Top 7 Reasons To Avoid Soda If You're Diabetic

The greatest single source of calories in the United States today comes from soda consumption.

Referred to as ‘liquid candy’ or ‘diabetes in a can’, a typical American guzzles 400 12- ounce cans of Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, 7 Up or other highly sugared water, per year. Unfortunately, with the growing popularity of these brands, there’s a growing stack of scientific evidence that a key ingredient in these popular drinks is unhealthy at best and in the long run, possibly lethal.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the primary sweetener in a wide range of products today, is the sugaring agent of choice among soda producers. It’s cheaper than sugar, so manufacturers love it. But your body doesn’t.

Here’s why:

1. It’s high in calories, “playing a role in the epidemic of obesity”;

   Louisiana State University study

2. May increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes, by depleting chromium*, an essential mineral that helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels and minimize the onset of diabetes;

   Beijing Medical University study, Harvard School of Public Health

3. May increase the risk of colorectal cancer in women;

   Journal of National Cancer Institute

4. May increase your risk of esophageal cancer;

   TATA Memorial Hospital study, India

5. Appears to increase cardiovascular problems;

   University of Minnesota, USDA Human Nutrition Research

6. Interferes with absorption of copper, an essential mineral needed to create hemoglobin in red blood cells;

   USDA Human Nutrition Research study

7. Plays a “major role in dental decay, filling and tooth loss”;

   Oregon Dental Association