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"Old man, remember, don't drink these drinks again!" The doctor on the screen said with a serious face.
Uncle Li was sitting on the sofa in the living room, it was raining outside, and the weather was gloomy. He has lived a leisurely life since his retirement, and today he wanted to watch TV to kill time. The remote control clicked in his hand, and the station changed one after another. Suddenly, a program from a health channel caught his attention. Uncle Li stopped, picked up the teacup on the table, and stared at the screen.
The doctor in the show is a man in his fifties, in good spirits, who wears a white coat meticulously and looks very professional. He continued: "Many elderly friends like to drink fruit juices, carbonated drinks and energy drinks, but in fact, these drinks have great hidden dangers to the health of the elderly. ”
"Yo, that's me!" Uncle Li grinned. He loves to drink fruit juice and has a glass of orange juice every morning, believing that it can replenish vitamin C and boost immunity. Although carbonated drinks are rarely drunk, there is also an occasional bottle to satisfy your cravings. Energy drinks? Although he doesn't drink it often, he remembers the last time his little grandson came to play at home, he also tasted it.
The doctor continued: "First, let's talk about juice. Many people think that fruit juices are healthy and rich in vitamins and minerals.
However, most commercially available fruit juices contain a lot of added sugar, and long-term consumption can lead to an increase in blood sugar and increase the risk of diabetes. Moreover, fruit juice is low in fiber, which is not good for gastrointestinal health. ”
When Uncle Li heard this, he frowned. Why is juice still a problem? The doctor seemed to see his doubts and gave an example: "Some time ago, our hospital accepted a patient in her 60s, Aunt Zhao. She drinks two glasses of orange juice a day, which she thinks helps her health. The result? His blood sugar spiked and he was eventually diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In fact, eating an apple or orange is far healthier than drinking a glass of juice, because fruits are rich in fiber, which can slow down the absorption of sugar. ”
Uncle Li thought about his orange juice in the morning, and he couldn't sit still.
The doctor continued: "Let's talk about carbonated drinks, which are even more harmful to the elderly. Carbonated drinks contain a lot of phosphate, which can affect the absorption of calcium, and long-term consumption can easily lead to osteoporosis. We have seen many elderly patients who have been hospitalized with fractures with low bone mineral density, and many of them have been drinking carbonated beverages for a long time. ”
Uncle Li remembered his old neighbor, Aunt Wang, who was hospitalized not long ago because of a broken bone due to a fall. Aunt Wang usually likes to drink Coke, saying that it is to quench her thirst. Is it really because of this?
"Finally, energy drinks. While energy drinks can refresh the mind for a short period of time, they contain a lot of caffeine and other stimulants that can cause a faster heartbeat, higher blood pressure, and even heart problems. There was an elderly patient in our hospital who had to be fitted with a pacemaker because of arrhythmia caused by long-term consumption of energy drinks. ”
Uncle Li touched his heart and felt that this problem was not small.
The doctor's summary made Uncle Li fall into deep thought. He was a primary school teacher before he retired, and he usually likes to study some health knowledge, but he didn't expect these seemingly harmless drinks to have so many problems. After the show, Uncle Li decided to drink more boiled water in the future and less touch those drinks that seem healthy but are actually harmful.
However, this was just the beginning, and Uncle Li decided to learn more about these issues. He recalled the doctor's explanations and began to look through the health books at home and look up relevant information on the Internet. He found that fruit juices, carbonated drinks and energy drinks are harmful to more than just sugar and caffeine.
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According to the American Heart Association, adults who consume sugar-sweetened beverages, including fruit juices and carbonated drinks, daily have a 20% increased risk of heart disease. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that consuming one sugary drink a day led to an average weight gain of about 1 pound per year in adults. These data made Uncle Li shudder.
Energy drinks are even more worrying. An article published in the medical journal Clinical Pharmacology pointed out that the high caffeine content in energy drinks can cause symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, heart palpitations, and even cardiac arrest in severe cases. Uncle Li thought of the elderly patient with a pacemaker mentioned in the show, and his heart was even tighter.
However, Uncle Li's curiosity didn't stop there. He also discovered more interesting facts.
For example, a study in Germany showed that fructose in fruit juice is more likely than glucose to cause insulin resistance, which is also a significant trigger for diabetes. The phosphoric acid in carbonated drinks not only affects calcium absorption, but also causes damage to the kidneys and increases the risk of kidney stones.
This knowledge made Uncle Li realize how far-reaching the impact of eating habits can be on health. He decided not only to pay attention himself, but also to remind his friends and family. He compiled this information into notes to share with everyone at his next old friend gathering.
On the day of the party, Uncle Li came to the community center with his notes, and everyone knew that he liked to study health issues, so they gathered around. Uncle Li began to talk about his recent discoveries, and his friends listened attentively, and from time to time they let out exclamations.
"It turns out that there are so many problems with fruit juice, I thought that drinking fruit juice was the healthiest!" Lao Zhang sighed while listening.
"Yes, my grandson loves energy drinks, but I've never touched them." Grandma Li nodded in agreement.
"My granddaughter also likes carbonated drinks, so I'll have to pay attention to them in the future." Aunt Wang also joined the discussion.
Uncle Li's sharing resonated with everyone, and many people said that they must adjust their drink choices when they return home. Uncle Li felt very satisfied, he knew that he had done something meaningful.
After the party, Uncle Li returned home and continued to read health books to learn more about diet and health. He understands that health is not an overnight thing, but requires long-term perseverance and attention.
The question arises: why do some "healthy" drinks have adverse effects on the body, while others bring health benefits?
The answer to this question lies in the composition of the drink and how it is consumed. Fruit juices, carbonated drinks, and energy drinks tend to be high in sugar, phosphate, and caffeine, which can negatively affect the body. While tea and coffee also contain caffeine, they are rich in antioxidants and other beneficial substances, so drink them in moderation
On the contrary, it is good for health. Therefore, when choosing a healthy drink, you should not only look at the "healthy" label on the surface, but also have an in-depth understanding of its ingredients and scientific drinking methods.
What do you have to say about this? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section!
References:
[1] Wang Chengxiang. Development of Low GI Fiber-rich Fruit Juice Beverage and Its Effect on the In Vitro Release Characteristics of Fatty Acids, Beverage Industry, 2019-12-28