Caffeine in carbonated sodas

Caffeine is a bitter white crystalline alkaloid from the methylxanthine group. The systematic name of caffeine is 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine. It occurs naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, and kola nuts, and is also added to foods and beverages.

Most carbonated beverages contain caffeine, which is considered to be a mild drug and can have harmful effects, especially on children. Soft drinks today – both ‘colas’ and many noncolas – have caffeine added to them as part of the recipe.

It is deliberately added to these drinks because of their taste and to cause the addiction to a drink. The caffeine content in soft drinks varies depending on drink type. It can be from 10 to 50 mg of caffeine per serving portion.

The children’s major source of caffeine was carbonated drinks. A nationwide caffeine consumption survey conducted of children aged 5 to 18 years found that 98% studied consumed caffeine on a weekly basis, derived mostly from carbonated beverages (Paediatr. Perinat. Epidemiol. 17:324-331 [2003]).

Soft drinks are the most consumed caffeine-containing beverage in America. Caffeine is a drug that acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system. Caffeine is used to reduce physical fatigue and for its medical characteristics also. It can be used in combination with certain pain relievers for treating migraines.

Study found that the high caffeine consumers experienced more interrupted sleep during the night. It also accelerates bone tissue loss in postmenopausal older women.
Caffeine in carbonated sodas

Soft drinks of Pepsi Cola

In the 1890s, in New Bern, North Carolina, a pharmacist name Caleb D Braham experimented with extracts of coca leaves, kola nuts and sugar. One beverage base on kola nut extract was first name Brad’s drink, but by August 28, 1898, he christened the new drink Pepsi-Cola.

It was successful and its sales encouraged Braham to incorporate the Pepsi Cola-Company in 1902. Pepsi-Cola was the first to use skywriting as advertisement medium. This new advertising campaign helped to increase Pepsi sales an make consumers more aware of the big nickel drinks.

By 1905, demand for Pepsi-Cola had increase so much that Braham decided it was time to offer Pepsi-Cola for sale in bottles. To facilitate the sale of Pepsi-Cola in bottles Braham issue the first of many franchise agreements. Soon the name of Pepsi-Cola was known throughout the southeastern United States. In 1941, Pepsi-Cola shares were first listed in the New York Stock Exchange.

Pepsi-Cola has regularly expanded its operation by acquiring other companies. For instance, in 1998 it acquired Tropical Products, makers of a variety of fruit juices.

Today, Pepsi-Cola is considered to be a total beverage company selling everything from Pepsi-Cola to iced tea. The dream of Caleb Braham, to sell the public a refreshing drink, continues.
Soft drinks of Pepsi Cola

Advertisements of soft drinks

Since the origins in the late nineteenth century, the soft drink industry had enjoyed steadily increasing sales, and during the 1920s, Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola became favorite thirst quenchers among Americans of all ages.

Soft drink companies, such as the Coca-cola Company, PepsiCo, and Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. engaged in massive advertising though billboards and print sources, such as newspaper and magazines, during the early twentieth century.

Between 2001 and 2002, 60% of US middle and high school sold soft drinks in vending machines and more than 240 US school district had exclusive contracts with soft drink companies and received funding based on the number of beverages sold and extend of the marketing allowed  (advertisements in hallways, on book covers, and in auditoriums, gymnasium and school athletics fields).

Today, soft drink manufacturers spend billions of dollars annually on advertising. In the United States alone, these marketing efforts generated more than $57 billion in sales in 5 years ago. Advertisements have associated soft-drinks with new tastes and new status. Drinking the beverage makes the consumer feel young, sexy, strong, smart, cool, athletic and fun-loving.

Coca-cola paid the Boys & Girls’ Clubs of America $60 million in 1998 to market its brand exclusively in over 2,000 facilities. And ads selling soft drinks now run on the commercial television network with programming shown in classrooms almost every day to eight million middle, junior and high school students.

These companies place advertisement in prominent locations in school – on school buses, on posters in hallways and on calendars book covers and even mouse pads.

Soft drinks manufactures have spent as much as 25 percent of their entire revenues on advertising, much of it targeting youth. In 1998 the Center for Science in the Public Interests study, Liquid Candy, reported that soft drink companies had targeted schools for their advertising and sales of their products.

It is also reported that’s soft drinks provided more than one-third of all refined sugars in the diet’.

Teenagers drink twice as much carbonated soda as milk; as a result only 19 percent of girls get the recommended amount of calcium.
Advertisements of soft drinks

The invention of Pepsi Cola

Caleb Bradham, licensed pharmacist and proprietor of Bradham’s Prescription Pharmacy, thought someone ought to create a good tasting, refreshing drink without then harmful dugs contained in many fountain beverages.

In 1893, he began experimenting with combinations of spices, juices, and syrups trying to create a refreshing new drink to serve his customers.

Cola flavored beverages already existed – among them Coca-Cola - but Bradham wanted to develop his own formula, omitting the caffeine and cocaine.

He succeeded beyond all expectations because he invented the beverage known around the world as Pepsi-Cola in the summer of 1893.

Caleb Bradham creation, a unique mixture of kola nut extract, vanilla and rare oils, became so popular his customers named it "Brad's Drink."

The name ‘Brad’s Drink’ didn’t convey the nature so the beverage and he decided to rename it "Pepsi-Cola,” in 1898 and advertised his new soft drink. People responded, and sales of Pepsi-Cola started to grow, convincing him that he should form a company to market the new beverage.

In 1898, Caleb Bradham wisely bought the trade name ‘Pep Cola’ for $100 from a competitor from Newark, New Jersey that had gone burke.

By 1900 Pepsi-Cola had become so popular, that Bradham created the Pepsi-Cola Company.

According to a document signed by Bradham, his formula for Pepsi-Cola consisted of sugar, water, caramel, lime juice, phosphoric acid, alcohol and oils (lemon, orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander and petit grain).
The invention of Pepsi Cola

Osteoporosis due to soft drinks consumption

Bone mass peaks in the early 30s. After this age most people lose approximately one percent of bone mass a year. As more and more bone is lost, the bone becomes weaker and more brittle, a condition known as osteoporosis.

The United States ranks first among countries for soft drink consumption. Carbonated beverages have become a part of American culture. The average woman in her 20s drinks two 12 ounce sodas a day, teenage boys drink about two and half.

People who drink instead of milk or other dairy products likely will have lower calcium intakes. Low calcium intake contributes to osteoporosis, a disease leading to fragile and broken bones.

The large amounts of sugar, bubbles caused by carbon dioxide, and phosphoric acid that are found in soft drinks remove nutritious minerals from bones allowing the bones to become weak and increasing the risk for them to break.

This is done by the phosphoric acid disrupting the calcium-phosphorous ratio, which dissolves calcium from the bones. This can cause calcium loss in bones. The phosphorus acid then pulls the calcium from their storage warehouse – that is, their teeth and bones.

The result is osteoporosis – that is, loss of density of bones, back and disc trouble, pyorrhea and of course, decayed teeth. Once osteoporosis had developed, it is difficult to restore lost bone. Therefore, the best treatment for osteoporosis is to prevent it by achieving a high peak bone mass and slowing the rate of bone loss.

All soft drinks are made with a solution of phosphoric acid. This is in part what gives them their kick. Soft drinks are a major contributor to osteoporosis for those who drink them, as they are high in phosphate (phosphoric acid) and sugar.

The link between soft drink consumption and bone loss is going to be even more significant as children practically weaned on soft drinks reach adulthood.

Many people consume soft drinks instead of necessary beverages like milk, so their bodies are not receiving enough nutrients, especially calcium. By lowering bone mineral density it may be increasing osteoporosis risk.

This deficiency in calcium intake and increased consumption of soft drinks is a greater problem for women than for men. On average, women reported drinking five carbonated drinks a week, four of them colas. Calcium intake was lower for women who drank the most cola.

The discrepancy between genders is because men traditionally eat more and consume more milk than their female counter parts, so soft drinks do not have as profound of an effect on men.
Osteoporosis due to soft drinks consumption 

Soft drinks can cause osteoporosis

In osteoporosis, the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture deteriorates and the amount and variety of proteins in bone are altered.

People who drink instead of milk or other dairy products likely will have lower calcium intakes. Low calcium intake contributes to osteoporosis, a disease leading to fragile and broken bones.

In 1998 the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) warned the public that soft drinks may cause osteoporosis.

The large amounts of sugar, bubbles caused by carbon dioxide, and phosphoric acid that are found in soft drinks remove nutritious minerals from bones allowing the bones to become weak and increasing the risk for them to break.

Phosphoric acid, present in carbonated drinks is violently poisonous and de-oxidizes the blood. Researchers report the phosphoric acid in soft drinks can disrupt the calcium-phosphorus ratio, which can cause osteoporosis as calcium is removed from the bones. This can cause calcium loss in bones. Osteoporosis puts the bones at risk for fracture.

The result is osteoporosis – that is, loss of density of bones, back and disc trouble, pyorrhea and of course, decayed teeth. Besides causing tooth decay and osteoporosis, soda and soft drinks cause indigestion, kidney stones, skin problems, malnutrition and much more.

The risk of osteoporosis fractures can be reduced with lifestyle changes and in those with previous osteoporosis related fractures, medication. Lifestyle change includes diet, exercise and preventing falls.
Soft drinks can cause osteoporosis

Soft drinks and bone density in older women

There is reason to believe that soft drinks may cause greater loss of bone minerals in older women than occurs with age alone.

In one study, carbonated beverage consumption is associated with increase fracture risk.

In women, but not men, greater intake of cola drinks, but not other kinds, was associated with significantly lower hip bone density. This was regardless of whether the cola was normal, decaffeinated or "diet".

The mechanism is not clear, but it may be related to the high acidity of such drinks and possibly their high content of phosphoric acid. The average American diet of soft rinks leads to increase excretion of calcium.

The damage may not be caused directly by soft drinks but rather because they take the palace of dairy products in the diet.

This sounds like another good reason to minimize or avoid drinking these soft drinks for women who have concerns about osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a conditioning, deterioration or loss of bone mineral density that leads to disability, bone fractures and even death.

The contribution of sugar-sweetened soft drinks to excessive weight gain in some young people is already well established.

To have good bone health, people need to participate in a regular lifetime exercise program. Lifestyle can have a beneficial effect on bone density.

Physical activity e.g. weight bearing , as little as 30 min a day for 3 days a week, will increase content of bone in odder women.
Soft drinks and bone density in older women

Low sugar soft drinks

Carbonated soft drinks dominate the soft the soft drinks market and the sector is one of the fastest growing. About 30% of the carbonated drinks sold are low sugar products.

Sugar intake and weight gain have always been of interest to consumers. Surveys suggest that approximately 85 percent of all US adult use low calories, reduced sugar or sugar free foods and beverages at least once every weeks.

New low and no sugar products in the soft drink sector provide the opportunity to reduce extrinsic sugars without compromising on taste, which is very important in gaining product acceptance among children and teenagers.

The most popular sugar-free products are artificially sweetened soft drinks and other beverage.

One of the example is ‘apple spritzer’ in Germany. The drinks are sparkling and the juice is around 50% with no sugar or other sweetener added. This provided a very refreshing, calorie-reduced drink with low sweetness.

As global concern regarding obesity and high sugar consumption increases, the market for lower sugar, lower-glycaemic-load and calorie controlled products will increase, and it follows that the use of sugar substitute will increase.

Aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame, cyclamate or the common artificial sweeteners which are not sugar at all, but commonly used intense sweetening agents that are cheap sugar substitutes. They are widely used in diet soft drinks, and regular soft drinks.

Although commercial diet soft drinks are low in sugar, they are high in phosphates, additives and often caffeine.

Low sugar soft drinks also can be manufactured with ‘natural’ ingredients, contain fruits, healthy botanical extracts, antioxidants, etc, and be fully compatible with healthy lifestyle, provided that they are consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Low sugar soft drinks

Soft drinks and health of children

Half of the American children, aged 6 to 11, drink approximately 15 ounces of soda per day. Among adolescent boys who drink soda, the average daily intake is approximately 28.5 ounces, and among girls, the average soda drinks consumes around 21 ounces per day.

Soft drinks not only contain phosphorus, but also sugar and caffeine, all of which leach calcium from bone.

A study on teenagers showed that urinary calcium levels increased with the ingestion of the caffeinated drink. Urinary calcium excretion increased from after ingestion of the soft drink with both caffeine and sugar.

For children, increases in soft drink consumption can have serious health implications. Child obesity, to which soft drinks are known to contribute has been shown to lead t adult obesity, which itself is associated with many health problems including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

It's important because the numbers of fat children are increasing significantly each year.

When they controlled for television viewing (a well-known factor in childhood obesity), physical activity and other dietary factors, soft drinks by themselves added extra risk for obesity.

The prevalence of overweight and its attendant health problems is clearly on the rise among American children.

Obesity rates have risen in tandem with soft drinks consumption and heavy consumption of soda pop have high calories intakes.

Currently, 22 percent of children age 2 to 5 years and 15 percent of children aged 6 or older are overweight.

These values are more than double the rates of overweight in the early 1970s.

For every additional glass of sugar-sweetened drink per day, the risk of obesity rose by 60 per cent.

High sugar beverage intake is linked worth fast food consumption because soft drinks are usually marketed and bundled with meal packages in fast food restaurants.

Twice as many children drank carbonated soft drinks if they had consumed fast foods on one of two survey days than if they had not consumed fast food.

Changing the children over to diet drinks reduced the chances of obesity by over a half.

With the booming epidemic in adult diabetes, tied back to childhood obesity, we need to do what we can to keep our kids' weight down without scaring them into anorexia.

Most experts say the best techniques are to increase exercise, reduce television viewing and probably reduce time at computers - and now perhaps replacing sugar-loaded drinks with diet products.
Soft drinks and health of children

Soft drinks and children

Children are drinking more soft drinks than ever before. An increase in the consumption rates in the past few decades is evident though statistics that show that children (ages 6-11) are now drinking double the amount of soft drinks.

During the same time, reports show that children and adolescent obesity significantly increased.

What led to an increase in soft drinks consumption? Certainly, spending for advertising soft drinks has been on the rise.

It's important because the numbers of fat children are increasing significantly each year. In one study the researchers followed nearly 600 12-year-olds for a couple of years, monitoring their intake of various foods and their weight and height.

Over two years, there was a 10 per cent increase in the level of fatness of the children - quite dramatic really in a short period.

And when they controlled for television viewing (a well-known factor in childhood obesity), physical activity and other dietary factors, soft drinks by themselves added extra risk for obesity.

Actually this beverage do not provide nutrients that are needed by growing children, but do increase the calorie intake.

Obesity risk has been negatively related to consumption of fruit, vegetables and carbohydrate while a positively relationship has been observed with dietary fat, added sugar and soft drink consumption.

Many studies have reported a positive association of obesity with soft drink consumption. One study even reported that ‘drinking three or more soft drinks per day was associated with a 46 % increases in chance of being overweight.
Soft drinks and children