Soda, Pop... There are many names but is it good for you?

Soda can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. If you are trying to get healthy and lose weight soda is obviously your worst nightmare.

When I refer to soda I am speaking of carbonated soft drinks, whatever you call them in your neck of the woods is your prerogative.

First what is in soda?

Yes, it's delicious, but what makes it so delicious?

In most soda's you will find:
carbonated water
high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose
caramel color
phosphoric acid
natural flavors
caffeine
and sometimes sodium benzoate (used as a preservative)

If you are anything like me you have heard of these things, or rather read them on the back of your soda can but have no understanding of what they actually are. All you know (and me too) is that soda tastes good and so you drink it. It gives you energy and so you drink it. But should you?

Let's break it down:

Carbonated water is water that contains carbon dioxide. Most of the time the carbon dioxide that creates the tiny bubbles in the water was forced into the water at a manufacturing plant, however there are some water sources that are naturally carbonated. The carbonated water found in soda is the type that was infused or charged in a manufacturing plant. Carbonated water does not become a health hazard until there are other things such as salts and some minerals are added to it, though the most dangerous use of carbonated water is in flavored soda according to wiseGEEK.

High fructose corn syrup is a sweetener made from corn starch. It contains 55% fructose and 45% glucose. This sweetener replaced common sugar because it is cheaper and is now used as the main sweetener in carbonated soft drinks (soda). While fructose has been related to the sugars in fruit which are natural sugars, the process to create high fructose corn syrup modifies this sugar so much so that the health benefits of this sweetener is questionable. High fructose corn syrup is oftentimes thought to be a contributor to obesity.

Caramel color is a food coloring, food colorings can be naturally derived or chemically derived. They can come from bugs, plants, and chemical reactions. Food dyes are the most commonly used type of food coloring used in soda. The burning of coal tar is a very popular way to create a broad spectrum of food coloring and dyes, however it is not risk free. The coal tar derivatives used to create these food coloring and dyes has been shown to cause asthma and other respiratory problems if consumed in large quantities. According to wiseGEEK it has also been linked to cancers, heart troubles, and behavioral problems in children.

Phosphoric acid, says Fooducate, is a "clear, colorless, odorless liquid with a syrupy consistency." It is used to give soda a tangy flavor. The use of this acid makes soda more acidic than lemon juice or vinegar, however the acidity is masked by the high fructose corn syrup. Phosphoric acid has been shown to cause low bone density, though Fooducate points out that according to Pepsi Co. "low intake" of phosphoric acid causes low bone density. Phosphoric acid is used to remove rust, that's right; it's a rust remover. Would you go to your garage and drink a bottle of acid? I'm sure your answer is no, and why not? Because it would eat your insides so wouldn't small quantities of acid do the same thing over a longer period of time?

Caffeine, no matter how you look at it caffeine is a drug. It is a drug that nearly everyone (at least in the US) is guilty of consuming at one point in their life or another. However there are both health benefits and negative aspects to caffeine. Caffeine can be very addicting, in fact it is one of the most addicting aspects of soda. Because of it's addicting qualities the international medical community recognizes caffeine withdrawal to be a medical symptom. Caffeine also naturally occurs in chocolate, tea, and other sources, but it is added to soda. There are current studies looking at the potential benefits that caffeine may have on some diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer, and some cancers. However the beneficial caffeine is the naturally occurring caffeine. It is useful in stimulating the heart, and in small quantities can aid in your diet. However large quantities are dangerous. It can cause too much stimulation of the heart, caffeine can cause restlessness, anxiety, and sleeplessness.

Sodium Benzoate, according to Natural News, has the ability to deprive cells of oxygen. It can break down the immune system, and cause cancer. Do not confuse this silent killer for benzoic acid which is found naturally in fruits, claims Natural News, Benzoate is a synthesized (made in a lab) component and is very dangerous.

Therefore as you can see by looking at each of the individual ingredients, the things contained in a can of soda are harmful for the most part. They will not contribute to your path to health, they will not aide your journey. In fact they may do the opposite. So you are left with the responsibility of choosing whether the small joy of how a soda tastes for a moment is worth putting your journey on hold?

If you find yourself asking what are your alternatives might I suggest water. I know that water can be "plain" but I promise that if you make the switch and discipline yourself to drink only water for a week your taste buds will change and you will begin to crave water. Another wonderful alternative is unsweetened tea, and may I suggest Bigelow's Plantation Mint. It is absolutely delicious. Once again it takes time for your taste buds and your mind to give up that sugar you are used to drinking all of the time, but when you compare the small time it takes to give these chemicals up to the dangers the chemicals present isn't it worth it in the end?

Until next time I wish you good health and I am proud of you for making it this far in your journey to health! Keep up the good work, and if you may choose to take on the soda challenge, I wish you the best!

-Alaina