While the number of highly processed foods have increased, the health stats have declined even further. While processed foods are to blame, there is another item that has been flying under the health raider, sodas. These fizzy drinks may not be a part of your daily life, but they are worse than you think! One of the biggest appeals of sodas and beverages is that sugary and fizzy taste of them. Because they are easier to consume and the sugary taste has an addictive effect, people buy more and more of it, without realizing that amount of sugar.

One thing that made people realize how much sugar they had been consuming was when videos of people boiling these fizzy drinks surfaced. Those videos showed that as soon as all the liquid vapored off, the residue was just burnt sugar.

Sugary drinks like sodas and, energy drinks are popular worldwide, but new research shows they're seriously harming our health. These drinks are linked to millions of new cases of diabetes and heart disease each year. Sadly, developing countries are hit the hardest. This study shows how big of a problem sugary drinks are globally and why we need to do something about it. It’s a call to action for better health worldwide.

Sugary Drinks, Diabetes, and Heart Disease

Sugary drinks are beverages with added sugars, like soda, juice drinks, and sweetened teas. While sales are down in some places, they're rising in others. Researchers studied millions of people across many countries and found a strong link between drinking these beverages and developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These drinks contribute to a significant number of new cases each year, especially in certain parts of the world. This means that cutting back on these drinks could greatly improve health globally.

Sugary drinks are quickly digested because they're liquid, causing a fast rise in blood sugar. They also pack a lot of calories without making you feel full, which can lead to overeating. Unlike other treats, they don't offer much nutrition besides sugar. This combination of factors can lead to weight gain, problems with how your body uses sugar (insulin resistance), and other health issues that increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. It’s not just about the calories, but the type of calories and how our bodies process them.

Sodas have an addictive nature because the main ingredients are caffeine and sugar. The reason why people like consuming them is because they were built to trigger the release of dopamine in the brain. The hormone dopamine is a feel-good hormone that makes you feel happy and good, which makes you feel like consuming it more!

What We Can Do to Cut Back on Sugary Drinks

To protect our health, we should drink fewer sugary drinks. Healthier options include water, unsweetened tea or coffee, and sparkling water. Even diet soda is a better choice than regular soda, but it's best to limit those too. Reading labels is important to know what you’re drinking. Governments can also help by taxing sugary drinks, putting warning labels on them, and restricting their sale in places like schools. These actions can make a big difference in reducing consumption and improving public health. There are many ways you can avoid getting addicted to sugary drinks,

Avoid Using It As A Reward

When you give the position of a reward to things, you are actively making your brain think it is a good thing and that can trigger a dependence on it.

Don’t Use It To Make You Feel Happy

We all have days when you feel low and do not like how things are going, in days like those you feel like having a comfort food or drink, which can make it a crutch and is a one way street to addiction

Drink A Lot Of Water

Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to keep your addiction as bay, sometimes you may as well need some water to keep you straight and not stray from their path.

Eating more ultra-processed food (UPF) has been associated with a higher risk of several chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic disorders and high blood pressure.

Yet another large review of studies involving about 9 million participants showed that every additional 100 grams of UPF consumed per day was associated with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events and an 11% higher risk of high blood pressure.

This is concerning because cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the world’s leading cause of death. In 2022, an estimated 19.8 million people died from CVDs, accounting for about 32% of all deaths globally. Heart attacks and strokes caused 85% of these deaths, as per data from the WHO.

Uncontrolled blood pressure is also worrying as it is a leading cause of heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. An estimated 1.4 billion people lived with hypertension in 2024, yet just over one in five have it under control either through medication or addressing modifiable health risks.

What Did The Study Find?

The findings, published in the open-access journal Family Medicine and Community Health, were based on 51 prospective cohort studies involving 8,819,894 participants across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

The researchers found that people with higher UPF consumption had greater risks of several health problems:

• Cardiovascular events: 24% higher risk
• Cancer: 12% higher risk
• Overweight or obesity: 23% higher risk
• Metabolic syndrome or diabetes: 24% higher risk
• Depression or anxiety: 27% higher risk
• Digestive diseases: 31% higher risk
• High blood pressure: 11% higher risk
• Death from any cause: 18% higher risk

The researchers also examined the association with every additional 100 grams of UPF consumed per day. This was associated with:

• 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events
• 4% higher risk of cancer
• 3% higher risk of death from any cause
• 2% higher risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes

The studies included participants aged 23 to 77 years, with follow-up periods ranging from two to 32 years.

How UPF Affects Heart Health?

The researchers said emerging evidence suggests that exposure to multiple additives in UPFs may have combined effects on health.

Some compounds that can form during food processing, including acrylamide and acrolein, have been associated with cardiovascular disease.

Laboratory research also suggests that the altered physical structure of UPFs may affect the gut microbiome and contribute to inflammation and insulin resistance.

However, the researchers noted that these mechanisms are still being investigated.

“Given that UPF-related chronic diseases often cluster as multi-morbidity, reducing consumption of UPFs and replacing them with minimally processed alternatives may be relevant for chronic disease prevention and primary care management,” the Duke-NUS Medical School researchers said.

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured products that typically contain ingredients and additives not commonly used in home cooking.

They can include:

• Sugary drinks
• Processed meats
• Packaged snacks and chips
• Candy and confectionery
• Baked goods
• Refined grain products
• Ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat meals

Many UPFs are high in added sugar, sodium, and refined carbohydrates and may contain additives such as emulsifiers, sweeteners, preservatives, colorants and flavor enhancers.

Limit ultra-processed foods to lower risk of heart disease, say experts. Replacing some ultra-processed foods with minimally processed alternatives may therefore be one dietary approach to consider as part of broader chronic disease prevention.

India is actively taking steps towards stricter front-of-pack warnings for packaged foods. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is now proposing that a product could be labelled with a red warning even if one nutrient, like salt, sugar or fat, crosses the prescribed limit.

The change marks a shift from FSSAI’s earlier proposal, under which a warning would have been needed only when at least two nutrients crossed their respective thresholds. The latest proposal was submitted to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, September 23.

The rules are not final yet. FSSAI has proposed about four months to finalise the draft regulations, followed by a 365-day voluntary compliance period for food businesses.

How Will The New Warning Appear On Packaging?

Under the proposed system, packaged foods exceeding the specified limits would carry a red hexagonal warning on the front of the pack. The warning would identify the nutrient concerned, such as:

• HIGH SALT
• HIGH SUGAR
• HIGH FAT

If a product crosses the limits for two or three nutrients, the same warning symbol would identify all the applicable nutrients.

The label is proposed to appear prominently on the upper left of the front of the package, with the text larger than the nutrition information printed on the back.

Also read: High Sugar, Salt Or Fat? India May Mandate Red Hexagon Labels On Food Packs

Separate FOPL For Products Containing Non-Caloric Sweetener

FSSAI has also proposed a separate front-of-pack statement for certain products containing non-calorific sweeteners. It stresses that packaged foods and beverages containing non-caloric sweeteners should carry the declaration “CONTAIN NON CALORIC SWEETENER” on the front of the pack.

A LocalCircles survey found that 92% of respondents wanted artificial sweeteners to be prominently disclosed on the front of packaged foods. 41% urban Indian consumers confirm consuming foods with artificial sweeteners every month.

Also read: Synthetic Paneer Whitened With Chuna Busted In Delhi: How Dangerous Is It For Your Health?

Single-Nutrient Warning

Consider a packaged food that is extremely high in sugar but relatively low in salt and fat. Under the earlier two-nutrient approach, that product could have escaped the warning as only one nutrient crossed the threshold. The revised proposal would change that.

The idea is that no product should escape a warning simply because it is high in only one nutrient of concern.

This is a key development as excessive intake of added sugars, sodium and saturated fats is associated with major diet-related health risks. High sodium intake, for example, can contribute to raised blood pressure, while diets high in added sugars can contribute to excess calorie intake and weight gain.

Also read: Cipla's Drug License Cancelled Over Reactin Plus, Then Restored: Why Did Bombay HC Pull Up Maharashtra FDA?

FSSAI’s Key Initiative

A front-of-pack warning is meant to flag specific nutrients that are present above the permitted threshold, rather than declare that the entire food is unhealthy.

A food item could be high in one nutrient while still providing other nutrients like protein, fibre, vitamins or minerals. Conversely, a product without a warning should not automatically be considered as healthy.

FSSAI has proposed using the Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024, developed by the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, as the basis for the nutrient thresholds.

What About “Healthy” Claims On Packets?

FSSAI’s proposal could also make it easier for consumers to look beyond marketing claims. Words like “multigrain”, “baked” or claims about added vitamins do not necessarily tell consumers how much salt, sugar or fat a product contains.

A prominent warning on the front could bring that information into view before a consumer reaches the detailed nutrition panel on the back.

Just when we thought the widespread protein takeover on almost all foods and drinks had settled, it crept up in the alcoholic beverage industry. Yes, beer may soon be getting a ‘health makeover’.

The world's largest brewer by market value has declared its plans to introduce smaller pack sizes as well as ‘health-ify’ these drinks by adding protein or electrolytes. With this move, the company wants to create a shift in changing consumer preferences amid growing focus on health and wellness.

The company has already launched a version of its Spaten beer that contains added protein in Brazil and now plans to expand low-calorie, zero-alcohol beers with functional ingredients like protein and electrolytes. The company has candidly expressed that wants to increase consumption among people who drink beer occasionally.

The news leaves us with one glaring question: does adding protein or electrolytes actually make an alcoholic drink healthier? To put it simply, it won’t if the drink contains alcohol.

The Era Of Protein In Beer

As most of us know, protein is an essential macronutrient needed to build and strengthen muscles, enzymes, hormones, and repair tissue. Simply adding protein to a beverage can amplify its nutritional value. But doing so with an alcoholic drink like beer does not negate the harmful effects of alcohol.

Alcohol is a psychoactive and toxic substance that threatens the consumer with dependence-inducing properties.

The World Health Organization says alcohol consumption is linked with more than 200 diseases, injuries, and health conditions. Also considered to be carcinogenic, alcohol increases the risk of several cancers, including breast, liver, colorectal and oesophageal cancers.

So a beer containing some additional protein cannot automatically be considered a healthy, protein-rich drink that one can consume regularly. This is because the nutritional value of the added protein has to be considered separately from the risks linked with the alcohol itself.

Also read: US Gen Z, Millennials Are Drinking Less Alcohol For First Time Since COVID-19

Do Electrolytes Make A Difference?

Electrolytes like sodium and potassium can help regulate fluid balance in the body, especially when one is dehydrated.

Electrolyte drinks can be useful in situations when the body loses significant fluid and electrolytes, like prolonged exercise, sweating or certain illnesses. But adding electrolytes to an alcoholic beverage does not make it healthier.

Alcohol increases the production of urine and thus contributes to dehydration. It can disrupt the electrolyte balance in your body even on days when you don’t engage in strenuous exercise.

Therefore, an electrolyte label should not have an alcoholic drink be considered appropriate for hydration.

Also read: BORG Drinking Trend: Why These Viral Alcohol Jugs Can Be Dangerous

Marketing Gimmick To Get More People Drunk

The company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, has openly said it wants to grow beer consumption among occasional drinkers, while simultaneously cashing in on the current health-and-wellness trend with products containing protein, electrolytes and fewer calories.

It may seem to be a harmless tactic, but presenting alcohol alongside words associated with fitness and nutrition could make the product appear healthier than it actually is. The company is simply ‘masking’ its beer to make it more palatable for health-conscious consumers.

This is not the first time an alcohol company has resorted to such marketing gimmicks. They often opt for surrogate marketing, especially in countries where advertising alcohol directly is prohibited.

Dr. Robin Ireland, public health activist and honorary research fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK, told HealthandMe, “Alcohol companies often promote alcohol-free products. In India, I'm aware of surrogate marketing, where alcohol companies produce packaged drinking water using the same brand, colourway and distribution networks. So it's hardly surprising these brands are normalised to young people. Even where alcohol advertising is banned, alcohol can still be heavily promoted.”

This does not mean the company's intention is to deliberately mislead consumers. But the poorly-placed combination of wellness language and an alcoholic product can blur an important health boundary.

Hence, it is crucial to remember that adding a beneficial nutrient does not eliminate the harm associated with ethanol.

WHO warns that there is no risk-free level of alcohol consumption. It says that the health risk comes from the alcohol itself, regardless of the type or quality of the drink.

Can Labelling Help?

One may argue that alcohol companies will do the ethical thing and disclose all the nutritional facts on the packaging. But it’s not a guarantee that everyone will read the information diligently and make the healthy choice.

Dr. Ireland said, “Labelling helps, but it's only part of the solution. Not everybody has the time or resources to read labels, and people will still buy what they can afford and what is accessible.”

As alcohol companies have resorted borrow the language of wellness to influence consumer behaviour, people should learn to look beyond the front-of-pack claims and ask the simplest question first: How much alcohol does it contain?