Soda Pop vs. Bones

Let me begin by saying how shocked and dismayed I am at the amount of BAD information available regarding soda pop and bone health!! I am absolutely floored at some of the "latest" research I have read from the established medical community. I suppose bone loss associated with drinking sodas would be a mystery to doctors though, given that they do not get any formal nutrition education as a part of their higher education.  I digress, though....

The fact is, phosphorous, found in large amounts in soda pop, is an essential mineral necessary for proper body function. However, when consumed in copious amounts, calcium is leached from the bones, leaving them porous and weak.  Sodas have LOTS of phosphates and no calcium, therefore, when consumed, calcium is pulled from the bones because the phosphate levels are too high in the body. Caffeine also has a direct impact on calcium absorption - it impairs calcium absorption.
Now please do not misunderstand this, bone health has much more to do with ALL minerals, not just calcium. If you want strong bones, you need vegetables that are mineral rich. The minerals in vegetables are much more absorbable than the minerals found/added in other foods (especially dairy).

"Experts" would tell us that sodas are bad for bone health simply because we are drinking sodas instead of orange juice or milk - ludicrous!!!! This is not rocket science folks - Water is essential for all life - why? Hmm, maybe because of the trace minerals and other nutrients provided??!! Sodas do NOT offer these components and they do NOT contribute to the total fluid intake required by humans, rather  soda increases our need for water.

For every soda you drink, you need to add an equal amount of water just to replace the minerals lost through drinking the soda. Have you been to the movie theater only to be told on the big screen that sodas can be counted as part of your daily fluid intake? Pretty amazing stuff!