It's called "pop" in the northeast, "soda" in the south and west, and everything's a "coke" in Texas! But regardless of what you call it, they all have one very important thing in common. They. Are. BAD.
I was hoping my next post would be about sugar (see my previous post on the Five Changes to Make Right Now if you haven't read it yet!) but this one is just too important to wait. Besides, it kind of encompasses the reality of sugar in our diet so it's kind of a good pre "the-truth-about-sugar" post. Yeah, let's go with that.
Sometimes all it takes to break an addiction to something is a little knowledge. Suddenly, you realize what used to be your most loyal "friend" is really your health's biggest enemy and it's not so tempting anymore. Sometimes, it takes more than a little knowledge, especially if the addiction is chemical just as much as it is psychological (like drugs or carbs or sugar or....soda pop!) Hopefully, the 9 facts below will help put soda consumption into perspective for you.
Luckily, I didn't have a bad soda habit that needed breaking when I started to eat cleaner. But I can name countless friends and family members who just can't give it up. Well, I just came across this article that may be the bendy straw in your pop that breaks your soda camel's back. Here's hoping this post will be the kick in the butt you (and they) need to have a paradigm shift on this subject.
My sister recently (and almost completely) gave up soda. (SO proud of her!) She has replaced it with, what I think is, a BRILLIANT option as you try to break your soda habit! Whether you like soda for the taste or for the fizz, the next time you're craving a soda, reach for a Pellegrino instead! Add a little lemon or lime, and maybe even a touch of CLEAN sugar (i.e. evaporated cane juice or Sucunat), and see if it helps you to say good-bye to the enemy that is your pop, soda, or "coke."
Click the link at the end to read about each of the below, but here's a brief list of the intriguing and eye-opening facts inside (and some of them, you will notice, are not just about your health or your body. Have you ever thought about how your soda habit is affecting the environment? Neither had I. Yikes.) *Disclaimer - My comments are in ( ). These are not an official part of the article's list.
1. Weird Fat in Weird Places (I just can't help but sing Garth Brooks to this one.)
2. Diet-Soda Belly
3. Caramel Cancer-Causers
4. Accelerated Aging
5. Water Pollution
6. "Mountain Dew Mind" (after "Mountain Dew Mouth")
7. Whacked-Out Hormones (aren't we whacky enough already?!?)
8. Dead Birds (Nope. Not a typo.)
9. The side effects of GMOs (Don't get me started.)
Intrigued? Click here for the full Rodale article by Emily Main.
