9 Reasons to keep your kids away from fizzy drinks
Here are some reasons why to encourage your kids to drink less soda.
Studies have recently been making the rounds warning people of the health risks of drinking soda and fizzy drinks. Keeping your kids away from fizzy drinks can be hard but it is important to know why too much soda can be harmful to your little ones. Here are 9 reasons on why to discourage your children from drinking soda:
1. Soda isn’t nutritious:
Soda does not have any nutritional value. Although it seems obvious, soda does not provide the nutrition our bodies need. It provides empty calories that can suppress the appetite, which leads children to eat less of the foods they need to feed their bodies.
These are some of the nutrients your body needs:
Source: www.wonderville.ca
2. Fizzy drinks can lead to childhood obesity
Soda is high in sugar and calories, which could lead to obesity, diabetes and blood sugar imbalances. Even choosing diet soda to avoid sugar won’t prevent obesity in children, because aspartame increases sugar cravings telling the brain to consume more.
3. Soda can be harmful to children’s brains
Soda can have damaging effects such as decreased brain function, moodiness, headaches and allergies. Caffeine in fizzy drinks could create physical dependence and upsets the normal balance of neurochemistry in kids’ developing brains. When a child drinks soda, they consume chemicals, like MSG that hides in the citric acid of soda, that might alter their brains.
4. Soda can cause heart disease
A Harvard University study found that one daily 350ml serving of soda increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by so much as 19%.
5. Fizzy drinks can be harmful to the stomach
Drinking soda regularly can upset the acid-alkaline balance of the stomach, which creates a continuous acid environment. Having an imbalance in acid can lead to inflammation of the stomach and its lining, which can be painful.
6. Fizzy drinks aren’t good for teeth
Soda contributes to tooth decay. Not only does sugar cause cavities, the acid in fizzy drinks deteriorate tooth enamel. Both the citric acid and phosphorus can etch off tooth enamel which leads to decay.
Look at what happens to a tooth after 24 hours in a soft drink:
7. Soda weakens children’s bones
Drinking fizzy drinks depletes bones of much needed calcium. Phosphorus leads to bone loss when it’s in disproportionate levels to calcium. Caffeine can also interfere with the absorption of calcium and bone density.
8. Soda weakens kidneys and the liver
High levels of phosphoric acid in fizzy drinks can be linked to kidney stones and other problems. Surprisingly, diet soda is most likely to have a negative effect on kidney function. High sugar levels in soda van also place pressure on the liver.
9. Fizzy drinks are dehydrating
Just like coffee, tea and alcohol, sodas are dehydrating. Kids need to hydrate, whether they play sports or not, and water is essential for all the functions in their bodies.
Source: healthierliving4you.com
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