Sugar In Soda And The Diabetes Link

Soda has sugar in it.  Nothing new there.  But it's the amount of sugar in soda that can be dangerous towards your health.  And many people do not realize how much sugar is in soda.  A 12oz cola has between 9 and 10 teaspoons of sugar.  And an orange soda has up to 13 teaspoons.  Head to your kitchen, grab the sugar bowl, and measure out 9 teaspoons of sugar into a bowl if you want the full effect.

But before you put down the soda and grab a fruit drink, take a look at the amount of sugar.  12ozs of apple juice can have just as much sugar as a soda (10 teaspoons, or 39g).  Even if it's advertised as sugar free.  Why?  Because fruit naturally has sugar in it.

So what kind of effect does this have on your risk of diabetes?  It's huge.  According to this Time article, "A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women who regularly drank sugar-sweetened soda or fruit punch gained significantly more weight and had a greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than women who rarely indulged in high-sugar drinks.".  A 40% greater risk.  But the risks are not confined just to women.

But surely if you drink diet soda you're safe, right?  According to the same study, there was no significant effect with drinking diet soda.  Participants were just as likely to develop diabetes.  Unfortunately, the bad news doesn't end there for diet soda drinkers.  An 8-year study at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, found that individuals who consumed "several cans of diet soda every day were more likely to become overweight or obese than those who drank several regular sodas".

The American Heart Association also found individuals who drank at least one diet or regular soda/day had an increased risk of metabolic syndrome.

So in order to cut down on your risk of Type 2 Diabetes, and a generally healthier lifestyle, put the soda down.  Have a glass of water or milk instead, and if you have to have a soda now and then, moderation is the key.

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To Your Health.

Scott Huff