Can Soft Drinks Increase Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes?

You may not be an alcohol consumer, but when you’re at parties, restaurants, or movie theaters, one thing that often accompanies your meal is a soft drink. These drinks have become a staple beverage for many, not just for adults but even for children.

For those who don’t like fizzy drinks, there are non-carbonated options, like the childhood favorite Frooti. With so many varieties available, soft drinks may seem like a harmless treat, but they can be harmful to your body in the long run.

Yes, consuming soft drinks regularly comes with hidden health risks. It has many detrimental effects on your body, and one of the major concerns is its role in increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Let’s take a look at the nutritional value of two popular soft drinks—a 250ml Coca-Cola bottle and a small 200ml Frooti tetra pack:

250ml Coca-Cola Bottle

• Calories – 108 kcal
• Sugar – 27g
• Carbohydrates – 27g
• Fat – 0g
• Protein – 0g
• Sodium – 11mg

200ml Frooti Tetra Pack

• Calories – 130 kcal
• Sugar – 32g
• Carbohydrates – 32g
• Fat – 0g
• Protein – 0g
• Sodium – 55mg

You can clearly see that these drinks are just loaded with sugar and offer zero nutritional value. One drink usually contains 7 to 8 teaspoons full of sugar. To put this in perspective, one teaspoon of sugar is almost 4 grams.

So, you are unknowingly putting this much sugar into your body, which is more than the recommended daily limit of 25g (6 teaspoons) for women and 36g (9 teaspoons) for men. What’s worse is that most people don’t stop at just one.

How Soft Drinks Can Lead to Type 2 Diabetes

Soft drinks have no protein or fiber and do not contain major minerals or vitamins. These sugar-sweetened beverages are just empty calories that do no good to your body. Studies have shown that when consumed in large quantities, these beverages can cause many health issues, one of which is diabetes.

The mechanism by which these drinks affect health is complex and multifaceted. Here’s what experts believe about how soft drinks increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.

1. Soft Drinks Are Linked To Excess Weight Gain

Being obese is one of the key risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Some studies report a clear association between soft drink consumption and higher body weight.

Glucose and fructose are the two primary compounds in soft drinks that are responsible for this. Fructose does not affect the hunger hormone ghrelin or signal fullness in the same way that glucose does. For instance, when you eat starchy foods, your body produces glucose, which triggers the release of the ghrelin hormone and feelings of “fullness” while eating. But fructose fails to stimulate this response, and you keep drinking without feeling full.

It is also seen that people who drink these beverages along with their meals are likely to consume more calories in food than those who don’t. Over time, this leads to weight gain, especially around your belly, which is a major risk factor for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

2. Soft Drinks May Cause Insulin Resistance

Insulin is a hormone that clears sugar from your blood and drives it into cells for energy.

But when you drink sugary beverages on a regular basis, your pancreas makes more amounts of insulin to remove the sugar from your blood. So, the level of insulin in your blood spikes and because of this, your cells eventually become resistant or less sensitive to the effects of insulin. This is a stepping stone towards type 2 diabetes and also heart disease.

3. Soft Drinks May Cause Fatty Liver

Most soft drinks contain high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). As discussed earlier, your cells can easily digest glucose, but this type of sugar is processed differently by your body. Unlike glucose, which provides energy, fructose goes straight to your liver, where it is converted into fat. This can lead to fatty liver disease, which directly raises your risk of type 2 diabetes.

4. Soft Drinks Increase Inflammation

Prolonged consumption of soft drinks triggers chronic inflammation in your body, which plays a major role in insulin resistance. Studies have found that people who regularly consume sugary drinks have higher levels of inflammatory markers, which further raises the risk of metabolic disorders like diabetes.

Are Diet Sodas or Zero-Calorie Drinks OK?

Switching from regular soft drinks to zero-calorie drinks offers a short-term cut in calories and may seem a safer option, but your body won’t be tricked for long. These drinks contain artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin, which can harm your body in the long run.

Experts believe that alternative sweeteners can actually increase your cravings for high-calorie foods. Your brain reacts to the sweet taste of artificial sweeteners just like it does with sugar.

These drinks can also mess with your insulin levels. Even though they don’t have sugar, the artificial sweeteners can still cause your body to release insulin, which can lead to insulin resistance and a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

So, What Are The Healthy Alternatives?

There are plenty of other refreshing beverages with nutritional value that taste good without being bad for you. Though, it is still important to consider what type of drink you are replacing it with. Swapping out soft drinks with processed tea and coffee containing added sugar or high-sugar fruit juices may not be much healthier for you.

1. Flavoured Waters

Water cleans your system by washing away toxins and harmful bacteria from your gut. So, drinking water is a no-brainer healthy drink, but you can make it more nutritious by infusing it with natural flavors. Simply add slices of your favorite fruits, veggies, and herbs such as oranges, lemons, watermelon, mint and cucumber to a bottle of water for a refreshing and flavorful drink. Another great idea is to chop up fruit, place it in an ice cube tray, add water, and freeze it. You can add these colorful fruit cubes to a glass of water for instant flavor!

2. Moringa Water

This is another excellent, healthy alternative to soft drinks. Adding a teaspoon of moringa powder to a glass of water will not only reduce your sugar intake but also add vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to your diet that boost your immune system. It may take time to get used to its flavor, but it’s great for boosting energy and improving digestion.

3. Coffee

If you are craving caffeine, have a cup of coffee, but avoid adding sugar or creamers. A shot of black coffee can be a healthy part of your diet, and a wealth of research shows that it is good for reducing fatty liver when accompanied by a healthy lifestyle and food habits.

By choosing these drinks over soft drinks, you can reduce your chances of health risks like diabetes and improve your well-being. This simple switch will quench your thirst, help you consume less sugar, and still provide various health benefits. So, make the change today and enjoy healthier, more refreshing beverages!