Did You Know That Light Drinks Make You Fat?
But are light drinks really light fare? Various studies have shown exactly the opposite
Many prefer light drinks to maintain their weight because they contain less sugar. Even if everyone knows that soft drinks are not necessarily healthy, they taste great and many therefore do not want to do without them.
But are light drinks really light fare? Various studies have shown exactly the opposite: This increases weight and waist circumference, while at the same time increasing the risk of diabetes. We invite you to learn more about this topic, just read on.
Are light drinks really light?
A study by the University of Texas has shown what many have long suspected: They hardly differ from normal soft drinks and even increase the risk of obesity and unhealthy belly fat.
This 9-year study looked at the consumption habits of 900 subjects from the United States, Mexico, and Europe. The participants were divided into 3 groups:
- Occasional consumers (1-3 glasses per week).
- Regular users (over 5 glasses per week).
- People who never drink these drinks.
The result of the study is astonishing. In the first group, an increase in the waist circumference of 2.54 – 5 cm could be determined, the regular users afterwards by an average of 7.62 cm.
There was hardly any change in the third group (an increase of less than 2 cm) as most of the participants in this group paid attention to their diet and avoided sugary drinks.
conclusion
- They are high in calories.
- The lead researcher, Sharon Fowler, explains that soft drinks are directly linked to serious medical conditions such as diabetes, heart attacks, and especially obesity.
- The results of this study are of course also influenced by the lifestyle of the participants. Anyone who drinks a light drink twice a month and leads an active life without excessive consumption of fat or sugar has no consequences to fear. The risk begins with 4 or more glasses a week, lack of exercise and an unbalanced diet. This then gradually leads to more belly fat, which can have a very negative impact on your health.
Other risks
Sweeteners
They contain a very high proportion of sweeteners. If these are taken regularly, our sense of taste diminishes. B. the sweet fruit taste was no longer.
Increased risk of type II diabetes
If you take 1 can of a light drink a day, you should know that this increases the risk of diabetes II by 36%.
In addition, this habit increases blood pressure and worsens cholesterol levels. As a result, love handles, especially on the stomach.
No nutrients
Soft drinks are delicious and very refreshing, especially on hot summer days, but they do not contain any nutrients (vitamins or minerals). They also have a stimulating effect and make you more thirsty instead of quenching it.
So it makes no sense to replace normal soft drinks with light drinks.
Headache triggers
If you suffer from migraines, you should completely avoid carbonated drinks, whether light or normal.
Bad for your teeth
Both diet and normal soft drinks are very harmful to teeth as they weaken tooth enamel. This is due to the citric acid it contains. For the sake of your beautiful smile, you should rather avoid carbonated soft drinks.
Bad for the bones
Women who already suffer from bone problems should definitely avoid soft drinks such as Cola & Co, as these contain phosphate, which promotes bone loss.
Bad for heart health
Are They Harming Heart Health? Since excessive consumption has a negative impact on the cholesterol and blood pressure values, the heart also suffers.
Carbonated soft drinks are unhealthy, no matter how good they taste. You should not be misled by the addition of “light”: These soft drinks are also harmful and make you fat.