Did you know that the average cola drink has about 10 teaspoons of added sugar in it? Yep. The worst bit? That’s 50% more than the recommended sugar intake of about 6 teaspoons per day. Most people don’t (or can’t) stop at one can or bottle of cola though. They usually drink 2-3 cans or servings of cola products per day. And even worse, studies reveal that over half of the American population have adopted this habit. Yet, according to Dr. M.J Wegmann in the Huffington Post, drinking sugary drinks such as cola products can lead to a number of shocking health-related problems. These include: Liver damage, tooth decay, kidney disease, diabetes, heartburn, osteoporosis, hypertension, heart disease, and impaired digestion. According to a pharmacist at the University of Wales, Cola has the same kind of immediate effect on the brain as the illicit drug, heroin. This is what makes it so addictive. People swear up and down that they have tried to “quit” multiple times but they can’t. And it’s not their fault. If cola is as addictive as heroin, then they have no hope in hell of kicking that habit on their own – at least without experiencing sometimes painful withdrawal symptoms. Have you ever had a cola headache? You know, the kind of headache you get when you don’t drink cola on any given day? It’s a real thing. And it’s dangerous. But that’s not all. If the long-term effects aren’t enough motivation for you to give up coca-cola (or soft drinks), perhaps the short-term effects will be. Here’s what happens 20 minutes after drinking a Cola In the 20 minutes following the consumption of a can of cola, the body’s blood sugar levels spike and your body feels like it is vibrating. In fact: If someone drank cola for the first time, there is enough sugar in it to make them physically sick. As in, they could vomit from the stimulation they experience while drinking cola. But as you get used to drinking it, something worse happens: These short-term impacts seem to lessen…just like the high from a drug. You tolerate the negative effects more easily and you don’t realize what damage it’s actually doing to your body. The body also has to absorb that sugar and the liver kicks into high gear to try to break down the sugar, which it can’t, and then it turns to fat. Because of the high caffeine content, our body can feel energized and stimulated, but within 40 minutes, the caffeine is absorbed and we start to feel sluggish again. During this spike, our blood pressure also increases, which can lead to vision problems, heart problems, dizziness, and more. Within the hour following the consumption of a can of cola, you’ll find that you need to urinate, but that the sense of relief might not follow even though you can’t physically urinate more. What’s more, the nutrients that are being broken down and processed in your intestines are also lost through frequency of urination related to drinking cola because it sweeps out the calcium and magnesium when the cola binds to the nutrients. That means that drinking sodas on a regular basis can lead to osteoporosis and bone disorders over time. It’s not just about the heart and pancreas. There is a lot going on in your vital organs that can cause serious and lasting problems. The stimulus received from the can of cola also causes your pupils to dilate, your body to become sluggish and you want to beat that feeling so you reach for another can. It’s a vicious cycle. It’s no wonder soft drink sales are up around the world and companies like Coca-Cola are trying to be in every venue, arena, store, market, and airport around the world. They know that people can get addicted and start to crave these drinks, which means big bucks for them. So the next time you are going to reach for a cola, think about how your body is physically reacting to it before you take another sip. It might be the kick you need to stop drinking it altogether. Source
