The ugly truth about soft drinks

The perils of pop - both regular and sugar-free - have long been a hot topic in nutrition circles. But lately, the dialogue has reached a boiling point as scientific research has come up with some startling revelations- ones that should make you think twice before you reach for that can of pop.

A study, published in the October issue of the journal Obesity, assessed the types of sugars in a number of soft drinks and found that in those that contained high fructose corn syrup, fructose levels were far higher that what most people, including many nutrition experts, had previously believed.

We keep hearing from health researchers and soft drink companies alike that regular pop contains similar amounts of fructose and glucose. This means regardless of the type of sugar listed on the can, the health impact of regular pop would be the same. The study in Obesity blows that claim out of the water.

You may be wondering what the big deal is - sugar is sugar, right? High fructose intakes have been linked to an increase risk of developing insulin resistance and diabetes along with high blood pressure, fatty livers, high triglyceride levels in the blood and even easier weight gain - a pretty gruesome list.

In addition, fructose may boost the production of compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) - substances that have a growing file of ill effects. One of their adverse effects is that they promote inflammation which may at the root of a host of diseases including heart disease, some cancers, diabetes and Alzheimer's. (The caramel colouring in both regular and diet colas also boosts AGEs production, according to research - how's that for a one-two punch?)