Did you know the Coca-Cola company estimates that more than 1.9 billion drinks from its range of mostly-soda beverages are consumed daily? Daily. That’s a lot of people consuming sugary drinks (or artificially sugary drinks, with ingredients like aspartame or fructose) on the regular.
And look, it’s okay to enjoy a bit of soda here and there — especially the weird and wacky flavors — but you should know drinking it regularly comes with real risks.
Unfortunately, there’s new medical evidence that only adds to the growing pile of concerns over soda’s risks, like weight gain and brain health issues, stating that regular soda consumption could be linked to cancer. Specifically, colon cancer.
Dr. Lewis Cantley of Cornell University recently shared his study findings, which stated that people under 35 had bowel cancer that’s been linked to soda (made with corn syrup) consumption.
The study, which tested on genetically engineered mice whose bodies were predisposed to cancer, found a link between glucose and fructose and intestinal tumors. In fact, Cantley found that “[t]he tumour was directly eating the sugar…the cancer was using fructose and glucose together to more than double its growth rate.” Ew.
And just so you know — corn syrup comes from blending glucose and fructose.
Coca-Cola says that the stuff isn’t bad for you in moderation, but that’s kind of biased, right? Plenty of studies have found that corn syrup is linked to metabolic issues, especially weight gain.
The problem is that people drink soda (yes, including diet sodas) on the regular.
Basically, it’s a GREAT idea to limit your intake of soda. Like, yesterday.
Whether or not it can be directly linked to human cancer, it can cause other issues for your health.
Not to mention corn syrup is kind of gross, actually:
There are a lot of folks out there who want to spread the word on soda.
We suggest you speak to your doctor and do your own research.
Cancer isn’t abstract; it doesn’t just happen to “someone else.”
These studies are conducted and published for a reason — to keep us safe.
Even doctors are speaking out on social media:
If you’re worried about colon cancer, especially if you drink tons of soda, you should know more about its symptoms.
It can cause bloody stool, constipation, excessive gas, abdominal pain, fatigue, and more.
There’s also a link between colon cancer and obesity.
Soda is basically a double-whammy of risk.
If soda makes you feel good in the moment, but eventually leaves you feeling hyper or bloated, you should swap it out for water or tea. Because:
If you need another reminder, there’s this:
In fact, quitting soda entirely can add years to your life.
According to Inc., the American Heart Association shared “evidence that people who drink two or more sugary beverages a day (like sodas and sport drinks) were significantly more likely to die early compared to those who drank much less frequently.”
People have found that quitting soda has made them feel better than ever.
Here’s one person’s claim:
According to Eat This Not That, reducing or cutting out soda can have a holistic, mega impact on your whole body:
“When people cut back on processed items, they often look for more fresh foods and make better choices.”
“By giving up soda, it may seem like you’re making one change, but it can actually change a couple of aspects of your diet for the better.”
You can replace soda with a number of drinks. You don’t have to drink plain old, boring water!
Swap a soda for a sparkling water, infused fruit waters, tea, iced matcha, natural juice and seltzer, or a healthy smoothie!
In the end, grab a bottle of water, treat yourself to a natural pick-me-up like green tea, and know that you will feel so much better after you kick the habit.
Sorry, soda!
