In the scorching summer, sweating profusely, it is necessary to stay hydrated every day. However, if you take a look at the beverage counters on the market, 90% of the space is occupied by sugary drinks. These drinks are sweet and refreshing, but are they really as bad as they are said to be? What are the actual harmful effects?
What are the harmful effects of consuming sugary drinks?
Harmful effect 1: Promotes kidney stones
One day, while filming a TV show, I was chatting with a guest from the United States. He mentioned that his relative had kidney stone problems. The doctor informed him that the consumption of sugary foods and drinks could be related to kidney stones.
A driver from a certain company told me that due to the nature of his work, his meal times were irregular. He felt that sugary drinks not only quenched his thirst but also satisfied his hunger, so he drank sugary drinks instead of water all year round. This driver also suffered from kidney stones, but he himself didn't know why.
A young male office worker suffered from kidney stones and underwent lithotripsy. He told me that he never drank water, only sugary drinks. If the doctor had not told him that it was related to sugary drinks, he would probably have continued this bad habit.
In most people's minds, since the majority of kidney stones are calcium oxalate stones, they would think the relationship between kidney stones and foods such as oxalic acid and calcium is more significant, and rarely would they think that sugary drinks are related. However, the United States is a country with a high prevalence of kidney stones, and there is a significant correlation between the high consumption of sugary drinks by its citizens and the prevalence of kidney stones.
In epidemiological studies on the relationship between sugary drinks and kidney stones, 5 studies have shown a significant correlation between the consumption of sugary drinks and the risk of kidney stones and urinary stones. Researchers believe that sugary drinks reduce the intake of calcium and potassium while increasing the intake of sucrose, which may be an important factor in increasing the risk of kidney stones.
However, the troubles caused by sugary drinks are not limited to kidney stones.
Harmful effect 2: Promotes obesity
Current research evidence has confirmed that consuming sugary drinks can effectively promote obesity. The majority of epidemiological surveys and intervention experiments indicate that the intake of sugary drinks promotes weight gain, while reducing the intake of sugary drinks is beneficial for weight control. Interestingly, experts who conducted summary analysis found that studies funded by the beverage industry often conclude that there is little or no relationship between weight and drinks.
Harmful effect 3: Reduces nutrient intake
Some studies suggest that people who consume more sugary drinks usually have a lower intake of dietary fiber, starch, and protein. This may be because sugary drinks take up space in the stomach, leading to a decrease in appetite during meals. For children and adolescents in the developmental stage, this is not good news as it can lead to unhealthy weight gain. There is also research suggesting that individuals who consume more sugary drinks have an overall inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals.
Harmful effect 4: Strongly promotes diabetes
What shocked researchers the most was the conclusion that sugary drinks strongly promote diabetes. In a study that tracked 91,249 women for 8 years, it was found that people who drank more than one can of sugary drinks per day had double the risk of developing diabetes compared to those who drank almost no sugary drinks (less than one can per month). Even more surprisingly, even in cases where drinking sugary drinks did not lead to weight gain and the body mass index and daily energy intake were identical, there was still an increased risk of developing diabetes.
Harmful effect 5: Promotes osteoporosis and fractures
Research has also found that the more sugary drinks people consume, the less they consume dairy products and the lower their calcium intake. Similarly, studies funded by the food industry show only a small negative relationship or even a positive relationship between sugary drink consumption and calcium intake, while large-scale studies funded by the government clearly show a negative relationship between sugary drink consumption and calcium intake. Two studies have shown a significant correlation between sugary drink consumption and decreased bone density, and there is also research suggesting that consuming more sugary drinks leads to an increased risk of fractures.
Harmful effect 6: Promotes tooth decay
Several studies have shown a positive correlation between the intake of sugary drinks and the risk of tooth decay. In fact, in Western countries, sugary drinks are often consumed with a straw, and highly acidic sugary drinks do not necessarily directly come into contact with the teeth. The increased risk of tooth decay is likely due to the loss of calcium in the body caused by sugary drinks, making the teeth more vulnerable.
Harmful effect 7: Promotes gout
Studies have shown that sugary drinks increase the production of uric acid in the body, especially cool drinks rich in fructose, significantly increasing the risk of developing gout (as mentioned in previous blog posts). There are also a few studies suggesting that a higher intake of sugary drinks may lead to higher blood pressure...
These sugary drinks include carbonated beverages, fruit juice drinks, functional drinks, and even pure fruit juices. As long as they contain sugar, whether it is white sugar (sucrose) or glucose, whether it is natural fruit sugar or added fruit syrup, consuming too many sugary drinks can have potential health risks.
So, what about drinks that are sugar-free and use sweeteners instead? Research has found that these drinks, which use sweeteners instead of white sugar or fruit syrup, do not promote the development of diabetes or an increase in blood pressure. However, there is also no evidence to suggest that they help with weight loss. Therefore, if you must drink sugary drinks, it is better to choose low-sugar or sugar-free options.
Perhaps these research results may seem a bit harsh, but they are scientific and reliable evidence obtained after investigating thousands of people and conducting numerous experiments. They are not biased opinions against sugary drinks.
Everyone should remember:
- If you want to avoid kidney stones, drink fewer sugary drinks.
- If you want to avoid obesity, drink fewer sugary drinks.
- If you want to avoid diabetes, drink fewer sugary drinks.
- If you want to avoid gout, drink fewer sugary drinks.
- If you want to avoid osteoporosis and fractures, drink fewer sugary drinks.
- If you want to avoid tooth decay, drink fewer sugary drinks.
- If you want to control blood pressure, it is also recommended to drink fewer sugary drinks.
Although sugary drinks cannot be considered "toxic," occasionally drinking a bottle is not likely to cause any obvious harm. However, if you drink them every day, year after year, or even treat them as water, the harm is no less than chronic poisoning. It is recommended to limit daily consumption of sugary drinks to less than one bottle. If you have consumed a bottle of sugary drink, it is best not to consume other sweet foods.
If you are thirsty in the summer, it is better to prioritize drinks without sweetness, sugar-free, and fat-free. If you find plain water tasteless, you can brew a cup of green tea or chrysanthemum tea, or cook mung bean soup or red bean soup. It's not that troublesome...
