Dayo Ojerinde
A Clinical nutritionist at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Mr Oladimeji Okunola, has said that it is better to drink water after eating than for people to have their meals with soft drinks.
Okunola, in an interview with our correspondent, said that soft drinks (or sodas) increase the sodium content of a diet as they typically contain carbonated water, sweeteners and, or, artificial flavouring.
He said, “Most soft drinks or sodas also contain caffeine, colouring and other preservatives. Soft drinks have a high pH of about two to three highly acidic content, compared to water with pH of 7.0. Having a meal with water is best for the good health of the body.
“When you are consuming food rich in iron and taking soft drinks with it, you may be losing the nutrient. Soft drinks contain caffeine and this inhibits the absorption of iron.”
He also described the sugar content of soft drinks, about 17 teaspoons, as dangerous to the body.
The clinical nutritionist said, “They are high in calorie; 17 teaspoons of sugar will give 240 calories, devoid of nutritional value. It takes an average adult 1 hour walking to burn 240 calories in a bottle of soft drink. The acidity of a soft drink can affect the dental enamel.”
Okunola noted that soft drinks increase the risk of obesity, especially in children, as sugary drinks consumed daily increases the likelihood of a child becoming obese by about 60 per cent.
Also stressing that the consumption of soft drinks could lead to other health complications in children, such as increasing the risk of a heart disease by about 20 per cent, he added, “Another problem is addiction. Lovers of soft drinks can get addicted. The caffeine will induce their craving for the drinks to the extent that they cannot eat without it. Such drinks contain artificial sweeteners, which can affect the health of the consumer and lead to cancer and other diseases.
“Soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, which removes the much-needed calcium from the bone. They can increase the risk of heart disease and metabolic syndrome. They increase the risk for obesity. They also contain sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate. These chemicals have the ability to cause damage to the DNA in the cell to the point that they deactivate it.”
He advised Nigerians to cultivate the habit of having their meals with water and eat fruits if they crave something sweet on their taste buds.
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