Hi. It's Laura.
Happy Friday!
A debate came up last Friday night
which I said I would address and have just failed to do so over the course of
the week. Unfortunately, days get away so quickly.
I actually started to feel guilty over
not "answering" the debate question in a timelier manner and then
yesterday morning I saw an article in the NY Times that really just drove home
the point for me and motivated to sit down and write this morning.
Now I am not a big soda drinker. I
will occasionally indulge in a full sugar Coca Cola but it’s usually to tame a
grumbly tummy and usually after everything else has failed me. If you remember
(or don't) Coke syrup was originally dispensed by pharmacists for that very
reason (FYI, I do not remember, I only know what I read and research). When I
do indulge, I prefer a can, not a plastic bottle and I am normally feeling
better just after a few sips. That does not mean I don't finish it. Sometimes I
do, sometimes I don't. It depends on how badly the sugar bothers my teeth.
Being the advocate of healthy living
that I am, I am sure you can guess where I weigh in on the proposed soda ban in
NYC. This blog today is not about that, not really.
I know a lot of people use soda and
other sugary beverages to quench their thirst (this includes Gatorade, sweet
tea, energy drinks and even "smart" waters). I do not mean the clear
smart water that is actually water but the lemon and cherry flavored ones that
have calories and makes claims like, they make you smarter or boost your immune
system. Since when does water have calories? The Husband and I like to point out
to each other whenever we see an ad for "zero calorie" water.
Propel
Water has 10 calories and 2 grams of sugar per 8oz serving. That is a whole lot
better than Gatorade but again why does water have calories and sugar?
I get it, I really do. It tastes better
than just plain tap water.
I am personally challenged with my
water consumption. I try to drink more every day. I know the Husband (and
probably the Dog) would disagree with me about the taste of water since that is
pretty much all the two of them drink. I continue to try and find ways to get
more water into myself and one of the solutions for me is bubbles and flavor.
This brings up its own set of
problems. How to flavor water without adding more calories (not a lemon fan in
my beverages)? I discovered extracts! My grocery store carries not just vanilla
and almond but strawberry, raspberry, passion fruit and lime. I add these to my
water when we sit down for dinner and I couldn't be happier. But what makes you
happier than flavor? Bubbles!
Yes flavored club soda. We bought a
Soda Stream nearly seven years ago and have been using it ever since. The
question that comes up with this though is: doesn’t' that carbon dioxide in the
soda deplete calcium and bone mass. The answer is no.
An article published by the
Mayo Clinic in November of 2011 cites that there is no evidence that
carbonation causes harm to your bones.
Just the opposite, there are mineral
waters out there that can actually help your bones. The research is not complete
but it looks promising.
There is evidence out there about
carbonated “COLAS” and bone density depletion.
The study out of the University of
Nebraska cited the most likely cause is because people replace milk for soda in
their diets and that could be the biggest contributor to bone loss.
Another
study in 2006
states that women who drink soda 3-5 times per week showed more loss than woman
who occasionally indulged in the diet stuff mostly contributed to the
Phosphoric acid that is unique to Cola.
So once again, it is the sugary
beverages that are doing more harm than good, not the bubbles themselves.
If you too are challenged with water
consumption and trying to watch your sugar and calorie intake, try adding some non-caloric
flavor and some bubbles to your water. Personally, I am getting at least two
extra glasses of water at dinner now that I am drinking my water with
carbonation.
Play hard!
Laura
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