Is Soda Safe for Diabetics?

Since soda is a very common and handy beverage, chances are people take it frequently, even those with high blood sugar. The question is, is it safe for diabetics? Read on.

High Glucose Levels

Diabetics already have too much sugar in their bloodstream. Soda is definitely not safe for diabetics. If they drink soda, they put themselves to greater risks for high glucose. A can of soda has about 15 tbsp. of sugar or more that can cause a great spike in the glucose levels. According to DiabetesWellBeing.com, taking more than one can of soda daily can cause diabetics significant damage which may result to diabetic coma.

Therefore, diabetics should refrain from drinking soda and other beverages containing high sugar mainly because they can cause problems quickly.

Patients with diabetes who drink soda daily risk themselves of developing hyperosmolar syndrome. Most of the sodas have lots of sugar, sugar substitutes and corn syrup which are difficult to be converted to energy. These contents of soda are not safe for diabetics. They shall result to large amounts of sugar to remain in the blood and become paste-like and thick. Hyperosmolar syndrome can result to diabetic coma, as it causes the body’s inability to drain the fluids out, according to MayoClinic.com. This can be a potential life-threatening state especially for those who have diabetes. Sufferers should consult their medical doctor immediately.

Delayed healing

Soda can also cause delayed healing of the wounds in diabetics. Its high content of sugar makes it hard to be processed. So the glucose levels are elevated, causing current cuts and wounds on the skin to be fed by bacteria; and poor blood circulation causes the cuts to be open longer. That is why soda is not safe for diabetics. Thicker blood is harder to be removed and elevated sugar prevents healing; and can lead to a need of amputation.

Diet Soda

Diet sodas do not have much sugar that can endanger diabetics. However, its artificial sweeteners may cause confusion to the brain, leading to hunger and cravings. This can lead to consuming a lot of carbohydrates that are sugar in themselves.

Though diet sodas are not directly sweet, they may have indirect adverse effects especially for diabetics. Further studies are still conducted to prove if diet sodas are safe for diabetics or not. Some health professionals do recommend to refrain from them just the same.