Understanding the key aspects of colas
Colas are carbonated, sweetened, flavoured soft drinks. They contain high caffeine levels with high fructose corn syrup. John Pemberton first invented the Coca-Cola company. Today, the two most popular cola companies are Coca-Cola and Pepsi, with over 2,800 cola products available in over 200 countries. Various confusions exist regarding the health effects of colas. There are certain ramifications associated with having colas as a daily beverage. In different places, people even though it as a remedy or medication for digestion. Thus, this blog will deal with the basic effects of colas on health.
Ingredients of colas
Colas are generally composed of:-
Carbonated Water:
This will provide the fizz and effervescence for the colas. Colourings
Sweeteners:
One of the major sweetener components in colas is HFCS or cane sugar in some parts of the world. These are very heavy in calories.
Flavorings:
normally a combination of natural and artificial flavours, but it is a secret combination of what makes each brand special and/or identical in taste. Common flavours include vanilla, cinnamon, and oils from citrus fruits.
Caffeine:
This is one means by which colas acts as a stimulant. The amount of caffeine in the colas may vary, but normally it would be 30 to 50 milligrams per 12 ounces.
Colorings:
Added caramel colourings to give the colas this typical dark brown colour.
Acidulants:
Phosphoric acid or Citric acid is added to provide tartness to the drink and balance the sweetness.
Health implications of colas
Colas can have significant health implications such as:-
Wight gain:-
Colas contains high fructose level and sugars that can increase the average weight of any person. Such liquid consumption of calories do make less satiety comparatively. Resulting in over consumption of food and imbalance in metabolism. Thus it can lead to excessive weight gain.
Tooth decay:-
Such soft drinks contains acids and sugars which can significantly contribute in tooth decay. Thus excessive consumption of colas is also harmful for dental health.
Dementia:-
High consumption of sugars can lead to symptoms of dementia and even Alzheimer’s disease
Effects like heroin:-
Within 40 minutes, the body has absorbed all of the caffeine from the cola. This caffeine causes the pupils to dilate and the Blood pressure to increase. By this point, the Coca-Cola has blocked the adenosine receptors in the brain, preventing drowsiness. Within 5 minutes the production of dopamine increases. According to the infographic, the way that Coca-Cola stimulates these centers is comparable to the effects of Heroin. It triggers a person’s urge to drink another can.
Metabolic imbalance and diabetes:-
It can lead to metabolic imbalance as it seems to be less sensitive to hormone Insulin which clears the sugar levels in our body. Also the high sugar levels present inside colas can cause severe diabetes with regular consumption. Even one or two colas a day could increase your risk of Type 2 diabeties by more than 20%.
Cancerous symptoms:-
Research also shows that postmenopausal women may be at a greater risk of developing Endometria(uterine) cancer if they consume colas.
Psychiatric impact of colas
There are certain research articles which postulate the vivid impact of colas on mental health and brain functioning:-
Results of a study conducted in South Australia on the relationship between anxiety diagnosed by general practitioners, stress-related problems and soft drink consumption as well as suicide ideation and depression also showed that people drinking high amounts of soda were more likely to suffer from such issues. This information was collected using an annual risk factor surveillance system and 4,741 computer-assisted telephone interviews conducted among people ages 16 and over.
The data according to the study indicated that 12.5% of respondents consumed more than 500mls of carbonated beverages daily. However, while this level was not related to any signs of anxiety, it significantly affected other mental disorders such as depression, stress or suicidal thoughts’ tendencies. Taking into account various variables, individuals who drank half a liter or more of soda every day were discovered to have a 60% higher chance compared with non-consumers suffering from either psychological distress; stress or suicidal ideation; depression. It is concluded by authors that there is indeed substantial relationship regarding soft drink consumption and mental health concerns in South Australia.
The way forward:-
- Avoid staking cols frequently:- The frequent consumption of colas can have catastrophic consequences on your health that significantly decreases your immune power to fight. Thus you must schedule some dates of its consumption rather than including it in regular diet.
- Use alternatives:- Using milk, water, juices are far much better than carbonated drinks to provide energy. They will also be healthy and long lasting choice for you.
- Regular exercise:- The instant energy gained from energy drinks can also be gained through natural process. Thus will reduce the dependency on carbonated drinks.
Thus in a nutshell we can conclude that carbonated colas if consumed without calculation can have significant negative ramifications. Thus we must ensure that we balance its consumption by trying its viable alternatives. The validity of researches indicating the over-consumption of such soft drinks is a matter of urgent attention specially for youths.
References
Pexels
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/297600
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20074392/
https://sapienlabs.org/mentalog/coca-cola-brain/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/drinking-cola-good-for-you
