Drop sodas from diet for more weight loss
07.17.06 (11:05 pm) [edit]People often overlook beverages in their quest to lose weight, but sodas and other sugary drinks can be a significant source of calories. As many as one in five calories comes from drinks, and soda accounts for 25 percent of beverages Americans consume. Some researchers have gone so far as to say soft drinks are to blame for the obesity epidemic in the U.S.
Experts offer many good reasons why sodas sabotage dieting efforts. Most sodas are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. Unlike other kinds of carbs, corn syrup doesn't stimulate the body to make insulin, which helps process calories
Harvard researchers found that each daily serving of a sugary drink raised the risk of obesity by 60 percent. Among adults, a study of more than 51,000 U.S. nurses found that those who drank one or more sodas each day gained more weight (an average of 10.3 pounds) than those who drank one soda or fewer per week (they gained slightly less than 3 pounds on average). These findings held true even after researchers adjusted for factors including exercise and diet.
Researchers saw a 41 percent increase in the risk of being overweight for every diet soda consumed each day
Not all studies have shown the same results, but experts agree that it's best to limit sodas or eliminate them completely in favor of more healthful drinks.