(19-05-13) Just one can of soda raises diabetes risk by 22 percent

by Lance Devon

(NaturalNews) According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 310
million people worldwide are affected by type 2 diabetes, a long-term condition
characterized by insulin resistance. What is at the heart of this growing
epidemic? According to a new European study, the mass availability of sugary
soda drinks may be one of the greatest single contributing factors to the
growing diabetes epidemic. In fact, researchers concluded that drinking only
one 12-ounce can of sugar sweetened soda a day raises the risk of diabetes by
22 percent compared with drinking just one can a month. The study involved data
from 350,000 people in eight European countries. The study questioned everyday
people about how many sugary, artificially sweetened soft drinks and juices
they drank each day. The research further explained that fruit juice
consumption and diabetes incidence are not linked.

High fructose corn syrup, the evil culprit
In the 1970s, HFCS began replacing cane sugar, due to the fact that HFCS is
much cheaper to produce. According to Dana Flavin, author of the article
"Metabolic Danger of High-Fructose Corn Syrup", "HFCS is now the primary
caloric sweetener added to soft drinks in the United States, and comprises more
than 40 percent of caloric sweeteners added to foods and beverages."

Between 1970 and 1990, the annual intake of HFCS increased by more than 1,000
percent, greatly exceeding the change in intake of any other food group.

HFCS, derived from genetically modified corn, is a man made product that goes
through a series of processes that break it down into starch, glucose, and
fructose using enzymes produced by bacteria and fungus.

The end product contains about 80 percent fructose, which is rabidly converted
to fat by the liver, leading to an excess concentration of fats and
lipoproteins in the body. This causes a rise in triglyceride levels, promoting
atherosclerosis, elevated cardiovascular risk, and increased incidence of non-
alcoholic fatty liver disease. Studies show that HFCS may be the evil culprit
spurring obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney
stones, and gout.

Bone-destructive phosphoric acid
Phosphoric acid, the flavor additive that gives soda its tangy, sharp flavor,
is also the acidifying agent that helps slow the growth of mold and bacteria in
the sugary solution of soda. Its acidity level that makes soda a great agent
for removing rust or scum build up around the toilet!

These similar effects happen inside the body. By creating a high acidity level
inside the body, the body reacts by trying to neutralize the environment. This
results in the body pulling calcium from the bones. This explains the link
between phosphoric acid consumption and lower bone density.

The damage is even greater in the developmental stages of a person's life.
According to a 1994 Harvard study done on bone fractures in teenage athletes,
14-year-old girls who drank cola were about five times more likely to suffer
bone fractures than girls who didn't consume soda pop.

Cancer-causing caramel flavoring
The Center for Science in the Public Interest filed a petition to the FDA in
February of 2011 to ban the use of caramel colorings in soda. From their
studies they found out that the caramel coloring in soda contains two cancer-
causing chemicals.

The chemistry behind caramel coloring starts by reacting sugars with ammonia
and sulfites under high pressure and temperatures. These chemical reactions
result in the formation of 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, two
chemical formations that have been shown to cause thyroid, liver, and lung
cancer in laboratory rats. The National Toxicology Program reports that these
animal carcinogens, toxic to laboratory rats, pose similar risks to humans.

Ditching soda, introducing fresh juice may be the best remedy
Treating type 2 diabetes with pharmaceutical drugs but still drinking high
fructose corn syrup-laden soda is a counterproductive approach to good health.
Ditching soda may be the best remedy for those suffering from a wide array of
health problems. One of the simplest solutions to vitality today is found in
eliminating high fructose corn syrup, caramel coloring, phosphoric acid and
replacing it all with fresh fruit and vegetable juice. The myth that healthy
food is too expensive is a fallacy. Juicing fruits and vegetables every day
costs way less than a weekly 24-pack of soda and a prescription drug regime.
Either way, the benefits of juicing, in regards to quality of life, will always
be worth the price.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.latintimes.com

http://news.yahoo.com

http://friendyourbody.com/profiles/blogs/5-reasons-not-to-drink-soda#

http://www.scpr.org

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