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S h a r i n g
Secrets
HEALTH
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The idea that plain carbonated beverages can
cause weakening in the bones and teeth is one
of the latest Internet rumors making the rounds,
but there's no evidence that it's true. In fact, the
International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF)
says that while colas and energy drinks may
contain ingredients that can negatively impact
your stores of calcium, carbonation itself is not
the culprit. "Many commercial mineral waters
are carbonated, and some are rich in calcium
and other minerals—as well as being free of
calories," according to the IOF. These calcium-
rich beverages can actually be benefcial if
you're not getting enough calcium in your diet.
A:
The real truth
about carbonated
beverages
I love sparkling waters, but I
recently heard that carbonation
might be bad for me. Is that true?
Q:
A:
Q:
What should I be looking out for
when reading water labels?
"Be careful of the word 'natural,' as in natural
favorings," says Bjork. "If it's the rind of a lemon,
say, that's okay because that really is natural.
Unfortunately, 'natural' as an ingredient is not
regulated, so the favorings may not be natural at
all. Don't be afraid to call the manufacturer and
ask what they use to favor their water."
A:
Q:
How about other
carbonated beverages?
Carbonated sodas can cause plenty of
problems. Bjork contends both regular and
artifcially sweetened sodas are bad, the former
for its artifcial favorings and high sugar content
and the latter for its artifcial sweeteners on top
of all the other artifcial ingredients.
And, according to some observational studies
of adolescent girls, the ingredients in carbonated
soda may be the reason for bone loss and a
higher risk of fractures, not the carbonation itself.
A:
Q:
So, are sparkling waters better
than plain water?
"Sparkling waters are so refreshing that
many people, even me, love them as an
alternative to drinking plain water," says
Cassie Bjork, a registered dietitian with
healthysimplelife.com. "Although if you drink
too much, you may fnd that you have issues
with distension and burping. I might suggest
limiting your consumption of carbonated water
to no more than 16 to 32 ounces per day, just to
be on the safe side."
Bjork also warns that it's important to be vigilant
when it comes to water with any kind of additives.
"You have to be careful to read ingredient labels
even on water," she says. "Sometimes it has
added artifcial sweeteners or artifcial favorings,
and those may be ingredients that you want
to avoid—especially if it's added sugar."
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