Why Do You Crave For Soft Drinks And How to Give It Up?

By Disha Verma | INN Live

Many people today are addicted to the cola and soda concoction manufactured and promoted by global corporate giants. Although zero in nutritional value and proven to be harmful for your teeth and your body in many ways, there are still millions of takers for these carbonated drinks that have added a lot to the world obesity problem with their empty calories.

 So then when we know that these drinks do nothing for us health wise, why do we still crave and guzzle them? Well, for one they are certainly delicious on a hot summer day. But a chilled glass of water or even lemonade does the same job. Then why do we find ourselves reaching out for a can of soda instinctively? Let's find out.
Carbonated soft drinks are found appealing by our body's addictive nature to stimulants. Soft drinks contain two highly addictive stimulants in huge amounts: caffeine and sugar. 

 A standard can of Coke has around 10 teaspoons or 39 grams of sugar which is a huge quantity of sugar to ingest in one go. When you have a can of coke, your blood sugar levels are spiked and you experience a sudden rush of energy because of it. And since it is simple sugar which your body does not need to break down, it is quickly absorbed straight into the blood stream.

 Once absorbed, your body will suddenly come back to its normal sugar level spiraling down the rush of energy you felt initially. That will cause you to want to spike up your energy/blood sugar level again, causing you to crave more sugar in the form of more cola. It is a vicious cycle. Our body does not need all this sugar for its functioning. In fact refined sugar is one of the most toxic substances that you can put in your body. A lot of lifestyle diseases including obesity are directly related to ingestion of high amount of sugar.

 Caffeine is the world's most popular psychoactive drug. Soon after you drink something like Coke that contains high levels of caffeine, it is absorbed through your small intestine and into your bloodstream. Caffeine is both water and fat soluble and is easily able to cross the blood-brain barrier to affect your brain cells directly. This results in increased alertness, and production of the fight or flight chemical called adrenaline. For some people this feels like energy. For others, it's more like anxiety. Regardless, your body wasn't designed to be in flight or fight mode constantly and when caffeine's effects wear off you'll often feel exhausted. This explains why caffeine addicts tend to need more and more of it over time and feel so bad when they don't get it.

Besides these two highly stimulating and addictive substances, carbonated drinks also contain a large amount of sodium which is responsible for causing diseases like hypertension. Another time your body may crave a soft drink is when it might be low on sodium. Try eating something salty instead and see if the craving passes.

 Another reason for soda craving is deficiency of calcium in the body. When your body is low on calcium, it starts deriving it by sucking it out of your bones. Coke aids this process of calcium depletion from the bones in a major way. In fact, it has been named as a major cause of osteoporosis in women. Therefore, if you find yourself craving a soda, try having a glass of milk first.

 However, if you're already find yourself addicted to the vicious cycle of caffeine and sugar, it's time that you take control of your health and give up this deadly habit for good. Here are some basic steps that will help you get on the right track-

• First and foremost, get rid of all the soft drinks from your house, work place and everywhere around you. Out of sight is out of mind.
• Ask for the support of your family and friends and inform them of the change you're making. They can help you by actively keeping your habit in check and giving you timely reminders. They can also be mindful to not have soft drinks around you.
• Replace it with healthier drinks. Every time you crave a soda or coke, have the replacement drink instead.
• Unlike many other addictive substances, caffeine addiction can be beaten relatively easily. Green tea has certain amount of caffeine yet is considered good for the body.
• When you go for around 14 days without having caffeine, the levels of adenosine and norepinephrine receptors in your brain are believed to return back to their baseline levels and you are unlikely to feel the same 'need' for soda anymore. Aim to complete the 14 days first.
• Make a list of all the negative effects carbonated drinks have on your body and your reasons for giving it up. Every time you have a craving, read through this list as a reminder to strengthen your resolve.
• Drink more water. It's very easy to grab a soda as a thirst quencher in the absence of water. Keep yourself hydrated.
• Don't expect yourself to completely give up the habit forever. Once in a while you may have an intense craving and having it in moderation then should be okay.
• If you find yourself craving something sweet, grab a healthy sweet snack instead.
• Do not replace soft drinks with energy drinks. They are even worse.
• Try chewing sugar free gum. It helps with a lot of other addictions.
• Be prepared for caffeine withdrawal symptoms. You may have a cup or two of tea or coffee to ease it out.
• And lastly, be patient with yourself. If you fail once, start over and don't give up.