Top 3 Reasons Why You Must Quit Fizzy Drinks Today

Amy Taylor October 01, 2014

Are you one of the millions of people who can’t last a day without a cup or two of fizzy drink? These sugary, carbonated beverages have been a favourite of most of us, from kids and teens, to adults and even the elderly. They’re like cigarettes. We know they’re bad for us, but then we can’t just give them up.

But maybe, the following facts can help you decide to quit your love affair with fizzy drinks.

Fizzy drinks make you terribly sick.

Strong evidence indicates that fizzy drinks may contribute to the development of diabetes. The Nurses’ Health Study, which tracked the health of more than 90,000 women for two decades, found that people who had one or more servings a day of a sugar-sweetened soft drink or fruit punch were twice as likely to have developed type 2 diabetes. Surprisingly, researchers found that otherwise healthy diet, or being at a healthy weight, only slightly diminished the risk associated with drinking sugary beverages.

Intake of carbonated drinks has also been linked to weaker bones. In one study, teenage girls who drink carbonated drinks are three times more likely to suffer broken bones than those who avoid them. However, more recent research shows that caffeine - rather than phosphoric acid - is to blame for weaker bones. Furthermore, fizzy drinks contain high levels of phosphate and devoid of calcium and other healthful nutrients, which also contribute to weak bones. Plus, research shows an inverse pattern between soft drink consumption and milk consumption. This means that when one goes up, the other goes down.

Still not convinced? Here’s another unhealthy fact: fizzy drinks can also up your risk of cancer. Yes, the big C. Several types of cancer are linked to it, such as pancreatic, prostate, bowel, and endometrial cancer. In 2006, Swedish researchers blame a heavy intake of sweetened foods and drinks for increasing the chances of developing one of the most lethal cancers.

Fizzy drinks speed up the ageing process.

The phosphoric acid contained in these sugar drinks are to ward off the growth of bacteria and mould, and give it that tang that keeps you coming back. Unfortunately, it’s also causing most of the health hazards of fizzy drinks. A 2010 study published online in the FASEB Journal found that high levels of phosphate caused mice to die a full five weeks sooner than mice with normal phosphate levels. Aside from reduced bone density, high amount of phosphate causes tooth decay and kidney problems.

Fizzy drinks promote unhealthy, hard-to-detect fats around your organs.

Harvard researchers have found a link between soft drinks and obesity. The study found that 12 year-olds who drank soda were more likely to be obese than those who didn’t, and for each serving of soda consumed daily, the risk of obesity increased 1.6 times. Fizzy drinks don’t just contribute to belly fats; they also promote the growth of dangerous fats around your organs. Regular drinkers of carbonated beverages showed drastic increase in harmful hidden fats, like liver and skeletal fat, according to a study by Danish researchers.