While you may only associate being overweight with being diabetic, even the skinniest people are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. If you’ve switched to diet or sugar-free soft drinks, you aren’t out of the woods yet. We’ll go over everything you need to know about diabetes and how drinking carbonated water could be the answer to keeping it at bay.
How Sugar-Free Drinks Impact Diabetes
Even though being overweight is the leading cause of diabetes, smoking, lack of exercise, and what you eat also play a role. It’s a common misconception that sugar-free drinks are better for you. Unfortunately, the artificial sweeteners used can actually cause an increase in fat accumulation. This can cause glucose levels and inflammation to soar. Another issue with sugar-free drinks is that they are much sweeter than drinks containing raw sugar. Artificial sweeteners are 600 times as sweet as sugar. Over time, foods containing natural sugar won’t taste as sweet. You may crave sweet foods and drinks even more than before.
Fizzy Water and Diabetes
Instead of turning to sugary soft drinks, Dr. Sen, of George Washington University asks, “But consider an option like fizzy water”. Flavored carbonated water doesn’t contain any artificial sweeteners or added sugar. These drinks also don’t contain any calories. When you have a craving for a sugary soft drink, carbonated water could be a guilt-free alternative.
Even a thin person who drinks one soft drink a day could increase their risk of Type 2 diabetes. Research from the San Antonio Heart Study estimates that nearly two million cases of diabetes could be prevented if Americans stopped consuming soft drinks by 2020. This is where drinking carbonated water could satisfy your craving for carbonated soda without all of the negative health effects. When choosing fizzy water, make sure to check the label so you aren’t unknowingly drinking a sweetener, unnatural flavor, or calories. Switching to fizzy water could reduce your risk of developing diabetes, lower your weight, and fight inflammation.
