Give Up Carbonated Drinks & So Called Sports Drinks!

Fizzy drinks are constantly being spoken about in a negative way and yet so many people still drink them regularly. I believe one of the reasons many people struggle with their weight is down to what they drink. Fizzy drinks and so called sport drinks are a staple food today for some people. Thousands of carbonated soft drinks such as coke, fanta and 7-up are purchased daily in Supermarkets, cafes and restaurants. Coke was introduced in 1886 and celebrated its 125th birthday in 2011. Today it sells more than 1.7 billion drinks per day, the good news is that sales have been on a decline since 2005 but my biggest problem with these drinks by far is the sugar they contain. To give you a visual with Irish people, it is suggested that we are individually downing 83 litres of fizzy drinks a year and that works out to be approximately 12 teaspoons every single day. This is what you are putting into your system. Research proves that a higher intake of sugary drinks lead to greater risk of weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, gout and the list is endless. Some studies have found that removing fizzy drinks from your diet can help you shed pounds. It has been reported that teenage boys drink the most fizzy drinks. It is also important to remember that diet drinks should be removed from diet because it has been proven that people who drink diet drinks are more likely to gain weight in the long run. There is evidence from animal studies that suggests that sweeteners can increase calorie intake and interfere with normal metabolic responses like blood sugar control. I think this is a good enough reason to cut back on diet drinks too don’t you? Fizzy drinks are the number 1 source of added sugar in the Ireland and they have absolutely no nutritional value. A better alternative is to make your own fizzy drinks containing sparkling water, freshly squeezed lemons and limes and add some mint leaves. This makes a delicious and refreshing drink for all the family. If you are feeling more adventurous then blend some strawberries or blueberries, add some sparkling water and basil leaves. If you are looking for that sweet taste then add some xylitol. It is important to take all measures possible to avoid consuming sugar. If you should break one habit then I strongly suggest you cut out fizzy drinks today! You will benefit hugely, start now!