Did you know that soft drinks have sugar in them? According to Gary Wenk, director of undergraduate neuroscience programs at Ohio State University and author of “Your Brain on Food”, the sweetener and caffeine in soft drinks are exactly the right balance. However, the average 12-ounce can of Coke contains 39 grams of sugar, which is the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar! Even with the added sugar, this beverage is still not healthy and will leave you thirsty.
The brain detects the level of sugar in the blood and signals to the body to dilute it. In turn, sugary foods such as soft drinks and candy make us thirsty, because they draw water out of our cells. This leads to a cascade of chemical reactions that result in increased thirst. It’s important to remember that softdrinks aren’t the only source of sugar in our diet.
People with diabetes or high blood pressure may also produce large amounts of urine. People with kidney disease and liver problems may be more thirsty than others. A decrease in saliva volume can also lead to dehydration. Thankfully, there are ways to compensate for this without depriving yourself of fluids. A natural way to quench thirst is to drink water with fruit slices. Alternatively, fruit juices can be mixed with seltzer and still provide carbonation. Another great benefit of fruit juice is its vitamin and antioxidant content.
Another problem with soda is dehydration. While soda is the most common source of caffeine, it also dehydrates the body. It has more sodium than water and only slightly hydrates you. But you need to drink more than water to feel the effects of soda. If you drink soda on a regular basis, you will experience dehydration in the same way that soda does. It may even delay brain development.
