The Dangers of Drinking Pop
The Dangers of Drinking Pop
Drinking a Ton of Pop Isn’t Good for You
In my last article I shared how processed and “ultra-processed” foods were a major contributing factor to our nation’s obesity and declining health. This week I wanted to zero in specifically on pop.
Pop, like all things, can be enjoyed in moderation. And while it's pretty common knowledge that soda isn't the greatest for your health, what really happens to your body when you drink pop? You may have seen various videos online showing how soda can be used to clean pennies, create soda-bottle volcanoes when paired with Mentos mints or even corrode metal. And according to a 2021 article published in Preventing Chronic Diseases, 63% of adults in the U.S. drink pop at least once per day.
According to the CDC, drinking pop frequently is associated with weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay, cavities and gout. Additionally, adults and adolescents who drink pop frequently are more likely to have less healthy behaviors, including smoking, not getting enough sleep and more screen time. The following three health concerns were so glaring that I decided to focus this article primarily on them.
1. Chronic pop consumption rots your teeth: Drinking pop is associated with tooth decay (dental caries), enamel erosion and tooth loss. Anything really acidic and anything with a lot of sugar can cause tooth "rot”. Pop is quite acidic and usually has high amounts of sugar, which gets turned into lactic acid by plaque and microbes in the mouth and starts to dissolve the teeth.
In addition to damaging your teeth, pop can also impact your oral hygiene in several ways, including changes to saliva and gums. "Saliva plays a crucial role in oral health, as it helps to neutralize the acid in your mouth and wash away food particles and bacteria. However, drinking pop can decrease your saliva production, making it harder for your mouth to fight off harmful bacteria," says Ankit Patel DMD at 24/7 Dental. "Also, the sugar and acid in pop can irritate and inflame your gums, leading to swelling, bleeding, and even gum recession. If left untreated, gum disease can result in tooth loss and other serious health problems."
2. Pop contains flame-retardants: Some popular pop brands, including Mountain Dew, use brominated vegetable oil - a toxic flame retardant - to keep the artificial flavoring from separating from the rest of the liquid. This hazardous ingredient (sometimes listed as BVO on soda and sports drinks) can cause bromide poisoning symptoms like skin lesions and memory loss, as well as nerve disorders. If that’s not a good enough reason not to “Do the Dew,” I don’t know what is.
3. Drinking pop makes you a lab rat: Many American pop brands are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a heart-harming manmade compound derived mainly from genetically engineered corn. The problem? Genetically engineered ingredients have only been in our food chain since the 1990s, and we don't know their long-term health impacts because the corporations that developed the crops never had to test them for long-term safety. Case in point: Some recent findings suggest that genetically engineered crops are linked to digestive tract damage, accelerated aging, and even infertility!
Pop impacts your insides by damaging your oral hygiene, irritating your stomach and changing your gut microbiota. Because of its high added sugar content, it can contribute to a myriad of health problems associated with high added sugar intake, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Enjoying a pop occasionally can be refreshing, but drinking it frequently/daily is associated with adverse health effects. If you're craving pop but worried about the impact on your health, consider a healthier, less-risky alternative, such as flavored seltzer, kombucha or sparkling tea.
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Kim Duke is a certified personal trainer and owner of Core Performance Fitness and Training, located at 55 Bristol Lane, Ellicottville, NY. Kim resides in Ellicottville where she raised her two sons, Zach and Nik. For more information about her studio visit her Facebook page, go to www.coreperformancefitness.com or call her directly at 716-698-1198.
