I’m sure everyone has been told, at some point in their life, that drinking soda is harmful and should be avoided, but has anyone ever explained why? If not, get ready to understand the effects of soda – in terms of chemistry – on the body. It is important to note that this study focuses mainly on dark sodas (such as coke), and not lighter sodas (such as sprite). This study has also proven that the consumption of soda has more lasting effects on women than men (Pelch).
The human body was created with certain chemical balances, one of them being an equal amount of Calcium to Phosphoric Acid. Phosphoric Acid is a chemical that is used for a variety of things, but in this case is used to provide a tangy flavor. As a person ingests soda, the amount of Phosphoric Acid in their bodies increases. Because the body is programmed to have a 1:1 ratio between Calcium and Phosphoric Acid, as Phosphoric Acid is added, the body needs to match that amount Calcium (Pelch). As the acid enters the bloodstream, the body resorts to the extraction of Calcium from the bones, so as to stabilize the ratio of Phosphorus to Calcium. As bones lose Calcium, they become weaker, less dense, and more brittle. Weaker bones are more susceptible to injury such as fractures or breaks (Pelch).
Clearly, drinking soda has its cons. Unfortunately it is hard to cut out soda from your diet once it has been introduced, due to the addictive sugars it contains. Because of this struggle, it is recommended that even if you can’t cut all ties with soda, that you try to slowly but surely wean yourself off of it. Ultimately, it is up to each individual person to decide for themselves whether or not they want to drink soda.
Source:
Pelch, Anna. “The Health Effects of Soda Consumption.” SciJourner. 8 March 2012. Web. http://www.scijourner.org/2012/03/08/the-health-effects-of-soda-consumption/
