The consequences of soda can be deadly.
Sound dramatic or extreme? It’s not.
While food manufacturers try to disguise soda as an acceptable treat, it can contribute to many deadly diseases. There are serious risks linked to as little as 2 sodas per day.
Is any soda worth that?
I think not. Here are 6 Deadly Reasons to Quit Soda for Good and 5 Healthy Keto Zone Alternatives.
6 Deadly Reasons to Quit Soda for Good
1. Weight Gain
Regular soda, at ~170 calories and over 40 grams of carbohydrates (sugar) per can, is an obvious problem when trying to lose weight.
Since all the calories are from sugar, and sugar in the liquid form is digested incredibly fast, it spikes blood glucose, insulin, and fat storage. From there, it contributes to all the chronic diseases associated with an unhealthy weight.
What about low-calorie, low-carb diet sodas and weight gain?
If made with saccharin or aspartame, diet sodas are not good choices either. These chemical artificial sweeteners have been found to contribute to overeating and disrupt the body’s cues for hunger and satiety.
What’s more, some studies have found that drinking diet soda was associated with poorer food choices (1), while other studies have not established this link if participants were careful with food.
Don’t believe weight gain is deadly?
Consider this: An estimated 300,000 deaths per year can be attributed to the obesity epidemic in our country; this is 2nd only to tobacco use (13).
2. Liver and Kidney Disease
Believe it or not, the sugar in soda causes fat build-up around organs, by as much as 25 percent.
Even worse, it’s estimated to cause 2 times the build-up around the liver, which can induce liver dysfunction and disease (2).
The kidneys are also affected.
Soda’s phosphoric acid and high fructose corn syrup are linked to kidneys stones and kidney disease (3).
Annual deaths: About 98,000 per year combined for liver and kidney disease (14).
3. Heart Disease, Stroke and Metabolic Syndrome
As for heart health, sodas negatively affect:
- LDL cholesterol and overall cholesterol risk factors
- Triglycerides
- Blood Pressure
What’s more, its effects on weight and liver function may cause the liver to produce more cholesterol, compounding the issue.
Metabolic syndrome is a condition in which a patient has 3 of the 5 following conditions: a large waistline, high blood pressure, high blood sugars, high triglycerides, or low HDL cholesterol.
Amazingly, as little as one soda per day increases one’s risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 50%. And, according to at least one study, that one soda per day, can also increase the risk of stroke by 10% (4).
What about diet sodas? Sodas that contain saccharin and aspartame may or may not affect heart health labs directly, but since they are associated with weight gain and overall disease risk, they are likely not good for your heart.
What’s more, regular sodas and diet sodas are both indicated in the increased risk for metabolic syndrome (5).
Annual deaths due to or related to heart disease: 610,000 (1 in every 4 deaths) (15).
4. Diabetes
As many people realize, sugary-drinks raise blood sugars and insulin levels. Continually elevated blood sugars and insulin cause a reduction in insulin sensitivity, and an increased risk of Diabetes.
Unfortunately, this rings true for sodas.
In fact, study after study shows that sodas contribute to our Diabetes epidemic in different socio-economic, ethnic, and age groups (6, 7).
About 80,000 Americans die annually due to Diabetes or a related condition (16).
5. Pancreatic Cancer
Do you, or someone you know, drink 2 sodas per week?
Sadly, this may be enough to nearly double your risk of pancreatic cancer. In fact, one analysis of over 648,000 people found a significant increase in pancreatic cancer risk and this much soda (8).
And while all cancers or horrible, pancreatic can be especially deadly as it is often not found and diagnosed until the disease has progressed. In fact, pancreatic cancer is one of the only cancers in which the mortality rates are on the rise.
No soda is worth that.
6. Osteoporosis and Increased Risk of Fracture
Sodas that contain phosphoric acids, such as colas and others, have been associated with low bone mineral density, especially in older women (9).
Since low bone mineral density can be a problem for many women anyway, sodas can compound the risk.
While fractures don’t seem deadly, hip fractures certainly increase mortality in those over 60 years of age. In fact, one study found a 21% mortality rate in the year after a hip fracture in this age group (17). Since body density is acquired and strengthened before we reach older age, it makes sense to do all we can to promote and preserve it throughout life.
Healthy Keto Zone Alternatives to Soda
If all this soda-bashing has bummed you out, don’t worry, we’ve got great alternatives to help you stay hydrated.
Of note, while most diet sodas contain harmful saccharin and aspartame, there are other natural sweeteners that can be used without negative health effects.
At this time, sugar alcohols and stevia have been shown to improve disease states and lab numbers in many studies (10, 11, 12).
So, while it’s best to keep the majority of your foods and drinks unsweetened the occasional use of these natural sweeteners can be part of a healthy diet.
5 Healthy Alternatives to Soda:
- Water with Cucumber and Lemon (simple and delicious)
- Coffee with MCT Oil Powder (the healthy caffeine pick-me-up)
- Black Tea and Green Tea (these are nutrition powerhouses)
- Stevia-based drinks like True Lemon Lemonades (this brand contains natural ingredients and can be found online and in many grocery stores)
- Keto Zone Lemonade and Keto Zone Sweet Tea (for an occasional sweetened drink)
Bottom Line
Step away from the soda and never look back. If you have loved ones who drink soda and are open to discussing it, let them know of the health consequences. Sodas are one of the many ways the food industry has made a lot of money at the cost of our health. These 6 deadly reasons to quit soda and never look back are dire. And these 5 healthy keto zone alternatives can actually improve your health.
