If you think it's time to deflate that pouch, it takes more than just swearing off alcohol beverages. Otherwise known as the "beer belly", new discoveries say there's a more appropriate term for your bloated midsection: soda belly.
In the past 6 years, a study of about 1,000 adults showed that people who drank sodas or other sweetened beverages gained an extra 1.8 pounds of visceral fat. Yes, that's the "deep" fat in your middle, the same one that surrounds your internal organs and may even damage them. In a standpoint, 1.8 pounds is the weight of a 24-week old fetus. That means you can go from a lean, mean machine to a pregnant-looking lady just by drinking soda, sweetened iced tea, and even fruit punch. But instead of carrying a baby, you are carrying a bundle of toxic fat.
To put into perspective, the researchers found that belly fat for the non-drinkers increased by 658 centimeters cubed, 649 cubic centimeters for occasional drinkers (once a month or less than once a week), 707 cubic centimeters for frequent drinker (once a week or less than once a day), and 852 cubic centimeters for daily drinkers. Yikes. So, did your favorite drink make the cut? Read on to find out 5 of the worst belly offenders:
1. Mountain Dew- this one contains brominated vegetable oil, a patented flame retardant for plastics that has been banned in foods throughout Europe and in Japan. What's a flame retardant, you ask? Those are compounds added to plastics and textiles, as well as surface finishes and coatings that delay the production and spread of flames. "After a few extreme soda binges - not too far from what many [video] gamers regularly consume - a few patients have needed medical attention for skin lesions, memory loss and nerve disorders, all symptoms of overexposure to bromine," according to an article in Environmental News. Plus, there's 46 grams of sugar in a can of Mountain Dew. Do the math.
2. Sunkist - This one gets its attractive orange color from Yellow 5 and Red 40. However, a study conducted by Journal of Pediatrics linked Yellow 5 to children's hyperactivity. Researchers from Canada also found out that Red 40 is contaminated with known carcinogens. A 12 oz. serving comes with 44.4 grams of carbs and 43.2 grams of sugar
3. Wild Cherry Pepsi - The only thing wild about this soda is that it contains as much sugar as more than three cups of cherries, without actually containing real cherries. Regular Pepsi, on the other hand, carries 5 grams more sugar than 3 bars of Musketeers. Let that sink in.
4. Coca Cola Life - If you think you're doing well by opting for Coca Cola's sugar- and stevia- sweetened beverage, think again. The natural packaging only conceals the cold, hard facts: it contains 24g of sugar (World Health Organization recommends 25g a day to prevent obesity, heart ailments, and diabetes). The green can has almost the same amount of sugar as with 3 Apple n Spice Donuts from Dunkin Donuts.
5. Fanta Zero - It's an unsavory blend of fruit-flavored oils mixed with water. And you know where it gets its alluring color, right?
So, there you have it. If Jessica Alba's surfboard abs is your goal this year, you know which drinks to steer clear of.
