Research has made a few interesting discoveries on the benefits of cutting down on soft drinks
For the longest time, health experts have warned about the dangers of consuming soda (or soft drinks as they’re known in these parts).
From diabetes to cancer, a dozen and one reasons have been offered as to why we should cut down diet drinks from our diet. But what exactly does our body stand to gain from making such a cut?
Research has made a few interesting discoveries on this. Here are 8 things which researchers say the body will gain from cutting down on diet soft drinks.
-
No more headaches: According to a review in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, chemicals that make up the artificial sweetener aspartame may have altered brain chemicals, nerve signals, and the brain’s reward system, which leads to headaches, anxiety, and insomnia. Thus stoppage of soft drinks could lead to reduced headaches and better focus.
-
Super sensitive taste buds: Notice how food seems all the tastier when accompanied with soft drinks? That’s because artificial sweeteners in diet soda overwhelm the taste buds with an onslaught of sweetness. Moreso, brain scans show that diet soda alters sweet receptors in the brain and prolongs sugar cravings rather than satisfies them. So the next time you have a diet soda, think how you could be permanently altering your taste buds.
-
You lose weight: For those on a weight loss journey, giving up soft drinks (especially diet soda) could be just the trick needed to shed those last stubborn kilos. A recent 9-year study found older adults who drank diet soda continued to pack on belly fat. Also, a study published in Diabetes Care found drinking diet soft drinks daily was associated with an increase in metabolic syndrome.
-
Your bones become stronger: While it is unclear why soft drinks have an effect on bones, a 2014 study found that each daily soda increased the chance of hip fracture by 14% for postmenopausal women. Another found that older women who drank cola had lower bone mineral density in their hips.
-
Kidney functions improve: With the kidney rid of the damaging content of diet soft drinks, it’s better freed up to clear toxins, stabilize blood pressure, and absorb minerals. To buttress this, a study looked at 11 years of data and found that women who drank 2 or more servings of diet soda doubled their chances of declining kidney function.
Fun fact: You can hold your liquor better when you cut diet soda from your diet! As weird and seemingly out of place as this sounds, we thought to share this interesting fact with you. According to an Australian study in the American Journal of Medicine, diet soda gets one drunk faster and when you mix it with alcohol, your stomach empties out faster than if you used regular soda, causing a drastic increase in blood alcohol concentrations. So, for a more ‘intoxicating’ experience, lose the diet soda.
