Gross
new reasons to skip soda
If
you're drinking soda, you may as well be
drinking from the toilet.
Let me rephrase that: If you keep a clean
throne, you might be better off drinking that
water than anything from a soda fountain.
Before I give you the dirty details, you'll
definitely want to get rid of any nearby soda
cups, especially if they've come from a
convenience store or fast food soda fountain.
Don't finish them, just toss them out.
Trust me on this one.
All clear now? Good... because a new study finds
that soda fountains are crawling with bacteria.
Not just any bacteria, but coliform
bacteria--otherwise known as the nasty little
germs that grow in human and animal feces.
Researchers tested 90 soda and water samples
from 30 different fast food restaurants in
Virginia's Roanoke Valley. In all, 70 percent
tested positive for some form of bacteria--and
many of them were resistant to one or more of 11
different antibiotics tested on them, according
to the study published in the International
Journal of Food Microbiology.
The researchers found 48 percent tested positive
for coliform, 17 percent tested positive for
Chryseobacterium meningosepticum and 11 percent
tested positive for E. coli. They also found
species of Klebsiella, Staphylococcus,
Stenotrophomonas, Candida, and Serratia.
In plain English, that means there are lots of
nasty germs living in those soda machines.
The bacteria appear to love the plastic tubes
that send soda (and some of the bacteria) into
your cup. Since customers don't touch those
tubes, the researchers believe restaurant
workers with dirty hands are likely
contaminating them--ironically, probably when
they're cleaning them.
Looks like someone's not reading those
"EMPLOYEES MUST WASH THEIR HANDS AFTER
USING THE RESTROOM" signs.
The researchers tested bottled soda to use as a
control group and found no contamination. But
there are plenty of other reasons to avoid
those, too.
Soda has been linked to tooth decay and obesity.
Even diet soda can help you pack on
pounds--studies have found people who drink diet
sodas actually gain weight, and may be even more
prone to diabetes.
Soda has also been linked to lower calcium
levels, leading to bone loss and osteoporosis. I
could go on, but I think most of us know this
stuff isn't very good for us.
Don't replace soda with other canned or bottled
drinks. I've been telling you quite a bit lately
about the health benefits of coffee and tea, so
considering brewing your own and enjoying
them--hot or iced--throughout the day.
And if you want some fizz, stick to carbonated
water.
Just don't get it from a soda fountain!
