You probably hear all the time, “don’t drink pop”, “stop drinking soda”, etc. But can it really be that bad? A calorie is a calorie, right? and a regular bottle of Coca-Cola only has 240 calories, that’s not too many. Unfortunately, this is too simplistic and is not accurate–if it were that simple, we wouldn’t have the obesity crisis. The impact of liquid calories on insulin resistance and the epidemic of type 2 diabetes can’t be overstated. Not only does this increase risks of heart disease and microvascular complications (kidneys, eye health, neuropathy, impaired healing), but insulin is a hormone and it talks with the rest of the body communicating the status of your world. Here’s a few things you may not have known:
- Fructose (or High fructose corn syrup) is not used as an energy source by ANY cell in the body–it goes directly to the LIVER to be metabolized.
- Fructose does not stimulate insulin release. Insulin normally acts as a natural ‘brake’ when we ingest glucose–but this is not triggered by fructose.
- Fructose quickly promotes fat production in the liver. A fatty liver is not nearly as efficient as a non-fatty liver.
- Fructose in a soda gets absorbed rapidly, fructose from whole fruit gets absorbed more slowly as it’s bound to fiber in the skins of fruits.
- Carbonated sodas also contain a large amount of phosphates in the form of phosphoric acid. Consuming large amounts of phosphates can promote increased crystallization in the form of calcium phosphate crystals. These crystals have been implicated in osteoarthritis and kidney stones.
But I only drink ‘Diet’: Read on..
- Diet sodas usually use artificial sweeteners, also known as synthetic chemicals that have a sweet taste, like acesulfame or sucralose can actually fool the bodies metabolism and lead to increased waist circumference.
- Artificial sweeteners also impact our microbial friends in the gut. These bugs have a larger impact on our health than we’ve ever realized and taking care of them is paramount. Want more info? Check out this article!
How do I stop it?
Take it slow. If you are used to drinking 3 pops every day, make it your goal to only have 2 for the next week. Substitute a sparkling water if you really enjoy the ‘fizz’, try substituting the stevia sweetened Zevia pop brand. Stevia is a natural sweetener that certainly isn’t perfect but is much better than the high fructose corn syrup or artificial chemicals. Re-assess after that week and CELEBRATE what you were able to accomplish! Know that you are making positive changes to your metabolic and cardiovascular health! Other ideas to switch to include Kombucha (read the label for sugar content), sparkling waters, plain water with fruit or cucumber or basil, etc. Want help with Dropping the Pop? Lifestyle change takes effort and having help along the way to encourage and inspire you can make all the difference. Ready for that encouragement? Let’s Chat!
