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TenReasonstoAvoidDrinkingSoda
http://wellnessmama.com/379/reasonstoavoidsoda/
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TheaverageAmericandrinksapproximately56GALLONSofsodaayear.Somepeopleevenadmittodrinkingmoresodathanwater
eachday,ornowateratall.Softdrinksareamultibilliondollarproduct,andtheyaccountforaquarterofalldrinksconsumedinthe
UnitedStates.WithAmericansconsumingthislargeamountofsoftdrinkseachyear,itbecomesimportanttoevaluatehowsoftdrinks
caninfluenceapersonshealth.Withalittleresearch,itbecomesclearthatevenmoderateconsumptionofsodacanbedangerous.
TenReasonstoAvoidSoftDrinkConsumption:

Asinglecanofsodacontainstheequivalentof10teaspoonsofsugar.Thisamountofsugar,especiallyinliquidform,skyrocketstheblood
sugarandcausesaninsulinreactioninthebody.Overtime,thiscanleadtodiabetesorinsulinresistance,nottomentionweightgainand
otherhealthproblems.Softdrinkcompaniesarethelargestuserofsugarinthecountry.
Sodacontainsphosphoricacid,whichinterfereswiththebodysabilitytoabsorbcalciumandcanleadtoosteoporosis,cavitiesandbone
softening.PhosphoricAcidalsointeractswithstomachacid,slowingdigestionandblockingnutrientabsorption.
Indietsodas,aspartameisusedasasubstituteforsugar,andcanactuallybemoreharmful.Ithasbeenlinkedtoalmostahundreddifferent
healthproblemsincludingseizures,multiplesclerosis,braintumors,diabetes,andemotionaldisorders.Itconvertstomethanolatwarm
temperaturesandmethanolbreaksdowntoformaldehydeandformicacid.Dietsodasalsoincreasetheriskofmetabolicsyndrome,which
causesbellyfat,highbloodsugarandraisedcholesterol.
Mostsodascontaincaffeine,whichhasbeenlinkedtocertaincancers,breastlumps,irregularheartbeat,highbloodpressure,andother
problems.
Thewaterusedinsodaisjustsimpletapwaterandcancontainchemicalslikechlorine,fluorideandtracesofheavymetals.
Harvardresearchershaverecentlypositivelylinkedsoftdrinkstoobesity.Thestudyfoundthat12yearoldswhodranksodaweremore
likelytobeobesethanthosewhodidnt,andforeachservingofsodaconsumeddaily,theriskofobesityincreased1.6times.
SodascontainHighFructoseCornSyrup,whichobviouslycomesfromcorn.Mostofthiscornhasbeengeneticallymodified,andthere
arenolongtermstudiesshowingthesafetyofgeneticallymodifiedcrops,asgeneticmodificationofcropshasonlybeenaroundsincethe
1990s.Also,theprocessofmakingHighFructoseCornSyrupinvolvestracesofmercury,whichcausesavarietyoflongtermhealth
problems.
Thereisabsolutelynonutritionalvalueinsodawhatsoever.Notonlyaretheremanyharmfuleffectsofsoda,buttherearenotevenany
positivebenefitstooutweighthem.Sodaisanunnaturalsubstancethatharmsthebody.
Becauseofthehighsugar,sodiumandcaffeinecontentinsoda,itdehydratesthebodyandoveralongperiodoftimecancausechronic
dehydration.
Drinkingsodaregularlycausesplaquetobuildupontheteethandcanleadtocavitiesandgumdisease.
Whichpersuasivetechniquesdoestheauthoruse?
Howdoestheauthorsuseoftextstructurehelpdevelopherargument?
Underlineauthorsclaim.
Whichevidencedoyouthinkisthestrongest?

Goodbye, Big Drinks

New York becomes the first city in the U.S. to ban large-sized sugary beverages
SEPTEMBER 14, 2012
By Alice Park for TIME
This 24-ounce fountain soda from Wendy's would be banned in New York City under a new law.
On September 13, the New York City Health Department became the first in the nation to ban the
sale of sugared beverages larger than 16 oz. at restaurants, mobile food carts, sports arenas and
movie theaters. The ban includes sodas and sweetened tea. The law is aimed at cutting obesity rates in the U.S.,
where at least two-thirds of American adults are considered overweight. While the ban is widely supported by
health professionals, its not popular with food retailers or many city residents.
Which side is the author on?
Do you think the people who created this law would be PRO banning students from drinking soda or CON
students being banned from drinking soda?
A new law in New York City will ban the sale of any sodas larger than 16 ounces at restaurants and cafeterias.
The ruling, which takes effect in March 2013, will prevent restaurants and cafeterias from selling sugared
beverages in cups or containers larger than 16 ouncesabout the size of a typical small soda. Supermarkets and
convenience storesincluding 7-Eleven, which sells the jumbo-sized Big Gulpare not included in the law. And
the ban doesnt apply to fruit juices, alcoholic beverages, diet sodas or dairy-based drinks like milkshakes.
Health in the Big Apple
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg led the ban on large drinks. More than half of New York City adults and
nearly 40 percent of the citys public elementary and middle school students are considered overweight. "We are
dealing with a crisis ... we need to act on this," said Board of Health member Deepthiman Gowda, a professor of
medicine at Columbia University, the Associated Press reported. Bloomberg has noted that the ban doesnt
prevent people from buying several small sodas at a time if they wish, but health officials hope that the
inconvenience will eventually get people to cut down on their use of sugared drinks.
Which evidence would best support the claim that YES, students should be banned from drinking soda?
New York Citys Board of Health members say that banning mega-sized drinks is an important step toward helping
consumers not only to drink fewer calories, but may also encourage people to make other healthy changes to their
diet. The board reviewed data showing that sugared drinks make up 43 percent of the added sugar in the average
American diet.
Critics of the Ban Critics would be for or against banning soda for students?
7-Eleven's Big Gulps are here to stay. Grocery and convenience stores like 7-Eleven are
exempt from New York City's ban because they are not regulated by the city.
Some health officials, as well as the restaurant and beverage industry, are critical of the ban.
They ask, why single out sugared sodas, when there are many reasons why people are
overweight? And if sugared beverages are being targeted, why not take stronger measures
against other sources of sugar, such as candy and other sweets?
Many restaurant owners, fast-food chains and makers of sodas, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and McDonalds,
are also upset because they say the ban could hurt certain businesses while rewarding others. The groups plan to
continue to challenge the ruling, including taking their concerns to court. We are smart enough to make our own
decisions about what to eat and drink, Liz Berman, the chairperson of the New Yorkers for Beverage Choices
coalition, said in a statement.
What evidence best supports the claim that NO, students should be banned from drinking soda?
What do you think? Should the government ban large sugary drinks to help consumers make healthier choices?
Or should people be allowed make their own choices about beverage size? Vote in the TFK poll below!

Banning Sugared Drinks in Schools Doesnt Lower Student Consumption ByAlicePark@aliceparknyNov.08,2011

Banning sugared beverages from schools will limit childrens access to calorie-laden sodas and sports drinks but will do little to lower their
overall intake of the drinks, according to new research. Adolescents no surprise are adept at finding ways to get the things they cant have,
so state policies banning all sugar-sweetened drinks from public schools and providing only water, milk or 100% fruit juices hasnt had the
intended effect of steering kids away from drinking sugared drinks: the average teen consumes about 300 calories per day thats nearly 15% of his daily
calories in sweetened beverages, and the food and beverage industry is only too happy to feed this need.
What is the authors claim?
What reasons do they provide?
Researchers tracking 6,900 fifth-graders from public schools in 40 states through the eighth grade found that 85% of eighth graders reported drinking a
sugared beverage at least once a week (about 30% said they drank them every day), regardless of whether their schools banned them or not. The strict policies
werent a total wash, however: nearly 2% fewer students reported downing sweetened sodas or sports drinks between the fifth and eighth grades if their
schools banned these drinks over that time, compared to schools with less restrictions. Experts such as Daniel Taber, the studys lead author, are concerned
about overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages because it can lead to obesity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and heart disease. The policies
work in the sense that the comprehensive policies that ban all sugar-sweetened beverages are supposed to reduce access to the drinks in schools, and thats
exactly what they did do, says Taber, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Illinois Institute for Health Research and Policy. We were hoping the
policies would lead to lower consumption but we didnt find any evidence of that.
What strategy is used in this paragraph and how does it support the authors claim?

The research, published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, highlights the fact that changing teen beverage preferences will take a lot
more than simply limiting their availability in schools. Schools are absolutely an important piece of the puzzle, but not the only piece, and thats the main
message of this study, says Jamie Chriqui, one of the authors at the Institute. If we want to reduce middle schoolers consumption of sugar-sweetened
beverages, we cant rely on schools alone to address that problem. Other strategies include providing healthier alternatives, such as water, low-fat milk and
100% fruit juices and limiting student access to fast-food restaurants, malls and convenience stores where they can easily fill up on the less nutritious drinks
that are banned at school. Cutting consumption may also require more rigorous enforcement of no-sugary-drinks policies in schools themselves. In the study,
about 20% of students said they purchased sodas or sports drinks even at schools where only water, milk and 100% fruit juices were supposed to be available
for sale. Some of that discrepancy could be due to the students misunderstanding of what constituted a sugared beverage some may have considered 100%
fruit juices to be a sugar-sweetened beverage, for example but the results are still worrying.

How does the authors use of suggestions help support her claim?

There is a tremendous amount of variation in how schools are defining sugar-sweetened beverages, in where they are selling them, and also the time of day
[the drinks are sold], and to which grade levels, says Chriqui. Students have many ways of accessing sugared drinks outside of the school lunch program,
including vending machines, school stores and cafeteria a la carte offerings that students pay for themselves rather than with lunch vouchers. Depending on
how administrators interpret state policies on restricting access to these drinks in middle school, students may not have the option of getting sodas, for
example, with their state-sponsored lunch but may be able to purchase them from a cashier or at a vending machine.

Thats why any program to limit students consumption of sweetened beverages will have to take a holistic approach, involving not just school officials but
other members of the community where children live and playfrom fast-food vendors to parents to those running after-school programs. Coordinating such
an effort will be a challenge; the average teen consumes about 300 calories per day thats nearly 15% of his daily calories in sweetened beverages, and the
food and beverage industry is only too happy to feed this need. Plus, many schools rely on the revenue provided by vending machines that sell sugarsweetened drinks, so some administrators may not be so eager to remove them. Still, Taber notes that its not impossible to make the drastic changes that
might be needed. Parents and other adults who work with students can serve as role models by limiting their consumption of sodas and energy drinks,
especially in front of children, and consistent messages from educators and the government about healthier drinks such as water, milk and 100% fruit juice

should also help. Efforts to reduce tobacco use in children had the same struggles about regulating where tobacco could be marketed and sold, he says. We
were successful in that arena, so just because there are challenges doesnt mean we cant utilize the same strategies.

What is the authors overall perspective on soda?

Yes, children should be banned from drinking

soda.

No, children should not be banned from

drinking soda

Soft Drinks Represent One of the Greatest Health

Threats to the Human Species

Anything unhealthy would also have to be

banned.

With 30 million diabetics and 80 million pre-diabetics, it's very clear

It is part of human free will to choose whether to

consume healthy food and beverages or not. Although,
one can concede soda is in no way a nutritional
substance, people have the right to choose to drink it
whether in moderation or in excess. Therefore, no, cola
should not be banned. For that reason, and the fact that
it's a silly thing to bother regulating. We have bigger
problems!

that the United States' decision to support the free market above all
else has had a major detrimental effect to the welfare of its people.
We can no longer ignore the obvious: too much sugar is killing us.
Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and other major soft drink beverage companies have
retaliated against government attempts at reducing the consumption
of soda by insisting that people have the right to make their own
decisions. Furthermore, Coca-Cola insists that it it is part of the
solution - not the problem - in the fight against obesity. What a crock!
Paying millions of dollars to celebrities to endorse your product and

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bombarding the airwaves with ads telling the consumer that Coca-Cola
or Pepsi is the cornerstone of a happy life has completely skewed the
public perception about what is normal, what is healthy, and what is

I think we should not treat adults like children.

accepted.
What we do know is that the American Medical Association has
recommended that the average male limit his consumption of sugar to
45 grams per day, while the average women should only take in 30
grams per day.
One 12 ounce can of Pepsi contains 41 grams of sugar. As per the
recommendation of the AMA, women should not consume even one
glass of Pepsi a day. Not even one.

I think we should not treat people like little children. If

there is really someone out there who cannot stop
drinking soft drinks, then that person should seek help
immediately. However for the majority of our population,
drinking too much soft drinks is not an issue, we need to
focus on real issues, not minor ones like banning soft
drinks.
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And neither should men. We know that we should instead consume

fruits and vegetables, not highly refined sugar that cause major blood

We Shouldn't Ban Them

sugar spikes when consumed, thus forcing the pancreas to work

harder to regular levels.
We are facing a major health crisis. Type 2 Diabetes is a terrible
enough disease on its own, but at to that the fact that it is considered
a major risk factor for Pancreatic cancer (the worst type of cancer a
human can be diagnosed with considering the extremely poor survival
rates), and we now know something has to be done.
Diet sodas don't cut it. They trick the body into releasing insulin
anyway, thus putting pressure on the pancreas.
In a single word, soda is poison.
But we live in a society where it is currently accepted, just like

Banning soft drink sodas is wrong. Just saying it sounds

ridiculous. People have the right to drink whatever they
want. If someone chooses a soft drink over a more
healthier beverage option then that is their decision.
Banning a certain type of drink isn't going to change
much if anything at all.
Posted by: MichaelKnight1
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smoking used to be.

We should be able to make our own decision!

Either the soda makers make some drastic changes to their formula,
or they must end their production of this garbage and move onto to
something healthier. If that doesn't happen, banning soft drinks will be
a very real consideration soon.
The only issue there is in banning a product is that it creates a black
market and organized crime. And this is not because banning a

We should be able to make our own decisions on how

many sugary drinks we are aloud a week. A sugary drink
is aloud at birthday parties, weddings or Christmas
parties. Sugary drinks give us a boost when we are tired
and need energy, that's why they should NOT be
banned!

product is immoral, but that people who consider their freedoms to be

the paragon of all existence will smuggle in soda or brew that crap in
their bathtubs just to make a point.

They are a major health hazard!

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Soda Should not be banned

need...Water! Not to mention the fact that they cause obesity.

If we want to put unhealthy beverages in our body than

let us. It is our decision. I thought America was the land
of the free. Another reason is it is just a very tasty drink
and without soda we would be drinking worse beverages
like monster, red bull all those energy drinks.

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There is no nutritional value in soft drinks, only detrimental

ingredients. They are full of sugar, most contain caffeine and they fill
the stomach and take the place of good nutrients. Americans consume
too many soft drinks and don't drink enough of what our bodies

2
0

YES!!!!!!!! they cause so much wrongs and problems

by banning soft drinks we are getting rid of bigger problems

Soft drinks cause mild headaches that soon become alot more then
mild they become so painful that the soft drinks cause larger problems
than any other substance that includes alcohol and drugs. It has also
been found that soft drinks can cause memory loss and can reduce
the life expectancy any individual person. Children that have a high
intake of soft drinks tend to have shorter attention spans and
therefore lower I.Qs. Soft drinks also cause children to become obese
very young I mean just look at America I'm an American citizen and I
have never taken a soft drink I am very thin all my friends do and they
are "huge" I'm just putting it out there that soft drinks are not good
and must be banned! I think we should start with banning them in
schools then public places and then everywhere!
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