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Dietitians: 1 Thing to Avoid for Better Gut Health, Lower Cancer Risk
Business Insider • • health
Key Points:
- Health experts overwhelmingly agree that cutting back on sugary drinks, especially soda, is a simple and effective way to improve overall health due to their high added sugar content.
- A typical can of soda contains about 40 grams of sugar, nearing or exceeding daily recommended limits, and excessive sugar intake is linked to serious health issues like type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, heart disease, tooth decay, liver damage, and kidney disease.
- Sugary beverages are particularly harmful because they cause intense blood sugar spikes and crashes and provide calories without nutritional value, making it easy to overconsume sugar.
- While diet sodas reduce sugar intake, they may have potential risks linked to artificial sweeteners, such as gut microbiome disruption and possible associations with heart and metabolic health issues, though more research is needed.
- Experts recommend drinking mostly plain water, seltzer, or 100% fruit juice, and suggest coffee or tea without added sugar or cream for a healthier alternative to sugary drinks.
