What's Eating You? Carbonation & Soda Edition

So, I have recently learned that you are not always what you eat.  The horrifying truth is knowing what is eating you!

My imagination runs crazy, like a two year old with markers. In my career I have seen the effects of intestinal parasites in animals and humans, and only can imagine hookworms shredding my insides as I eat...eeeeww!

But this blog post is more about what your food is doing to your body after you eat it.  The first thing I want to mention is Coke.  I know I am not the only one who has poured Coke on rusty battery cable connectors...or whatever they are called (I am by no means a mechanic...or mechanically inclined).  I thought it was so cool to see the foam and fizzy eating the rust away to clean the cables.  Then, when I saw my oldest child drinking a Coke a few minutes later, I slapped that can out of his hands.  Can you imagine what Coke and other carbonated drinks are doing to your insides if they are capable of eating RUST off of cables?


According to www.LiveStrong.com once the soda is swallowed and the stomach does it's gastric acid juice thing, it passes to the small intestine.  It is here where the pancreas and liver release its gastric juices to mix with the soda.  Because soda has NO nutritional value, only the caffeine, water, and sodium passes into the bloodstream through the lining of the small intestine.  The rest is moved to the large intestine for body removal.   The Soda is eliminated through the kidneys, bladder, and urethra.  Kidney stones sound familiar? Or how about bladder infections?

The other not so pretty side of carbonation is burping and flatulence.  This is so wonderful in public or on a first date.  My husband once told me that there were many times when we were on dates where he thought he was about to explode having to hold everything in.

Caffeine in your system is another issue. Soda contains roughly 35 mg of caffeine per serving.  Most average Americans consume over 200 mg of caffeine per day.  I've heard it all...coffee makes me poop...yes it's a wonderful stimulant lol.

Caffeine also triggers the release of even MORE gastric juices (very appetizing I know) and can also cause acid reflux or heartburn.

So, the next time you reach for a cold soda beverage, think about how your body is working against you.  The bloating caused from sodas is not a friend if you are looking to lose weight and make you feel blah!



Reference:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/500187-digestion-of-carbonated-beverages/