Fizzy drinks are non-alcoholic drinks that contain small bubbles of carbon dioxide. They contain refined sugar which can pave the way for weight gain, obesity, tooth decay, diabetes and many more. Drinking too much fizzy drinks also known as soda can be detrimental to one’s health. However, they can be taken in moderation as most people often find it difficult to stay away completely.

Consequences of consuming unhealthy foods and drinks

Lifestyle habits of consuming unhealthy food and drinks increase a person’s risk of developing non-communicable diseases. Slurping down a can of soda/fizzy drink a day is linked to several health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, weight gain, obesity and heart disease. Soda has little to no nutritional value; a good reason you should moderate your intake of fizzy drinks.

Microbes are bacteria, viruses, fungi and other micro-organisms that can be found in the environment, in the intestines and even on the skin.  Some species of bacteria are essential to the body while some are bad for human health and general wellbeing.

The good bacteria feed on prebiotics (dietary fiber) and not just aid digestion but also help in keeping bad bacteria in check. Good bacteria make your immune system stronger. Sources of prebiotics like onions, bananas, garlic, whole grains, and soybeans are good for increasing the number of good bacteria in the gut.

Ways to improve the health of the gut is eating foods rich in fiber, eating less sugar and sweeteners and to avoid taking antibiotics unnecessarily as they tend to destroy both the good and bad bacteria because they can’t differentiate between both. Eating food and fruits rich in fiber can help the good bacteria that antibiotics have destroyed to develop.

The bad bacteria found in the gut feeds on sugar like the highly refined sugar found in fizzy drinks to flourish. They cause havoc to the body system and weaken immunity. You can only empower the bad bacteria in your gut when you consume refined sugar and artificial sweeteners. To reduce the bad bacteria, you have to empower the good bacteria by consuming food, drinks and supplements rich in prebiotics.

Effects of fizzy drinks/dietary sugar to the health 

  1. Too much consumption of fizzy drink is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. High sugary drink intake causes insulin resistance which occurs when excess sugar circulates in the body. Sugary foods/drinks contribute to weight gain thereby reducing the sensitivity of insulin in the body.
  2. Overweight/obesity: weight gain happens when you burn less calories than you consume and sugary-sweetened carbonated drinks add extra calories to your diet.
  3. Fizzy drinks do not contain essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fiber needed by the body for a stronger immunity.
  4. Sugary diets are bad for your heart. They raise your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and lower the “good” (HDL) cholesterol.
  5. Fizzy drinks are bad for your gut as bad bacteria in the gut feeds on refined sugar to flourish which is not beneficial to the body.

Alternatives to fizzy drinks/ dietary sugar

There are healthier alternatives to fizzy drinks and dietary sugar. High intake of sugar is very addictive and unhealthy. If you are addicted to fizzy drinks, you can try a 30-day no fizzy drink challenge to help you curb your craving for fizzy drinks and incur discipline in your daily diet. 

Some alternatives to fizzy drinks you can adopt are:

  • Sparkling water- Our bodies are made up of 70% water and water has a myriad of benefits which includes aiding digestion and cognitive function to mention a few.
  • Infused water- Infuse fruits into your drinking water for a flavorful taste. Fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals. Infusing fruits and herbs of any kind into your drinking water gives it a unique taste which gives most people an extra push to drink more water.      
  • Natural fruit juice without refined sugar can also pass for an alternative to fizzy drinks. Fruit juice aid digestion, boost immunity and detoxify your body but when considering this as an option, it is best to not excessively consume it.
  • Smoothies- You can get creative about it and make smoothies. Smoothies can be a combination of fruits and vegetables. Blending fruits/vegetables retains all fruit-based nutrients and soluble fiber content in them as opposed to juice.  

Effervescent Vitamins

There are some vitamins that come in effervescent form which because of their mode of formulation can be classified as fizzy, but are very good for your health. They usually are sweet tasting with the added benefit of providing the body with some essential nutrients.

  • Immunecare Vitamin C 1000mg: Vitamin C help boosts immunity and may help manage high blood pressure.
  • Immunecare D-Cal C600: is an effervescent vitamin that is enriched with calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin C. mmunecare D-Cal C600 can help support strong bones, teeth and muscles as opposed to fizzy drinks.
  • Immunecare Multivitamins + inulin: contains essential vitamins, minerals and inulin, a prebiotic dietary fibre that serves as food for “good bacteria” found in the gut.

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References

Everyday Health (2020). Alternatives to Soda. https://www.everydayhealth.com/photogallery/soda-alternatives

Healthline (2017). Why the gut microbiomes is crucial for your health . Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gut-microbiome-and-health

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