Coke is a popular soft drink worldwide, but many health professionals fear that over consumption is playing a part in many health conditions. Too much soda results in drinking too many empty calories, which can lead to weight gain, reports Health Guidance. In addition, the chemicals used to make Coke can wreak havoc on your body, causing health complications of many types.
Obesity
It goes without saying that consuming too many calories results in weight gain. Continuing to gain weight leads to obesity, a health condition that resulted in medical costs of over $94 billion in the United States in 2008, reports the Center for Science in the Public Interest. According to Women Fitness, drinking one or more sodas per day, including Coke, ups your risk of obesity by 31 percent. Drinking Coke adds calories to your daily intake, but doesn't fill you up or provide any nutrition, which just means you are essentially drinking calories that do nothing for you healthwise. A can of Coke contains 155 calories so drinking several per day significantly increases the chance that you are drinking more calories than you are able to burn off.
Osteoporosis
Coke contains a chemical called phosphoric acid to keep it bubbly and your body releases calcium to keep the ratio between the two even, according to Family Education. The more Coke you drink, the more calcium your body must let go of to keep this ratio at one to one. This results in a reduced amount of calcium that your body can use to keep bones and teeth healthy, which can lead to osteoporosis. A can of Coke now and then isn't going to have these harmful effects, but consuming several cans per day over long periods of time can weaken your bones, making them more prone to breakage.
Caffeine Dependence
According to Health Guidance, regularly drinking decaffeinated soft drinks, including Coke, can lead your body to a dependence on it. This means that when your body doesn't have caffeine you will experience cravings for it. The caffeine in Coke can lead to insomnia, jittery feelings, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, high cholesterol readings, depletion of nutrients in your body and birth defects, reports Women Fitness. It can be difficult to wean yourself off of caffeine, but doing so slowly will cut your risk of withdrawal symptoms and help you reduce your dependence. Healthy alternatives to Coke include water and unsweetened and decaffeinated tea. Choosing them over Coke cuts your chances of the health concerns associated with caffeine dependence.
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