Drop the Pop

I don’t drink a lot of soda pops. But when I do, it is usually a diet soda pop. Not that that is any better, but for me, it is usually about a decrease in calories. Nonetheless, after further research, I have come to the conclusion that all soda pops need to be dropped.

4 reasons you need to drop the pop:

-The acids within soda contribute to the degradation of the enamel on the teeth.

-When going out to eat, people tend to get refills of drinks that are often 32oz in size or more. 3 fills of an average regular soda is over 1000 calories, contributing to many more calories than needed within one meal….which may contribute to overweight/obesity issues.

-Consumption of soda pops often occurs with higher calorie meals (restaurants, fast food), contributing to more total calories consumed within the meal...which may also contribute to overweight/obesity issues.

-Regular soda pops and the sugar within have been referenced with links to obesity, hypertension, and even cardiovascular diseases in various research studies (Brown, Dulloo, & Montani, 2008).The artificial sugars within most diet sodas has been linked to producing significant DNA damage within the body, along with other ill-effects (Bandyopadhyay, Ghoshal, & Mukherjee, 2008).

For those who drink soda pops on a regular basis, I wouldn’t advise you to quit cold-turkey. I tell most people that you need to wean yourself off of soda pops. Soda pops have an addictive effect on the body and some may experience withdrawal symptoms (headaches) if they go cold-turkey. So, if you drink 3-4 pops a day, I would gradually go down 1 each week.

So what are some good replacements for soda pops?

-Tea. Though it can be highly caffeinated, some teas have been shown to increase metabolism, and most have soothing effects.

-Water. Water is a purifier and cleanser for the body.

-Fruit juice. Fruit juice provides some needed vitamins/minerals; but it too can be abused if taken in excess and it also wears on the enamel of the teeth. So make sure to drink it in moderation.

That’s all I have for today. I hope this was helpful…until next time…

-Jenelle