Cathal BarrySoft drinks companies in the US have pledged to help cut the calories that Americans consume from their drinks by a fifth
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oft drinks companies in the US have pledged to help cut the calories that Americans consume from their drinks by a fifth. Drinks giants the Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo Inc. and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. promised to make the 20% cut before 2025, as part of efforts to tackle the nation’s obesity crisis and escalating diabetes and heart disease rates.
The corporations will all promote and expand their lower-calories alternatives, reduce portion sizes and raise awareness of sugar levels in their soft drinks. Some may also introduce and expand new lower-calorie products and smaller-portion packages.
The plan laid down seems to be to tackle the sugar crisis by promoting healthierí sugar-free options. Most of these calorie-free drinks, however, are every bit as sweet as their originals and are laced with artificial sweeteners.
The jury is still out on whether consumption of sugarless substitutes poses a threat to humans, but there is some evidence that both men and women experience poorer vascular health with high intake of diet drinks.
Aspartame, the artificial sweetener typically used in diet soft drinks, has been found to alter electrical function of the heart, and a high intake may increase risk of stroke. Studies also show it alters brain and neurological function.
Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It contains methanol and two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Call me old fashioned, but if you are struggling to pronounce some of the chemical compounds listed on the back of a can, it’s probably best not to ingest whatever is inside.
While the research isn’t conclusive, it’s perhaps best to err on the side of caution.
Your body will probably thank you for sticking to water, coffee and tea, and eliminating all other beverages. Just go by how you feel.
If you like a bit of sweetness in your caffeine drink of choice, try using stevia. It is plant-based, calorie-free and has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. Not only is it an ideal alternative to sugar, stevia conveys the following health benefits:
it can modulate blood sugar and is being tested as a preventative supplement for diabeticsit increases insulin sensitivity and decreases oxidative stress associated with large insulin spikes in response to eating carbs and sugar.
it is anti-microbial and acts as an antioxidant in the body, decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation.