According to a new study, sugary drinks, such as soda, kill 184,000 people worldwide each year, with over 25,000 of those deaths happening in the US. Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, senior author of the study and dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, said that “It should be a global priority to substantially reduce or eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages from the diet”.
The problem with sugary drinks, including sweetened sodas, fruit drinks, sports & energy drinks, and iced teas – is that the consumption of these drinks can be directly related to increased rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
There is evidence that these types of drinks increase the risk of obesity , and obesity contributes to the risk of these types of diseases. In fact, in Mexico, more than 10% of the population suffers from diabetes. 30 percent of deaths of those under 45 have been directly related to the consumption of sugary drinks. In America, we consume over 22.2 teaspoons of added sugar per day – that’s an extra 355 calories – due to sugary drinks. The sugars are added to improve the taste of the beverage, but provide no nutritional benefit, according to the American Heart Association.
What does this mean for you?
Based on these studies, it’s highly suggested that you remove these types of drinks from your diet. Switch to water, unsweetened tea, or natural fruit juices.
