What do you drink on a warm summer day?

Once advertised as a refreshing drink on a warm summer day, soda has become an addiction for numerous individuals around the world. Sodas used to be consumed sporadically, as a treat or way to indulge a sweet tooth. Now many individuals have a soda with almost every meal. Couple that with some of the outrageous servings sizes offered at many convenience stores (of up to 50 ounces or more), and you now have a recipe for weight gain and diabetes.

Super-size drinks

When McDonalds offered its first soda drink in 1955 there was only one, 7 ounce size cup. Compare that to their menu now which offers 3 sizes, it’s largest at 30 ounces and containing a staggering 81g of sugar! To put the amount of sugar into perspective, the American Heart Association recommended daily intake of sugar is 36g for men and 25g for women. And what does sugar contribute directly to? Diabetes!

Soda and diabetes risk

We’ve all heard Dr. Wallach’s lecture on the negative effects of soda or more importantly, sugar. His lectures have been backed by many studies including one published on the huffingtonpost.com, “One Can of Soda A Day Raises Diabetes Risk, Study Suggest.” This study found that consuming just one can of soda daily, increased one’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 18 percent. Additionally, those who consumed 2 sodas daily were 18 percent more likely to have a stroke than those who consumed one. These numbers are all from simply consuming soda, and do not take into consideration other risk factors such as age and physical activity levels. If you think switching to a diet soda might keep you safe, think again.

Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming sugar-free or diet soda drinks, may also increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This particular study followed 66,118 women over the course of 14 years.  It found that both diet and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was linked with a higher risk of developing diabetes in 1,369 women. This study, however, did not distinguish other factors, such as if these women were prone to diabetes, or the types of artificial sweeteners consumed; which could be linked to developing diabetes. Still, it’s no secret that even diet soda drinks can have a negative impact on one’s health.

Replace Sodas with Nutritional Drinks

With millions of Americans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and still many others at risk, decreasing ones consumption of soda beverages is necessary in pursuing a healthy lifestyle. A great way to support healthy blood sugar levels, in addition to monitoring your sugar intake, is with the Healthy Body Blood Sugar Pak™. Not only does this pak provide you with the 90 essential nutrients needed for optimal health, but you also get Slender FX Sweet EZE™ which supports healthy blood sugar levels.

Youngevity offers several options to replace your soda that provide energy, replace lost nutrients and taste amazing. Check out Rebound FX (in sticks or a canister), Pollen Burst (in a variety of flavors),  or A.C.T. (which also comes in a few varieties), to name a few. You can see a full list of sports and energy drinks on Youngevity.com as well.

Don’t let your consumption of soda put you at risk! Prevention is the key!