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March/April 2008 Alternative Health
What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Soda

by Dr. Joseph Mercola

Here's what happens to your body within an hour when you assault it with a soda:

Within the first 10 minutes, 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. This is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake, and the only reason you don't vomit as a result of the overwhelming sweetness is because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor.

Within 20 minutes, your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into fat.

Within 40 minutes, caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises and your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream.

Around 45 minutes, your body increases dopamine production, which stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain - a physically identical response to that of heroin, by the way.

After 60 minutes,it's sugar crash time.

How many sodas have you had today? How about your kids? Since 2005, white bread was dethroned as the number one source of calories in the American diet, being replaced by soft drinks.

The average American drinks more than 60 gallons of soft drinks each year, but before you grab that next can of soda, consider this: one can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 milligrams of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites. Not to mention the fact that it's also your largest source of dangerous high-fructose modified corn syrup.

Here are the other major components of a can of soda:

• Phosphoric acid can interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, leading to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones.
• Sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and other negative side effects.
• Aspartame is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy seizures.
• Caffeine causes jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps and birth defects.
• Tap water can carry any number of chemicals including chlorine, trihalomethanes, lead, cadmium and various organic pollutants. Tap water is the main ingredient in bottled soft drinks.

Not only are sodas filled with unhealthy ingredients, the effects on your body can be devastating. Pure water is a much better choice, or if you must drink a carbonated beverage, try sparkling mineral water with a squirt of lime or lemon juice.

Dr. Joseph Mercola is the author of Take Control of Your Health. Visit www.mercola.com.