Soda consumption increases risk of stroke and vascular disease

By John Phillip

Americans drink more than 216 liters of carbonated soft drinks each year, a number that continues to increase at an alarming rate. Many people use lowcalorie diet soda in a futile effort to lose weight. Yet they find that these drinks have the opposite effect leading them to be overweight or obese.

The high acid content in most carbonated beverages removes calcium and other critical nutrients from the bone and tissues, significantly increasing disease risk over years of consumption.

Researchers from Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute and Harvard University have reported the result of a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the first to examine soda’s effect on stroke risk and vascular diseases.

Past studies have linked sugar-sweetened beverage consumption with weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gout and coronary artery disease, but current research has implicated diet soft drink consumption with increased disease risk and weight gain due to depletion of essential minerals.

Lead study author Dr Adam Bernstein noted “Soda remains the largest source of added sugar in the diet. What we’re beginning to understand is that regular intake of these beverages sets off a chain reaction in the body that can potentially lead to many diseases, including stroke. Researchers analyzed soda consumption among 43,371 men and 84,085 women over a time span of nearly thirty years. During that time, 2,938 strokes were documented in women while 1,416 strokes were documented in men.”

Despite the millions of dollars spent by soda marketers to instill the virtues of drinking soda, there is nothing healthy about consuming any type of carbonated beverage. Moreover, the study did note that drinking coffee was associated with a 10% lower risk of stroke, compared to drinking sweetened beverages.

Regarding low calorie drinks, researchers concluded “older adults who drank diet soda daily had a 43% increased risk of heart attacks or strokes compared to those that never drank diet soda”.

The suggestion is to substitute carbonated beverage consumption with an antioxidant packed cup of green tea or coffee to significantly reduce risk of strokes and vascular diseases.

Alexander’s Gas & Oil Connections Magazine. May 12, 2012 Available at: <http://www.gasandoil.com/oilaround/other/3425a2d6 a41705a0f36cf3796041db1e>. Retrieved on: 9 May 2012. Adapted.