The Very Real Dangers of Soft Drinks for Weight Loss Surgery Patients

DALLAS - Aug. 12, 2014 - PRLog -- It is a fact that Americans drink more soda and soft drinks than anyone else in the world.  The average American buys 170 liters of soda in the course of a year.   Yes, they may taste great and give you a short lasting energy boost, but think about these harmful ingredients the next time you get a craving…and know that those empty calories can defeat the purpose of your lap band, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery.

We all are fully aware that there is no nutritional benefit to sodas and even diet sodas. In fact, most of us know that sodas are actually harmful to our body.  So why can’t we stop consuming these sugary drinks? Recent studies have linked soda consumption to osteoporosis, obesity, kidney disease, tooth decay, and heart attacks.  In addition:

·        High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is the preferred fuel source for cancer.  We all have cancer cells in our body; they just need the proper fuel source to grow. HFCS is also quickly converted to fat in the body, unlike regular sugar that takes about 8 reactions to convert to fat.

·        Phosphoric Acid is a major ingredient in most sodas.  Your body does need phosphorous. However, if you are consuming an unbalanced amount compared to calcium, bone loss could occur.  Phosphoric acid will also dissolve tooth enamel due to its low pH level.  Besides leading to obesity and potentially weight loss surgery, this can lead to painful dental surgery.

·        Sugar is a main ingredient in all regular sodas.   One 12 ounce contains 9-12 teaspoons of sugar, which quickly raises insulin levels.  This leads to increased hunger, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, weight gain, early aging, and much more harmful diseases.

·        Aspartame is an artificial sweetener found in all diet sodas.  This particular sweetener is actually a chemical.  When it is stored for long periods of time, it will convert to methanol and then lastly carcinogens, which directly causes cancer.

The motto is true that ‘everything is okay in moderation.’  It’s the overindulgence that hurts us.  But, when bariatric surgery patients think of a soda, it’s better to go with water with lemon or iced tea sweetened with natural sweeteners, such as Stevia or Truvia.  It’s refreshing without the addition of extra calories, damaging health effects, and empty calories that can be so detrimental to the weight loss surgery patient!