The Pro-Health, Anti-Soda Blog
Posts tagged soda
Bottled/Canned Soda is Bad For the Environment
Sep 15th
Although bottled water gets a lot of negative press for being bad for the environment compared to what you can get out of the tap in the non-packaged variety – EcoGeek points out that Bottled soda is much worse for the environment.
I have a couple of problems with the continued villainy of bottled water. First and foremost, it’s a given. If you’re conscious of the affect your lifestyle has on the environment, there’s no reason why you should be drinking bottled water. It’s obviously stupid, it’s like buying a can of air.
I’m not sure why we need two dozen campaigns to fight against buying what already comes out of our faucets for free, but I have this nagging feeling that all of that concern and effort would be better spent elsewhere. Like, how about getting congress to pass a tax credit for renewable energy.
I’m also concerned that we’ve somehow overlooked that bottled water isn’t nearly as popular as bottled sugar water. Bottled sugar water, it turns out, is actually worse for the environment than bottled water, because you have to get the sugar. Something we enviros don’t like to talk about is the fact that soft-drink purchases have actually declined significantly since the advent of bottled water. This can’t be a bad thing, especially considering the obesity epidemic.
Still, for some reason, there’s no campaign against soda, which is responsible for about seven times more waste than bottled water.
[ Source ]
EcoGeek a good point. Water is just water. Soda has the high fructose corn syrup to harvest and process, all of those chemicals to refine and transport — it makes bottled water seem to pale in comparison. Yet another reason to quit drinking soda!
Headaches, and Soda vs Pop vs Coke
Sep 10th
Day 6: I seem to be having some pretty bad headaches today. I was warned I might get them. I think it might be from the caffeine withdrawal or maybe because I don’t get as much liquid. Also I seem to get them around the same time each day. The time corresponds with the period of time when I felt energy ‘lows’ while I was still on soda. My body is probably getting used to the lack of extra chemicals. Hoping that after a few weeks of no soda, more exercise, and better eating that I will have normal energy back!
Speaking of soda, check out this map of the popular vernacular for soda vs pop vs coke. Very interesting indeed.
Pop vs Soda vs Coke Map
Some attribute the descriptive word ‘coke’ to Coca Cola being Headquartered in GA – however my guess is that it is more likely the success of marketing of Coke in that area which may explain it.
Sources report southerners coming up north an wanting an orange soda, for example “Orange Slice”, and ordering an “Orange Coke” to the confusion of the server.
What Happens To Your Body When You Drink A Soda?
Sep 5th
So, what happens to your body when you drink a soda? This insightful article from Healthbolt gives you a good idea of what happens from the sudden infusion of high fructose corn syrup and other chemicals:
- In The First 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don’t immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor allowing you to keep it down.
- 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (There’splenty of that at this particular moment)
- 40 minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked preventing drowsiness.
- 45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.
- >60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.
- >60 Minutes: The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you’ll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolyte and water.
- >60 minutes: As the rave inside of you dies down you’ll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You’ve also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like even having theability to hydrate your system or build strong bones and teeth.
As you can see, your body goes through some pretty drastic changes. Many valuable nutrients are lost; while the body converts much of the sugar into fat.
[ via healthbolt ]
So It Begins – My Quest To Cut Soda Out Of My Diet
Sep 5th
I am starting my journey of quitting soda. I’ve slowly come to the realization that I am addicted to soda much like many are addicted to drugs, cigarrettes or alcohol. Maybe that is a rough comparison but I find it exceedingly hard to stop drinking soda, or pop – depending on where you are from. This blog is the journal of my quest to completely cut soda out of my diet, starting today, September 5th, 2008. I plan on using it to reenforce my decision and to help me out along the way. Maybe someone out there will get some use out of it as well!
