Zero marks to zero calorie cold drink
Oh! I am watching my weight. I’ll have a diet cold drink.
My kid was asking for cold drink and I couldn’t say no to him, so I gave
him a diet cold drink.
One large burger, one large fries and one diet cold drink please!
-
said by everyone, everyday
A normal 300 ml cold drink contains approx. 120 calories
with 40 gm of sugar while a diet cold drink contains zero calorie with zero sugar
and offer the same taste. No wonder, anyone would choose a diet cold drink
(also called zero calorie or low-calorie cold drink) over conventional cold drink. But,
don’t you smell something fishy! How come something is sweet without having
sugar? Simply because it has another kind of sweetener known as artificial
sweetener. While sugar is a plant-based product, these artificial sweeteners are
chemicals and most commonly used ones are Aspartame
and Acesulfame K.
Artificial sweetener – they don’t have calories but definitely
consequences!
The Aspartame and
Acesulfame K are 200 times sweeter than sugar, thus, they are added in very
minute quantities and when replaced with sugar they offer no calories. They
were considered revolutionary products for obese and diabetic patients, but long-term
researches have shown that they have contrary effect. They both are used in conjunction,
to offer better aftertaste. They are believed to be carcinogenic and other side-effects
include headaches, dizziness, seizures, depression
and hyperactivity disorder.
1. They are a house to number of diseases –
As opposed to the marketing strategy for being a healthy option, consumption of diet cold drinks (with artificial sweeteners) on long term basis have shown increase in waist circumference, overweight, increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, onset of cardiovascular diseases, dental carries, depression and worst cases cancer.
2. They contain caffeine
Caffeine
in carbonated drink is more readily absorbed than any other drink. Caffeine
enhances the mental and physical performance,
improve alertness, and concentration. Caffeine disturbs sleep by
stimulating nervous system. It also makes PMS syndrome worse, causes
dehydration and induces stomach to produce acids, aggravating hyperacidity. Although moderate consumption of caffeine can be
tolerated by most healthy people, studies showed that its high consumption has
been associated with adverse effects on health including anxiety, restlessness,
aggression, headaches, and depression. A prolonged exposure to high intakes of
caffeine, levels greater than 500–600 mg a day, can result in chronic
toxicity leading to nervousness, nausea, vomiting, seizures and cardiovascular
symptoms in severe cases.
Since,
the whole diet cold drink is a chemical product, the colors used in them are also
chemicals. Caramel color is added to many soft drinks and some foods to turn
them brown, may sound harmless, even appetizing. But in no way does it resemble
real caramel. Some types of this artificial coloring contain a potentially
carcinogenic chemical which leads to different types of cancers.
Diet cold drink mainly contain water, caffeine and artificial sweetener and they have zero nutritive value. The main reason for consuming diet cold drink (or conventional cold drink) is basically to raise the energy level in the body. The sweetness in cold drinks spike the blood sugar level. Research have shown that, increase in intake of diet cold drinks have reduced the consumption of milk and other nutritive drinks, causing double the losses. This is a major cause of worry in growing children as they need nutritive food to promote physical growth and better brain functioning. High intake of carbonated soft drinks during adolescence was significantly associated with reduced bone mineral density among kids aged 12 and 15 years.
5. They have high sodium level
Approximately, a 300 ml of diet cold drink contains 40 mg of
sodium. In general, 90% of sodium intake is from salt and rest is from natural
food. These drinks add to the level of sodium in our body. High sodium level has
been shown to produce a significant increase in blood pressure and the onset of
hypertension and cardiovascular morbidity. High
blood pressure also leads to increased calcium loss and it is detectable in
children and young people and continue throughout adult life. High sodium
levels in blood have shown relation with kidney stones, stomach cancer,
cataract and may aggravate asthma. Thus, people with high blood pressure should
not consume diet cold drinks.
Water is an important nutrient for our body. Drinking water helps maintain the balance
of body fluids important for carrying out digestion, absorption, circulation,
creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body
temperature. Substituting water for higher calorie beverages can certainly help
in controlling calories and weight loss. Water also helps in
transporting oxygen and nutrients to the brain for optimal mental function.
It also helps in preventing constipation and kidney stones. You can infuse
water with fresh fruits and vegetables to improve its taste and increase
vitamin content.
Coconut water is highly valued for its nutritional and
therapeutic properties. It is light, low-calorie
and nearly fat-free, as well as low in sugar but pleasantly sweet—contains
about a fifth of the sugar of other fruit juices. It is rich in vitamins,
minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. It is a rich source of electrolytes and
natural salts, especially potassium and magnesium and can be used to prevent
dehydration from strenuous exercise, vomiting, or diarrhea. Coconut water
contains 295 mg of potassium, which is 15 times the amount in the average
sports drink, required for muscle functioning.
Buttermilk
is an excellent source of protein, which your body needs to build healthy
muscles, skin, and bones. It can give
you more energy. The riboflavin in buttermilk is a B vitamin that is
vital for your body’s energy production systems. The buttermilk act as
probiotic and make your gut
healthier. Buttermilk is also an excellent source of calcium. Calcium is
not only important to your body’s bone structures, but also critical to
maintaining signaling systems in your blood. It can help keep your cholesterol levels healthy. Studies
have shown that a small amount of buttermilk each day can help lower
cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with high cholesterol levels.
They provide overall protective health benefits and
different fruit juices have different benefits such as, orange juice would
reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, cranberry juice prevents urinary
tract infections, pomegranate juice may clear clogged arteries and grape juice
lowers risk of blood clots. They almost have 90% of water and helps in
preventing dehydration and lowers blood pressure. They are store house of
essential vitamins and minerals and helps in meeting the daily recommended
intake.
Each region has its own native traditional drink based
on the staple that grow there. They vary from season to season and in each state,
there is a new variation. They are an important part of local diet and provide
health benefits. Such as kokum which is a delicacy in Maharashtra, helps in
improving intestinal health and is a store house of various vitamins. Rasam
that is drink from south India is made from local spices and it aids in
digestion. Similarly, sattu drink made from powdered chana (Bengal Gram) dal is
high in protein and good for digestion and controlling blood pressure. These
drinks are high in nutrients unlike non-nutritive diet cold drinks.
Disclaimer - All images are for representation purpose only. They do not prefer or target any brand.
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