Bone Health: Sodas vs. Bones
Aaron D. Carpenter

Everyone realizes that sodas are not the greatest thing for your body (even the diet ones).  They have a high amount of calories, sugar, syrup, etc.  What you probably don’t realize is how horrible they are for bones.  Phosphoric acid, the main ingredient in sodas, is partially to blame along with caffeine and carbonation.  According to NY times, “…drinkers of all ages have been shown to have higher rates of broken bones and fractures than their non-soda-drinking peers. And for years, scientists have suspected that soda’s caffeine, phosphorus and carbonation may interfere with calcium absorption.” Researchers at Tufts University studied several thousand men and women, and found that women who drank cola-based sodas had 4% less bone density! If this is not enough proof look at the label of your favorite soda can versus a label of a single serving of milk or juice.  Which one do you think would be better for your bones…? ..
If you are trying to get off the soda kick but do not enjoy the taste of milk then fear not there are alternatives!  Apple juice has one of the highest amounts of calcium contents of any juice.  There is also orange juice with calcium and I have even seen grape juice with calcium.  So do not think that milk is the only way to achieve the daily serving of calcium, shop around and drink adventurously.
Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/20/health/20real.html

http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/soda-osteoporosis

Aaron D. Carpenter is a writer and full-time student at West Virginia University. He has an avid interest in health and wellness topics.  He has experience as a physical trainer and is an avid weightlifter. Do you have a nutritional or wellness topic you’d like Aaron to discuss in his monthly blog Bone Health? Email him at Aaron@unbreakablejourney.com.