With over 1.9 billion bottles of Coca-Cola consumed daily, it’s no wonder this beverage is the most popular drink in the world. However, there’s been mounting evidence that Coca Cola poses a serious health risk.
One of the main reasons for the adverse effects Coca Cola has on the human body is its high content of fructose corn syrup (HFCS), one of the most calorie-packed products in the Standard American Diet.
Although in 1985 the Coca Cola Company tried to replace this highly addictive substance with a healthier variant, cane sugar, consumers were pleading for the original flavor to be returned.
What’s disturbing is that a number of studies have found that HFCS produces the same effects on the brain as heroin and cocaine do, creating similar kind of addiction.
Once ingested, Coca-Cola negatively affects the function of the entire organism. Read on and find out what happens to your body when you drink your favorite can of soda.
The First 10 Minutes
Not many people know that a can of Cola contains 100% of your daily recommended sugar allowance. Moreover, this sugar is highly processed and high consumption of it causes a series of negative effects on overall health. Some of them include insulin resistance, increased risk of cavities, leptin resistance (which causes obesity), high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
The immediate effect of this high amount of sugar is experienced 10 minutes after you drink it.
After 20 Minutes
The first organ under attack by this high amount of fructose is your liver, which stores the largest portion of it as fat. This overworks your liver and causes the onset of several types of cancer. Needless to mention, it also leads to obesity.
After 40 Minutes
Aside from fructose, Coke is also high in caffeine. For instance, Diet Coke contains 42mg of this substance. In 40 minutes’ time, your body will have absorbed the caffeine, actually, 32mg of it, which is about half the recommended daily allowance for adults.
After 45 Minutes
The brain produces a reaction similar to heroin – the secretion of dopamine increases, leading to a feeling of satisfaction. The u-opioid receptors are also activated, which is why you feel stimulated.
After 60 minutes and more
An hour of Cola consumption, your calcium levels start to drop as calcium is eliminated through urine. This in turn affects your bone health.
Coca-cola also depletes your body of other nutrients including zinc, magnesium, sodium, and electrolytes. In fact, their excretion increases 2 hours upon consumption. Then you experience a sudden drop in sugar levels and you crave another Coke. Your mood also changes and you become irritable and sluggish.
Is Coca-Cola still your favorite soda?
