Researchers Found Lower Bone Density Among Regular Drinkers of Cola Soft Drinks

Women who are concerned about thinning bones may want to limit the number of colas they drink.

Researchers found that drinking cola soft drinks on a regular basis was associated with lower bone mineral density in the hip.

Lowerbone density can lead to osteoporosis, which, in turn, can cause bone fractures. Complications from hip fractures are a common cause of disability -- and even death -- in women as they age.

The association was not seen in men, and it was not seen in women who regularly drank noncola soft drinks.

Drinking three or more cola soft drinks a day was associated with lower bone density. Results were similar for diet colas. However, the potentially harmful effect was less for decaffeinated cola.

What is Fat?

Dietary fat is a vital nutrient our bodies need for health and daily functioning. As an energy source, it supplies essential fatty acids for growth, healthy skin, vitamin-absorption and regulation of bodily functions (Dietary Fats).

Fat is the most calorie-dense food energy source; it contains nine calories per gram while carbohydrates or protein each provide only four per gram.

Fat is also essential to keeping you feeling full (satiated) (Dietary Fats), but too much fat leads to weight gain. This is due to the fact that eating more fat leads to eating more calories (Dietary Fats).

How low should you take your caloric intake to lose weight?

Don't leave your caloric needs in limbo! We've been taught for decades that too many calories make us overweight. And it's true. Taking in fewer calories either by eating less or exercising more will most definitely result in weight loss.

But making a too-drastic cut in your caloric intake is not a good idea. It's only human to think if cutting calories is such a good thing... the more you cut, the better. But, in actuality, the opposite is true.

Learn how to find out how many calories you should eat each day.

To get a ballpark figure of your daily caloric needs, there are tools on-line to calculate it, or, you could consult a dietitian or nutritionist. Either can give you an idea of what you should be aiming for. A good way to assess how many calories you need personally is to keep a food diary.

See how many you are taking in when you put on a few pounds. Pay attention to fluctuations and explanations for them (e.g. Are you exercising?) and be sure to factor it all in. What calorie count are you reaching during the times when your weight is steady? Then that is your maintenance calorie count. If you want to start losing, take a look at where you could make some easy cuts. If you are maintaining your weight while taking in 2,000 calories a day, shave off 100 calories at a time and see how your weight changes with each cut.