Soda

Nearly 50 percent of Americans over the age of 4 drink sugary beverages on any given day, including soft drinks, sweetened fruit juices and presweetened iced teas.

Data from a large federal study further indicates that Americans drink nearly one-fourth of their total calories each day, mostly in the form of soft drinks. More than one-third of all the added sugars Americans consume come from soft drinks.

Unsurprisingly, drinking sugary beverages was also linked with obesity.

Not only are sodas filled with calorie-laden sweeteners -- one can of Coke contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar -- but most people do not compensate for drinking those calories by eating less, because liquid calories simply do not provide the same feeling of fullness as solid foods.
The average American drinks nearly 54 gallons of soft drinks each year, or more than a gallon each week.

Nutra Ingredients USA.com January 10, 2007 http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=73247&m=1FNU110&c=eepddtxhprfgmgi

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Dr. Joseph Mercola's Comment:

This really is shocking news to me, and I already knew that the average American is drinking 56 gallons of soda a year. However, I did not appreciate that that worked out to one-fourth of their total daily calorie intake.

SO, the situation is actually FAR worse because what is not factored into the amount of daily calories is all the diet soda, which doesn't contribute any calories to the daily calorie count, so they are getting toxic poisons that are worse than sugar in ADDITION to the sugar calories.

Is it any wonder why most industrialized nations suffer with disease?

Folks, the answer couldn't be any more clear or obvious:

STOP DRINKING SODA!!

The data speaks volumes about how addicted people really are to sugary soft drinks, long considered the leading source of calories among Americans.

A look at these numbers demonstrate, without a doubt, why sugary substances like high fructose corn syrup have been targeted as a major culprit in the obesity epidemic. Then, combine those frightening numbers with the fact that consuming only one extra soft drink a day can add up to 15 pounds to your weight over the course of a year, and you have a recipe for a health care disaster of epic proportions.

One of the best ways to optimize your health and tame the obesity epidemic in your home today is certainly among the easiest: Stop consuming sweet drinks and make the switch to clean, fresh water.

On Vital Votes, biochemist Russ Bianchi from Soquel, California adds:

    "Once again folks, HFCS alone is not the only chemically refined 'fructose' to avoid at all costs ... other phony and deceptive labeling includes: crystalline fructose (NOT from fruit, nor metabolized to blood glucose like levulose from fruit), agave (hydrolyzed HIGH FRUCTOSE inulin deceptive and criminally mislabeled), chicory (ditto), beet (ditto), inulin (ditto), modified corn starches, corn maltodextrins corn syrup, glucose syrup, organic corn syrup, and corn syrup solids.

    "All of these are converted, irrespective of claimed source, DIRECTLY to body fat, or blood triglycerides, and lead to cardio vascular disease, cardiac arrest, obesity, diabetes , hypoglycemia and cancer."