Soda has become one of the most popular drinks of choice for consumers around the world. But what are the health risks associated with these flavorful soft drinks? A new study may have found that those who consume sugar-sweetened drinks daily are more at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
Added Sugar
The in-depth British study analyzed and tracked over 25,000 Britons between the ages of 40 and 79 for 11 years. They found that those who drank water, coffee or tea had a 14 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study also found that those who consumed sugar-sweetened milk products were even more at risk of developing diabetes.
An interesting finding was that consuming diet soda or artificially sweetened beverages instead did not decrease your chances of developing diabetes. After analyzing body mass index and waist circumference, researchers found that those who consumed diet soda were more likely to be overweight or obese, contributing to their greater risk of developing diabetes.
However, soda is not the only beverage with added sweeteners. The study also looked into fruit juices and teas and surprisingly found that consumption of these drinks was not associated with diabetes.
Though there is not enough research to state that soft drinks directly cause diabetes, the study may show that health-conscious people are more likely to choose coffee, tea or water over soft drinks from the start.
Caloric Intake
The study does give some insight on total daily calorie intake. Health experts recommend an adult to consume 2000 calories a day. Only 130 calories of your daily intake should be made up of added sugar. Try to swap out some of the unhealthy, sugary beverages for some of these healthier refreshments:
- Water: The obvious choice. Water provides no calories and plenty of hydration for the body to help your body stay focused.
- Cranberry Juice: Make sure you go for the real thing and not cranberry juice cocktail! Real cranberry juice is a great beverage filled with antioxidants.
- Skim Milk: Skim milk is low in fat and calories while providing protein, calcium and other vitamins.
- Orange Juice: OJ is filled with Vitamin C and can help ward off illness.
- Soy Milk: For those who are lactose intolerant, drinking soy milk provides a lot of nutrition.
- Tea: Not only is it a great way to stay awake, but green and black teas are known to be beneficial.
- Coffee: Drink coffee rather than soda for your caffeine fix. Just make sure not to overload in cream and sugar!
We always focus on our food choices when trying to maintain our health and diet. However, we also need to make healthy decisions about the beverages we put into our body. Choose the food and drinks that are the most beneficial to your body to maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle.
