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10/13/2004 When you are thirsty and reaching for something to satisfy...what is it you grab? What is the best beverage for our bodies? What does soda offer us? Water is the one nutrient most crucial to human life! Choose cool, clear water! “What will you have to drink?” In most restaurants as you look over the menu, a beverage order is taken. What do you choose?
American’s today suffer from “portion distortion.” Notice some common beverage sizes. The self-serve section of most travel food store/gas stations, offers a choice of cup sizes – 8 ounces to as much as 64 ounces. Observe the calories.
Average soft drink---Approximate calories
8 ounces---100 calories
20 ounces---250 calories
64 ounces---800 calories
For most not-too-active adults, 800 calories is one third of all the calories needed for one whole day. In addition, all this drink supplies is calories, there is no fiber and no vitamins or minerals to speak of.
The carbonation contains phosphorus, which might appear as an asset. Actually, phosphorus is a funny mineral – it demands that during metabolism, it must have an equal amount of calcium. A 12-ounce can of cola has about 50 mg of phosphorus. When the body metabolizes it, about 50 mg of calcium is needed. Unfortunately, cola like most soft drinks has no calcium. Bones must give up the necessary calcium to metabolize this phosphorus. If this process is repeated day after day, bones can become thin and brittle.
Another consideration to excess soft drinks, tea or coffee is the amount of caffeine consumed.
Beverage---Amount of Caffeine
Cola-8 ounces---31 mg
Cola-64 ounces---248 mg
Coffee, brewed-8 ounces---137 mg
Coffee, instant-8 ounces---57 mg
Black tea, brewed-8 ounces---48 mg
A small amount of caffeine has not been shown to be harmful to adults, the amount found in about 2 to 3 cups of coffee. Note that the 64 ounce cola has almost as much caffeine as 2 cups of brewed coffee. Excess caffeine has been linked with increased cholesterol, some cancers and headaches.
Caffeine is neither necessary nor supportive for growing children. Neither is soft drinks containing only sugar and requiring calcium from bones and teeth to be metabolized. Children need easy access to water to quench their thirst. In fact, everyone would profit from this. Too often a can or bottle of soft drink can be reached easily (don’t think the manufacturers haven’t figure this out), but water usually requires a container and/or an adult’s assistance.
How much water do you drink a day? Eight to ten glasses a day is recommended. Water takes very little digestion and metabolism to reach the thirsty cells. When your body needs fluid, it needs pure water in the cells. Soft drinks, sports drinks, coffee and tea, all require a much longer process of metabolism to reach the cells. The sports drinks and those with caffeine actually require the body to produce more fluid than they make available.
Water is superior! We live on a “water planet.” Water is the one nutrient most crucial to human life. To summarize briefly, our bodies use it for cell substance, as transportation, to regulate body temperature, and for the chemical solvent for many nutrients, enzymes, hormones, etc.
Don’t be frightened by the report that hit the media stating, “Too much water can be deadly.” This is true only if you drink upwards of 20 cups in a short period of time, as some marathon runners did. Some fear water bottled in plastic acquires harmful chemicals. Although this might be a very minor concern, these same individuals seem to forget that similar plastic containers are used for soft drink and many other foods we eat.
A few soft drinks a week can fit into a healthful diet. But don’t forget, 8 to 10 cups of water daily are essential! We live on a “water planet.” Science has yet to discover a human body that uses Coke or Kool-Aid to flow through its veins.
God made us and God made pure clean water for our intricate body’s use. Make water your daily choice. Treasure your health today!
By: Rose Stoia EdD, RD
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