mineral radical balance. The body tries to buffer the acidity caused by the soft drinks with the calcium from the bones. This leads to calcium erosion, which ultimately gets settled in the kidney in the form of stones.

Soft drink also leads to impaired digestive system. Soft drink contains phosphoric acid which competes with the hydrochloric acid present in stomach and affects its functioning. The ineffectiveness of stomach leads to undigested food which further causes indigestion and gassiness.

Soft drinks cause dehydration in the body. Both the sugar and caffeine components of soft drinks are dehydrating agents. They both lead to excess urination, which makes you thirstier than before.

Soft drinks have strong caffeine content. Caffeine causes irritability, restlessness, tension, high blood pressure, excessive urination and other side effects. It is also believed that soft drinks increase blood pressure. Some studies also claim that soft drink has harmful effects on liver.

The sweetener used in soft drinks is Aspartame. It is 200 times sweeter than normal sugar and is far more harmful with many side effects. Next time, when head towards the refrigerator or a store to satiate your thirst with a can of soft drink, make sure you remind yourself of all the side effects that gulping down the beverage will bring forth.