Some diet pop on the market contains vitamins B3, B6 and B12 and the minerals zinc and magnesium. However, we can easily get these nutrients from many different foods including meat, chicken, seafood, eggs, dairy foods, whole grains, green, beans, nuts and seeds. Although it sounds healthy to have these nutrients added to pop, we have ample opportunities to get them as we eat meals and snacks and we seldom need to consume them as supplements.
Pop, however, does have something we don’t find in the food sources of these nutrients and that is caffeine. Too much caffeine may cause dehydration, nervousness, insomnia, stomach problems or abnormal heartbeat. In addition to that, research has shown that exposure to soft drinks (whether diet or regular) promotes the loss of tooth enamel and the formation of cavities.
Research also shows that using diet pop usually does not help people cut down on calorie intake during the day. Overall, it is best to get our vitamins and minerals from foods, unless a supplement is recommended by our doctor for some medical reason.
Consuming too much of some nutrients can cause them to build to toxic levels in the body or can interfere with the body’s absorption and use of other nutrients, sometimes with serious results. If vitamin B6, for example, builds to a toxic level it can cause irreversible nerve damage, starting with numb feet, then lost sensation in the hands and in some cases even the mouth becomes numb. Regular, heavy consumption of foods or beverages unnecessarily supplemented with nutrients could possibly provide intake levels that are above what your body needs of these nutrients.
To keep your beverage choices healthy, use soft drinks as an occasional treat and focus on using water for thirst. Include milk with meals to meet your dairy recommendations for the day, and drink some vegetable or fruit juices to meet part of your daily requirements for these foods.