Numerous health issues are caused by drinks that contain high amounts of sugar. Such issues are tooth decay, diabetes type 2, and obesity. Studies say that consuming one can of Coca-Cola can negatively affect the body in one hour.
The CDC says that nearly 50% of people living in the US consume at least one drink high in sugar per day. Youngsters are more likely to drink sweetened drinks than the elderly.
In one Coca-Cola can there is a lot of sugar. More precisely, you consume 37g. In other words, that would be ten teaspoons of sugar.
To maintain good overall health, the WHO says that one should not consume more than six tsp of sugar. Consuming only one Coca-Cola can per day exceeds this limit.
A study conducted in 2015 reveals that 184,000 people die every year because of sweetened beverages.
In this article, we will discuss the effects that Coca-Cola has on human bodies.
How Does Coca-Cola Affect the Human Body?
A pharmacist from Britain, N. Naik created an infographic that shows how much damage can a Coca-Cola can of 330 milliliters cause to the human body in just one hour after drinking. This infographic was based on the medical writer, W. Meredith’s research.
Naik says that because of the high levels of sugar, a person may vomit after consuming the drink. However, people tend to drink a lot of Coca-Cola without a problem because phosphoric acid decreases the sweetness.
Furthermore, Naik explains that after 20 minutes of consuming the Coca-Cola can, there is a dramatic increase in blood sugar levels. This results in the extreme production of insulin. Then, these huge amounts of sugar are converted into fat with the help of the liver.
Coca-Cola Has a Similar Effect as Heroin
In just 40 minutes, the body can entirely absorb the caffeine from Coca-Cola. Consuming caffeine results in increased blood pressure and pupil dilation.
Moreover, only five minutes after drinking a can of cola, the organism increases the production of dopamine. That is why humans like Coca-Cola – it boosts the production of the neurotransmitter that is responsible for the reward and pleasure centers in the brain. The infographic shows that Coca-Cola has the same effect on the body as heroin.
Nonetheless, the negative effects come after one hour of consuming the beverage. The sugar levels drop and that leads to drowsiness and irritability. The vital nutrients and water are eliminated from the body via urine.
Anyway, this infographic is not just about the effects of Coca-Cola, but for all carbonated drinks that contain caffeine. Naik explains in an article on his blog, “The Renegade Pharmacist”: “Coke contains not only high fructose corn syrup but also refined salts and caffeine.” He continues: “Consuming these ingredients in the high quantities found in Coke and other processed foods and drinks regularly can lead to higher blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.” […] A small amount now and then, on the other hand, will not cause any major harm. “Moderation is the key!”
A Coca-Cola representative, on one hand, says that the drink is “perfectly safe to drink and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and lifestyle.”
Research
According to a review from 2018, there are many other ways that drinks high in sugar can negatively affect our health.
In this review was researched the impact of sweetened drinks on the human brain. They revealed that these beverages interfered with brain activity and raised the risk of Medical News Today and stroke by raising specific chemicals and compounds in the brain.
Also, the review revealed that regular consumption of sweetened drinks can negatively affect the human sleep cycle. Additionally, motor and memory coordination were affected by some compounds. This may cause an increased chance of ADHD development in children.
Nevertheless, most of these studies were not conducted on humans, but on rats. We still do not know the real effect of sugary beverages on humans.
Furthermore, in 2018, the authors of a study that included 2,019 subjects revealed that they could not exclude the fact that diet soda may cause diabetes. Their information says that drinks high in sugar do increase the chances of diabetes development.
Two years earlier, in 2016, a study revealed that rats who consumed Coca-Cola had worse liver and kidney function than those who did not consume this type of beverage.
To make it clearer, we still cannot firmly argue that Coca-Cola has such negative impacts on human health.