Can The Pop!

Nutritionist George Rapitis does not mince words.

"We encourage illness and disease little-by-little every day by not preventing their cause. We know better, we try to fool ourselves, but our bodies' cells can't be fooled about what we put in our mouths. I hope the next time you look at a can of pop, you take note of the ingredients and smarten up for the good of your own healthy lifespan and that of your children and grandchildren."

Apart from a quick energy boost, most soft drinks offer little or no nutritional value. Yet, according to recent statistics, Canadians gulp down an average of 85 litres each per year.

If we take the time to read the labels carefully, we will discover the following ingredients:

Phosphoric Acid This may interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, which can led to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones.

Aspartame This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. According to Rapitis, there are over 92 different health side-effects associated with aspartame consumption. These include brain tumours, birth defects, diabetes, and emotional disorders.

Caffeine Caffeinated drinks can cause a number of symptoms including jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, and breast lumps.

Sugar It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and weight gain.

Definitely food (and drink) for thought!