The “Fizzy Drink Study,” published in the British Medical Journal in May of 2004, measured how soda machines in schools were affecting obesity in children. In the 12 month study, they asked one group to limit their consumption of soda, and the other group was to continue drinking soda as they had previously. The number of kids who were overweight or obese remained constant for the group who reduced their intake of soda; however, in the group who continued to drink soda, there was an increase in the number of overweight and obese children. [1] The chart below illustrates the climb in the number of kids who became overweight from drinking soda throughout the year.
Because sugary drinks are such a health crisis, (studies show they are closely linked to weight gain, obesity and Type II Diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities, even gout [2]), some cities are beginning to put taxes and limits on sugary beverages. You may remember Mayor Bloomberg’s efforts in 2012 to limit the sales of sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces in New York City – a decision later overturned by the state’s court in 2014. Not that they deemed sugary beverages weren’t unhealthy – just that the city’s Board of Health “exceeded the scope of its regulatory authority.” [3]
Currently 8 cities (Berkely-CA, Albany-CA, Oakland-CA, Chicago-IL, Philadelphia-PA, Boulder-CO, Seattle-WA and San Francisco-CA) collect taxes on sugary drinks. The goal is to improve awareness of the dangers consuming sugary sweetened beverages have as well as discouraging the consumption through higher prices. [4] And, although I may disagree when it comes to government getting too deep into our pockets, this one I support. Take smoking for example. I don’t think anyone would argue that smoking is NOT advantageous to your health. According to TobaccoFreeKids.org and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), raising prices on cigarettes has been “one of the most effective tobacco control interventions,” because increasing price is proven to reduce smoking, especially among kids. [5] It’s proven for sugar sweetened beverages, too. Mexico’s peso per liter tax reduced overall purchases of sugar sweetened beverages by as much as 9.7% one year. [6]
Don’t think for a second that the soda industry is just going to lay down and take it, however. Coca-Cola consistently invests more than $3.2 Billion a year in advertising, accounting for 6.9% of their total revenue in 2012-2014. [7] For sake of comparison, Anheuser-Busch spent a measly $716 million on advertising in 2016. [8] These taxes are a threat to their bottom line, and now they’re playing dirty – no different than the NRA, big tobacco and drug companies, who leverage their political funding to manipulate legislation. Most recently (29Jun2018), “big soda” is being implicated in strong arming California’s law makers to ban all new taxes on groceries (including beverages) for the next 12 years. [9] And, just to give you an idea of how big their reach is, here’s a list of brands sold under the Top 3 soda corporations (according to corporate sites).
Keep in mind, we aren’t just talking about Coke and Pepsi, or even Mt. Dew, here. Sugary sweetened beverages are “any liquids that are sweetened with various forms of added sugars,” and include (but are not limited to) soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened waters and coffees and teas with added sugars. [10] In the list above, that would include Yoohoo, Nantucket Nectars, Hawaiian Punch, Starbucks, Tropicana, Gatorade, Honest Tea, Powerade, and Minute Maid (to name a few).
What are the various forms of added sugars, you ask? Well, there’s no less than 61 names for added sugars on food labels according to SugarScience. [11]
| Agave nectar | Cane sugar | Corn syrup solids | Fruit juice | Icing sugar | Muscovado | Sucrose |
| Barbados sugar | Caramel | Date sugar | Fruit juice concentrate | Invert sugar | Palm sugar | Sugar (granulated) |
| Barley malt | Carob syrup | Dehydrated cane juice | Glucose | Malt syrup | Panocha | Sweet Sorghum |
| Barley malt syrup | Castor sugar | Demerara sugar | Glucose solids | Maltodextrin | Powdered sugar | Syrup |
| Beet sugar | Coconut palm sugar | Dextrin | Golden sugar | Maltol | Raw sugar | Treacle |
| Brown sugar | Coconut sugar | Dextrose | Golden syrup | Maltose | Refiner’s syrup | Turbinado sugar |
| Buttered syrup | Confectioner’s sugar | Evaporated cane juice | Grape sugar | Mannose | Rice syrup | Yellow sugar |
| Cane juice | Corn sweetener | Free-flowing brown sugars | HFCS (High-Fructose Corn Syrup) | Maple syrup | Saccharose | |
| Cane juice crystals | Corn syrup | Fructose | Honey | Molasses | Sorghum Syrup |
The CDC says, [12]
“Adults and adolescents who smoke, don’t get enough sleep, don’t exercise much, eat fast food often and who do not eat fruit regularly are more likely to be frequent consumers of Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSBs). Additionally, adolescents who frequently drink SSBs also have more screen time (e.g., television, cell phones, computers, video games).”
Note the underlined antitheses to our Heading Healthy core principles, and you can see why cutting out drinks spiked with sugar is at the top of our list.
Let’s look at an example: Even after drinking a large sugar sweetened beverage before a meal, you are just as likely to eat the same amount of food than if you didn’t consume that large drink. But wait a second…wouldn’t that 430 calories from those 32 ounces make you full? Tuns out, no. You’re body doesn’t even recognize the calories coming in because there’s no nutritional value (hence the term, “empty calories). Fructose does not suppress ghrelin (the hunger hormone). Fructose does not stimulate leptin (the satiety hormone). Those calories from the soda are going right to your waist line, and you’re still begging for more! It’s just too easy to chug a big gulp! Yet, look at the amount of yummy, natural, whole, tasty fruit you would need (or want) to consume to get the same amount of sugar! That’s a meal in and of itself! I doubt you’d be combing the cabinets for more food after all of that.
In an earlier article, I detailed how fructose is metabolized differently than glucose, but did you know that chronic fructose exposure leads to 8 out of 12 of the same diseases as alcoholism? [13]
| Chronic ethanol exposure | Chronic fructose exposure |
| Hematologic disorders | |
| Electorlyte abnormalities | |
| Hypertension | Hypertension |
| Cardiac dilatation | |
| Cardiomyopathy | Cardiomyopathy |
| Dislipidemia | Dislipidemia |
| Pancreatitis | Pancreatitis |
| Malnutrition | |
| Obesity | Obesity |
| Hepatic disfunction (ASH) | Hepatic disfunction (ASH) |
| Fetal alcohol syndrome | Fetal alcohol syndrome |
| Addiction | Addiction |
According to Dr. Lustig’s presentation Sugar: The Bitter Truth, it’s because they do the same thing. They are metabolized the same way – by the liver. In fact, when comparing the consumption of a 150 calorie Coke vs a 150 calorie Beer, essentially the same amount of calories (90 vs 92, respectively) reach the liver. Your body sees them as the same – poison. With soda, you get the belly without the buzz. Seems, highly unfair, doesn’t it?
Here’s a fun game…I bet you can’t tell which bulging belly below was birthed out of drinking too much beer v soda.
[14]
Although they may taste good, there’s now overwhelming evidence that shows sugary sweetened beverages are bad for you. Take a serious look at how much you consume. You may be surprised that you’ve been purchasing your health issues from the company Coke machine. Afterall, they’re not marketed as “Diet Diabetes,” or “Fatty Liver Lime Soda.” Give it all up for just a few weeks and see how much better you feel!
Oh! And don’t think for a second that Diet sodas are a “healthy” alternative just because they don’t have any calories. We’ll explore that topic next week.
So, what are you supposed to drink? Well, how ’bout some WATER! You can flavor with lemon or lime, even some fruit (but don’t go overboard, there!) Or, if you gotta find something to keep your face off your desk at work, drink some unsweetened coffee or tea. Stick to the basics and keep things simple and you’ll be on your way to Heading Healthy in no time!
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[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15107313
[2], [10], [12] https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/sugar-sweetened-beverages-intake.html
[3] https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/27/nyregion/city-loses-final-appeal-on-limiting-sales-of-large-sodas.html
[4] https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/6/6/15745908/soda-tax-seattle-philadelphia-sugar-drinks
[5] https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0146.pdf
[6] https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2016.1231
[7] https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/081315/look-cocacolas-advertising-expenses.asp
[8] https://www.statista.com/statistics/264998/ad-spend-of-selected-beer-manufacturers-in-the-us/
[9] https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heart-health/california-bows-beverage-industry-blocks-soda-taxes-n887796
[11] http://sugarscience.ucsf.edu/
[13] Sugar: The Bitter Truth, presented by Dr. Lustig
[14] https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/7-ways-to-reduce-man-boobs-decrease-estrogen-levels
Featured Photo by Pablo Merchán Montes on Unsplash
