My post today is
this wonderful soft drink called Schweppes
bitter lemon.
 |
| bottle of Schweppes bitter lemon |
What is Bitter
lemon?
The signature
bitter taste is produced by a combination of the quinine and the lemon pith used in manufacturing
the drink. Bitter lemon is drunk both by itself and as a mixer.
Let’s look at the ingredients in Schweppes
Bitter Lemon (this drink is called Schweppes in Nigeria and in some other
countries. it could have another name in other countries but my interest is the
ingredients that are found in the drink which is my area of concentration)
The ingredients
are: Carbonated Water, Sugar, Acidulant:
Citric Acid, Lemon Flavor.
Stabilizer: Gum Acacia,
Preservative: Benzoate, Quinine.
Before I
continue let’s see the definition of soft drink and soft drink is all about.
What is soft
drink? Soft Drink is a drink
that contains carbonated water, a sweetener,
and a natural or artificial flavoring.
Soft drinks may also contain caffeine, colorings, preservatives, and other
ingredients.
Soft drinks are
called soft in contrast to hard drinks (alcoholic beverages). Small amounts of alcohol
may be present in a soft drink, but the alcohol content
must be less than 0.5% of the total volume if the drink is to be considered
non-alcoholic.
HEALTH CONCERNS ABOUT SOFT DRINKS
The effects of
soft drinks to health are not limited to Schweppes Bitter Lemon drinks only;
rather it is also refer to every other soft drinks that have the same
ingredients or ingredients that are similar to each other.
The
over-consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental caries,
and low nutrient levels.
Sodium benzoate
has been investigated by researchers at University of Sheffield as a possible cause of DNA damage and hyperactivity.
Other substances have negative health effects, but are present in such small
quantities that they are unlikely to pose any substantial health risk provided
that the beverages are consumed only in moderation.
Obesity and
weight-related diseases
The consumption
of sugar-sweetened soft drinks can also be associated with many weight-related
diseases, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk
factors, and elevated blood pressure.
According to
research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and
Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions
by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health,
sugar-sweetened beverages may be responsible for 180,000 deaths every year
worldwide.
Dental decay
Most soft drinks contain high
concentrations of simple carbohydrates: glucose, fructose,
sucrose
and other simple sugars. If oral bacteria ferment carbohydrates
and produce acids that may dissolve tooth enamel and induce dental decay, then
sweetened drinks may increase the risk of dental caries.
The risk would be greater if the frequency of consumption is high.
A large number of soft drinks are acidic. Drinking acidic
drinks over a long period and continuous sipping may erode the tooth
enamel.
Using a drinking straw
is often advised by dentists as the drink does not come into as
much contact with the teeth. It has also been suggested that brushing teeth
right after drinking soft drinks should be avoided as this can result in
additional erosion to the teeth due to the presence of acid.
Hypokalemia
There have been published reports
describing individuals with severe hypokalemia
(low potassium levels) related to chronic extreme consumption of colas
Soft drinks related to bone density and bone loss
Research suggests a statistically
significant inverse relationship between consumption of carbonated beverages
and bone mineral density in young girls, which places them at increased risk of
fractures.
One hypothesis to explain this
relationship is that the phosphoric acid contained in some soft drinks
(colas) displaces calcium from the bones, lowering bone density of the skeleton
and leading to weakened bones, or osteoporosis.
carbonated soft drinks, which do
not contain the nutrients needed for bone health, may displace other foods
which do, and that the real issue is that people who drink a lot of soft drinks
also tend to have an overall diet that is low in calcium.
Sugar content
The USDA's recommended daily intake (RDI) of added sugars is less than 10 teaspoons per day for a 2,000-calorie diet. High caloric intake contributes to obesity if not balanced with exercise.
Benzene
In 2006, the
United Kingdom Food Standards Agency published the results of
its survey of benzene
levels in soft drinks, which tested 150 products and found that four contained
benzene levels above the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for
drinking water.
Despite these
findings, as of 2006, the FDA stated its belief that "the levels of
benzene found in soft drinks and other beverages to date do not pose a safety
concern for consumers".
Kidney stones
A study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
in 2013 concluded that consumption of soft drinks was associated with a 23%
higher risk of developing kidney stones.
photocredit: Wikipedia
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