How Sugary Drinks Affect Your Body

The consumption of sugary drinks has widely spread in today's society, however, sweet beverages can cause different types of health problems, especially if we drink them excessively.
How Sugary Drinks Affect Your Body

Last update: 27 August, 2018

People consume sugary drinks in large quantities all around the world. Their popularity has made them a staple in any meal.

Kids are the primary consumers of this type of drink.  Because of this, it’s important to make them aware of how harmful sugary drinks are. In this article, we’ll explain how consuming sugary drinks can affect our body.

Kid next to all the sugar that sugary drinks contain.

As you’re about to see, consuming sugary drinks can affect your body in many ways. Furthermore, most of the problems caused by these drinks are very serious, so it’s important to moderate their consumption.

If you consume sugary drinks regularly, it would be best to modify your diet and replace them with water, natural juices and infusions. These drinks are much healthier and by eliminating sugary drinks you will feel much better in a short amount of time.

Obesity

Overweight woman with a scale.

Obesity is one of the most well-known consequences of sugary drink consumption. Due to its high sugar content, these types of beverages contribute to an increase in body fat, and consequently to obesity and weight gain. In recent years, sweetened beverage brands have brought to the market, drinks that contain sweeteners instead of sugar. These types of products are a healthier option, but always keep in mind that there are other types of drinks that are much better for you in the long run.

If you like these types of drinks, it’s advisable to consume them only from time to time and in small quantities. Always choose the sugar-free option so that it isn’t as harmful for your body. Remember that a single can of a soft drink provides twice the amount of sugar that your body needs in one whole day!

Impoverishment of memory

Girl trying to remember something.

Most sugary drinks contain a substance called brominated vegetable oil – also called BVO- which causes memory loss and nerve problems. While it’s true that these problems only occur when we consume sugary drinks excessively, occasional consumption is still harmful and it poses a health risk to the people who drink them.

In recent years there’s been a lot of controversy around brominated vegetable oil. People have pressured sugary drink brands to stop including it in their products. Finally, many of the most important factories announced last year that they would modify their recipes in order to stop including BVO in them.

Osteoporosis

Specialists have linked osteoporosis to sugary drink consumption. This is because these types of drinks alter the calcium levels in our bones. A high consumption of these liquids causes calcium absorption to change, because they contain phosphoric acid.

It should be noted that osteoporosis is a disease which causes bones to become more fragile and porous. It usually appears at advanced ages and causes bones to break more easily.

Tooth decay

Girl getting checked for tooth decay.

Oral health is seriously impaired when we consume soft drinks regularly. As we’ve said before, sugar is the main ingredient in these drinks. That’s why consuming them is directly related to tooth decay.

In addition, since soft drinks are usually carbonated, they can affect the enamel of our teeth. They can stain your teeth and leave them unprotected against infections and other problems.

As you can see, if you want to maintain a good level of oral health, it’s advisable that you stop consuming these types of drinks. But if you do drink one from time to time, remember to brush your teeth when you finish it, in order to eliminate any remaining sugar from your mouth.

Kidney problems

Many people already know that sugar causes diabetes and obesity. But sometimes they don’t know that most kidney problems are also caused by sugar. And the same goes for problems relating to the pancreas. This is one of the most serious consequences that consuming sugary drinks can bring, since treating kidney and pancreatic problems is much more complex.


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.