A can of soda contains the equivalent of six sugar cubes.
The body converts this large amount of sugar into fat and stores it throughout the body.
Regular consumption of soda can ultimately cause diabetes, cardiovascular disease or liver cancer.
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Good in his body, good in his head
Whether peach, orange or lemon, the sodas appeal to young and old alike. So much so that some people can no longer do without them because these sugary drinks are so addictive. But this consumption is not without effects on the body. We explain to you what happens if you drink soda every day. Spoiler: it’s not pretty.
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What is soda made of?
Originally, soda consists of water, sugar and plant or fruit extracts. If the composition varies from one drink to another, the sugar content of a 33 centiliter can is on average 30 grams. Which is practically equivalent to six cubes of sugar. That’s all the soda nutrition label says, since they contain no fat, vitamins or proteins. They are one of those foods that are called “empty calories”, meaning that they do not provide any useful nutrients or micronutrients to the body.
What is the impact of soda on the body?
The human body needs about 25 grams of sugar per day, says the World Health Organization. With its 30 grams for 33 centiliters, a single can is enough to exceed the quantity of intake necessary for daily life. Especially since it is not “good sugar”, namely glucose, but very often refined sugar, which does not have the same benefits since it is poor in vitamins and minerals. Even if it is devoid of contributions, it is no less caloric.
When you drink soda, your body receives a large amount of sugar that it must absorb. This contribution is not beneficial for it, the body defends itself. This is how the pancreas starts working and is forced to transform the sugar ingested into fats, to bring the glucose level present in the blood to a correct level. The excess sugar is then stored in the liver, but if daily intake is regularly higher than the recommended amount, then the liver can no longer cope. The sugar, transformed into fat, will therefore be lodged elsewhere, for example in the abdominal belt. This explains why fat eventually becomes apparent and why soda directly contributes to obesity.
What are the health risks ?
Highly stressed by this large quantity of sugar, the pancreas produces insulin to regulate the level of glucose in the body. Enough to disrupt the body, which gradually becomes resistant to insulin. This phenomenon can then lead to type 2 diabetes.
A risk of cardiovascular disease also exists in people who consume soda daily. In fact, sugar is transformed and stored urgently almost everywhere in the body. The arteries can then become blocked, leading to problems such as hypertension and stroke.
Fat also naturally lodges in the liver, which causes inflammation of the organ. By repeating itself, this phenomenon ends up drastically attacking the organ and causing major damage, comparable to that caused in an alcoholic person, explains Inserm. This is called soda disease or “fatty liver disease”, which is actually called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, which can lead to the development of liver cancer.
Are diet or sugar-free sodas better for your health?
By being criticized for their drinks with a high sugar content, soda brands have been pushed to reinvent themselves. This is how “light” or “zero” versions were designed, replacing sugar with sweeteners. However, studies have not shown clear improvements with these products, which also maintain the addiction to sweet taste and cause feelings of hunger. Especially since, among the sweeteners used, we find aspartame, classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the WHO as being “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. Nothing to rejoice about for our health.
