July 02nd, 2014

       What if you saw someone grab a glass of tap water, pour in 15 teaspoons of high fructose corn syrup (or sugar), then shake in 191 milligrams worth of salt, some phosphoric acid, caffeine, food coloring, certain specially formulated chemicals made to resemble fruit flavor, and then - before offering you a drink - pump it full of carbon dioxide to give it some fizz? Would you grab the glass and chug that concoction down? What if I told you that the average soda is just what is described above and frequently contains even more sugar and chemicals?
       Unfortunately, judging from the fact that about half the American population still drinks soda every day, it’s safe to say that you have had your fill of this liquid candy at one time or another. This means that you have also been exposed to the side effects and health risks, which include: cancer, heart disease, stroke, weight gain which can lead to obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, accelerated aging, weakened bones, cavities... the list goes on and on. 
       These are not simply myths but have been proven using in-depth studies. And these same health risks apply to diet soda - if not more so - thanks to low-calorie artificial sweeteners, which make diet sodas lower in calories, but by no means better for you! 
       Aspartame is one of these chemical sweeteners, and is found in several different soft drinks such as Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke, Diet Snapple, and many more. 
     Whenever man-made chemical copies of natural sweeteners, flavorings, or preservatives are digested, your body reacts to them much differently than it would towards a natural, unprocessed food. This leads to your body going into overdrive just to try to take care of these foreign substances in your body. This can lead to kidney failure, weight gain, mood disorders, addiction, and allergic reactions. 
So, before chugging that fizzy can of sugar, take a moment to think of what drinking it might lead to.

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