What Are Sugar Free Drinks and Why are they Good for You?
These are drinks that are made without both natural and artificial sugars. Artificial ones include, but are not limited to, saccharin, aspartame, stevia, and cyclamate. These drinks help in weight loss, and are useful for athletes who want to rehydrate after a strenuous exercise or activity. It is also good for diabetic patients who are wary of sugar consumption.
These drinks are made to contain electrolytes which are good for your body. A lack of electrolyte or an imbalance of these electrolytes, which include sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, potassium and phosphate, may lead to health complications and in some rare cases death.
Electrolytes are essentially salt and minerals that form ions needed for several processes in the body. They are naturally occurring, which means that they exist in the human body and in a lot of foods we eat, especially fruits and carbohydrates as well as in drinks too. Their levels must be maintained in the body within a tight range.
Anyone who has exerted a lot of energy especially for prolonged periods or done some form of strenuous activity needs a replacement of electrolytes in their body. From jogging to running, lifting heavy stuff, playing most forms of sports or just been sick and losing water through vomiting and diarrhea. To read more on what electrolytes are and why they are so important, check this article here.
There are several ways to get electrolytes into the body but one of the easiest ways is through drinks that provide electrolyte supplement. From time to time, we have an urge to get a drink asides water. How about taking those that contain electrolytes needed by your body for optimum health and performance?
As electrolytes are chemical substances that our bodies need to function properly, getting the right mix and concentration of each substance is key to providing the right balance and maintaining proper hydration levels. This also helps promote quick and easy digestion. One of the benefits of taking electrolyte filled drinks is that it stimulates thirst and therefore increase the quantity of fluid a person takes. This, in turn, reduces dehydration.
Importance of Electrolytes in the Body
Some of the benefits of electrolytes in the body include:
1. Balancing the amount of water in the body.
2. Balancing the body’s pH level.
3. Making sure the heart, brain, nerves, and muscles work the way they should.
4. Clearing waste out of the cells.
5. Moving nutrient into the cells
A person may experience headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, and confusion when there is an imbalance of electrolytes in the body.
Sadly, sugar-based foods and drinks are easily accessible but they do not do much for our health. Rather, they could have a negative impact. If you need to get sugar-free drinks, visit https://drinkgt.com/blogs/news/why-you-should-drink-sugar-free-electrolyte-drinks to get great deals on a variety of good ones.
Disadvantages of Sugar to the Body
Just in case you are still wondering why you should go for sugarless drinks, below are some of the things you will be saving yourself from.
Obesity
Sugar contains fructose and this increases a person’s hunger and desire to eat more. It can also cause resistance to leptin which is a hormone that regulates hunger and tells your system to stop eating. In essence, eating lots of it leads to hunger, more food consumption and ultimately weight gain.
Tooth Decay
Your teeth and gums need vitamins and minerals for good health. Sugary substances do not supply these needed nutrients. Rather, they provide the right environment for the bacteria in your mouth which then produce acids that destroy the protective enamel of the teeth, leading to cavities and decay.
It Puts You at Risk of Type II Diabetes
Although there are other reasons for diabetes, excess sugar intake is one of them. Prolonged intake also drives resistance to insulin which is supposed to regulate its level in the blood. Insulin resistance causes an increase in blood sugar levels which can result in diabetes.
It Puts You at Risk of Hypertension and Depression
Gaining a lot of weight through excess sugar intake can make you get hypertensive and depressed. Research has been conducted that connects this to such conditions and many other health issues.
Conclusion
Having seen from the above the effects of taking a lot of sugar, how about limiting its consumption as much as we can? There are several ways through which we get it into our bodies but replace sugar based drinks with electrolyte filled ones will be a good start. It will at least improve rehydration and re-energize you, helping you to stay sharp and in great health.
