Soda dramatically increases risk of vascular disease

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Soda consumption dramatically increases risk of stroke and vascular disease

Saturday, May 12, 2012 by:

http://www.naturalnews.com/035838_soda_stroke_vascular_disease.html#ixzz1ugrLje8\

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(NaturalNews) Americans drink more than 216 liters of carbonated soft drinks

each year, a number that continues to increase at an alarming rate. Many

people use low-calorie diet soda in a futile effort to lose weight, yet find

that these drinks have the opposite effect leading them to be overweight or

obese. The high acid content in most carbonated beverages leaches calcium

and other critical nutrients from the bone and tissues, significantly

increasing disease risk over years of consumption.

Researchers from Cleveland Clinic's Wellness Institute and Harvard

University have reported the result of a study in the American Journal of

Clinical Nutrition, the first to examine soda's affect on stroke risk and

vascular diseases. Past studies have linked sugar-sweetened beverage

consumption with weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, high

cholesterol, gout and coronary artery disease, but current research has

implicated diet soft drink consumption with increased disease risk and

weight gain due to depletion of essential minerals.

Lead study author Dr. Adam Bernstein noted " Soda remains the largest source

of added sugar in the diet... what we're beginning to understand is that

regular intake of these beverages sets off a chain reaction in the body that

can potentially lead to many diseases, including stroke. " Researchers

analyzed soda consumption among 43,371 men and 84,085 women over a time span

of nearly thirty years. During that time, 2,938 strokes were documented in

women while 1,416 strokes were documented in men.

Carbonated beverage consumption associated with a 43 percent increased risk

of heart attack

This study emphasizes the inherent risks involved with consumption of

sugar-sweetened or no-calorie soft drinks:

-Sweetened drinks contain high levels of glucose that lead to a rapid

increase in blood glucose and insulin. Over time, this results in glucose

intolerance, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation.

-Low and no calorie carbonated beverages contain artificial sweeteners

including aspartame, known to overstimulate and excite brain neurons

resulting in cellular death. Further, artificial sweeteners of all types

trick our digestive chemistry and hormone balance, leading to weight gain

and metabolic instability. Diet soft drinks have also been shown to leach

calcium from bones as our body attempts to compensate for the high acidic

load delivered from the phosphoric acid content in the drink. The end result

is higher risk of osteoporosis, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Despite the millions of dollars spent by soda marketers to instill the

virtues of drinking soda, there is nothing healthy about consuming any type

of carbonated beverage. Regarding low calorie drinks, researchers concluded

" older adults who drank diet soda daily had a 43% increased risk of heart

attack or stroke compared to those that never drank diet soda. " The study

did note that drinking coffee was associated with a ten percent lower risk

of stroke, compared to those drinking sweetened beverages. Substitute

carbonated beverage consumption with an antioxidant packed cup of green tea

or coffee to significantly reduce stroke and vascular disease risks.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ajcn.org/content/95/5/1190

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120420123853.htm

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-04/cc-sfs042012.php

http://www.diseaseproof.com