| Soft Drinks, The regular stuff!We all know sugar | | | | metabolism in a way that prompts it to store |
| sweetened soft drinks are empty calories and | | | | body fat.Fructose is a sweetener found naturally |
| help contribute to the overall obesity problem in | | | | in fruits and honey and is widely used as a |
| the western world. What most of us don't know | | | | sweetener in soft drinks, fructose is usually found |
| is how much of an impact these have and how | | | | in the form of high-fructose corn syrup which |
| switching to diet drinks may be an even worse | | | | contains 55% fructose.Researchers say the |
| choice.In 2000 Americans alone spent $60 billion | | | | findings may help explain the recently established |
| on carbonated soft drinks and billions more on | | | | link between rising soft drink popularity and |
| non-carbonated "fruit" beverages. During the same | | | | obesity rates in the United States and other parts |
| year the average American consumed more than | | | | of the world.In the study, researchers led by Dr. |
| 53 gallons of soft drinks. (Source: National Soft | | | | Matthias Tschop of the University of Cincinnati |
| Drink Association). Those 53 gallons are equal to | | | | compared the effects of feeding mice |
| over 283 12 ounce cans each on average.In 2004, | | | | fructose-sweetened water, a soft drink flavored |
| soft drink companies produced enough non-diet | | | | with table sugar, a diet soft drink or water. The |
| soda to provide each U.S. resident with about 395 | | | | mice were allowed to drink as much as they |
| 12 ounce cans, and enough diet soda for about | | | | wanted of their assigned beverage.The mice that |
| 160 cans each, says the Center for Science in the | | | | drank the fructose-sweetened water gained |
| Public Interest.North American consumption | | | | significantly more body fat than the others, even |
| represents more than 44% of worldwide | | | | thought they decreased the amount of calories |
| consumption, Europe, with a per capita average | | | | they ate from solid food." We were surprised to |
| of 12.7 gallons per year, represented 31%. The | | | | see that mice actually ate less when exposed to |
| fastest growth in soft drink consumption is in Asia | | | | fructose-sweetened beverages and therefore |
| and South America. (Source Beverage Marketing | | | | didn't consume more overall calories," says |
| Press Release June 15, 2001).During the late 1950's | | | | Tschop, "Nevertheless they gained significantly |
| the typical soft drink order in a casual or fast | | | | more body fat within a few weeks."Body fat |
| food restaurant contained about 8 ounces of | | | | increased 11% in the fructose group, 5% in the |
| soda. Today a "child" order of Coke at McDonalds | | | | water group, 7% and 8% in the diet and sugar |
| is 12 ounces. A "large" Coke is 32 ounces and | | | | water groups.Researchers say the findings |
| about 310 calories.The average 12 ounce can of | | | | suggest the body metabolizes fructose differently |
| soda contains about 40 grams of refined sugar. | | | | than other sweeteners or carbohydrates and in a |
| That's about 8 Teaspoons! Did you ever consider | | | | way that favors fat storage.Between 1970 and |
| you were eating 8 teaspoons of sugar with every | | | | 1990 high-fructose corn syrup consumption |
| can of soda pop? For comparison the USDA | | | | increased by more than 1000% largely because |
| recommends that for a 2,000 calorie per day diet | | | | the nations soft drink producers switched from |
| we should not consume more than 40 grams of | | | | sucrose (sugar) to high-fructose corn syrup.Making |
| refined sugars per day. In addition each can | | | | syrup is the second largest use of corn in North |
| contains about 150 calories with zero nutritional | | | | America, feeding livestock is the largest. On |
| value per 12 ounce can.You can see how an extra | | | | average Americans consume 48 pounds of corn |
| 300 to 400 calories per day can contribute to | | | | syrup a year. (Source Anan Duming, "Junk Food, |
| weight gain.Dr. Caroline Apovian, an associate | | | | Food Junk World Watch September / October |
| professor at the Boston University School of | | | | 1991)A 2004 report showed that Americans eat |
| Medicine and director of the Weight Management | | | | 132 calories each day of high-fructose corn syrup |
| Center at Boston Medical Center, says one study | | | | and that figure is closer to 300 for the top |
| found that the chance of becoming obese | | | | 20%of Americans.Number who are obese goes |
| increased 1.6 times for each sugar sweetened | | | | from 12% to 17.9%.The number of Americans |
| drink consumed per day.In addition to the calories, | | | | who think about dieting and losing weight is |
| the sugar and the impact on weight gain and | | | | probably at an all-time high. But surprisingly, so too |
| obesity, soda contains caffeine. Caffeine as we | | | | are the number of Americans who are |
| know is a mildly addictive stimulant drug that | | | | overweight (BMI >25) or obese (BMI >30): at |
| keeps us coming back for more. Research has | | | | least 30% of the population. The percentage of |
| shown that the caffeine delivered in a single 12 | | | | children and adolescents who are overweight has |
| ounce can of soft drink is enough to produce | | | | doubled since the early 1970s, raising concerns for |
| mood and behavioral effects. (Source: Dr. Roland | | | | long-term health effects. Excess weight is a health |
| Griffiths in Eileen O'Conner's "A sip into dangerous | | | | risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. By |
| territory," Monitor on Psychology, 32, June | | | | mid-1999, there were 7.1 million physician visits |
| 2001.Fruit Drinks:Like I said repeatedly in my book | | | | related to weight concerns.Let's see high-fructose |
| "Living To BeYounger"we are literally being | | | | corn syrup production up 1000% from 1970, |
| marketed to death. I go into great detail about | | | | obesity and overweight doubled since 1970? |
| how ad agencies and food companies are | | | | Tripled in England during the same period?To my |
| packaging products as a healthy alternative to | | | | simple way of thinking, "It ain't the whole answer, |
| junk foods.There is no better example than the | | | | but it's a big part of it"!For then full FREE Special |
| "healthy alternative" fruit drinks marketed by the | | | | Report on Soft Drinks and Astounding information |
| soft drink companies. These companies market | | | | Diet Drinks visit this link.I felt this information was |
| non-carbonated drinks that pretend to be rich in | | | | important enough to provide a free excerpt of |
| fruit juice and nutrients, but are basically sugar | | | | this chapter of my book, "Living To Be Younger". |
| water. Coca-Cola Co.'s Fruitopia and Hi-C, for | | | | People need to know the facts about what their |
| example contain only 5% to 10% fruit juice but | | | | consuming and the impact on their health.We |
| they contain as much (or more) sugar as the | | | | simply are not getting good information, and the |
| carbonated soda pop. Don't be fooled by the | | | | result of that lack of knowledge is becoming |
| claims of added vitamins and minerals on these | | | | more and more evident.Discover the facts about |
| products packages, they are still junk food.The | | | | the obesity and fitness issues facing us today. |
| sweetener commonly used in soft drinks and | | | | Discover how and why we are being medicated |
| other foods may lead to more body fat than | | | | for "chronic conditions" and how you can look and |
| drinks sweetened with plain sugar. A new study | | | | feel younger naturally. |
| shows that fructose may alter the body's | | | | |