A study by researchers from India found that soda drinkers, who represent a huge percentage of the American population, may have an increased risk of developing esophageal (throat) cancer. During the last 50 years, per capita consumption of carbonated drinks in the United States has risen over 450 percent. Meanwhile, in the last 25 years rates of esophageal cancer have risen by more than 570 percent. Researchers found a significant correlation between the two rising trends. Interestingly, they broke consumption down to minutes of acid exposure and found that an average soda drinker receives over 32,000 more minutes of acid exposure per yer. Throat cancer is a particularly hard cancer to beat--more than 90 percent of patients with invasive esophageal cancer die within five years of diagnosis--and this is just one more reason why you should really avoid drinking soda. For more reasons you can read my past article on the dangers of soda and find out why I list it as one of the five worst foods you can eat.
EurekAlert May 17, 2004