Want to keep your heart healthy and live a long life? You’ve probably been told more than once that red meat and trans fats affect cardiovascular health. However, these foods are not the only ones causing heart disease. Drinking just two glasses of diet coke a day increases your risk of cardiovascular problems by up to 40 percent. Things are even worse for those who consume sugary drinks.
Just How Dangerous Are Soft Drinks?
Researchers have found that soft drinks are a primary cause of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. A study conducted on 40,000 men for two decades has shown that those who drank one can of soda every day had a 20 percent higher risk of dying from a heart attack than those who consumed soft drinks occasionally. Other studies indicate that regular consumption of soda or sweetened fruit drinks increases diabetes risk by 26 percent and gout risk by 75 percent.
According to the Nurses’ Health Study, people who drink sugary beverages tend to weigh more, have less energy, and die at a younger age. These drinks can dramatically elevate your risk of heart failure, hypertension and other chronic diseases. What’s interesting is that diet drinks have the same side effects.
Simple Ways to Cut Back on Soda
It’s no doubt that soda affects your health and well-being. Ditching it from your diet could add years to your life. If you hate plain water, add a few slices of orange, lemon, lime, or cucumbers. Use stevia for extra flavor. Lemon water and unsweetened tea are a good choice too.
The easiest way to quit soft drinks is to stop buying them. Take a plastic bottle or a jar, fill it with water, and add some peppermint drops or mint leaves, lemon juice, ice cubes, and stevia. Take a few sips every time you crave soda. Eventually, you can drink fresh fruit juices and smoothies to get rid of cravings. However, these beverages are high in calories and might not fit into your diet. Many companies are now doing flavored sparkling water with zero calories, the most popular being LaCroix. These sparkling drinks are a great way to transition into cutting back on soda.
It may be difficult at first to substitute your favorite sugary drinks with water or unsweetened beverages, but like any other habit, once you do it long enough, it’ll be like second nature!
