What Are the Dangers of Carbonated Drinks?

With carbonated drinks cheap and widely available in so many varieties it is small wonder why millions of people drink them even more than water. However, this poses health dangers to consumers because of the dubious nature of many of the ingredients used in these ultra-popular beverages.

Phosphoric Acid

• Phosphoric acid can deplete calcium in bones and lead to osteoporosis, which is characterized by easy bone fracture.

Sugar

• Sugar increases insulin levels in the blood, and the high amounts in carbonated beverages can cause a host of medical problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

• Used as a sugar substitute in some carbonated drinks, high fructose corn syrup can be almost as harmful in large quantities and could cause damage to the liver in the same way that excessive alcohol consumption does.

Aspartame

• Aspartame is another substitute for sugar, typically used to sweeten diet sodas. However, aspartame has fallen into disfavor because it has been shown to cause cancer in clinical trials.

Caffeine

• Many carbonated drinks contain caffeine, which, when consumed in large quantities can cause jitters in much the same way as drinking too much coffee can.

Fruit Juice

• You can substitute fruit juice for soda if you cannot cope with drinking more water. However, be careful, as certain juices---grape juice, is a prime example---can contain more sugar than even sodas.