The Truth about Coke
By Hazar Baassiri, Staff Writer

Beirut, Lebanon - A competition of "who can drink the most coke?" was run in Delhi University. The winner gulped 8 bottles of coke, but unfortunately, did not survive to claim his victory. Sadly, it wasn't because of any breathing problems.

The average ph of a soft drink is 3.4, which means it is very acidic. Part of this acidity is contributed by CO2, which is also responsible for its effervescent characteristic. To those of you who are not familiar with the science, CO2 is also the "waste" gas that is released from the body during the respiration process. Excess CO2 means that one has less oxygen which is vital for the body. What does this mean? Well, soft drinks such as Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola contain fair quantities of this gas that is acidic in nature. The winner of the Delhi competition died of an "overdose" of CO2 in the cola he was drinking.

The highly acidic nature of soft drinks we are now accustomed to consuming like water is, as already mentioned, only partly due to CO2; Phosphoric acid is another major contributor. Back to our science session, the body has a 1:1 ratio demand of phosphate to calcium. Phosphoric acid, taken in through sodas, knocks off this balance of calcium and phosphate by shifting the ratio to 2:1, 3:1 and sometimes 4:1 in case of excessive consumption of soda. High concentrations of phosphate interfere with the body's ability to absorb calcium and may eventually lead to osteoporosis, a condition of reduced bone density. In addition, the acidity of sodas also affects dental health. A tooth placed in a soda medium will almost vanish over time! up to an hour from every time you sip on a coke, the acidity of the soda erodes the pellicle-the outer layer of the tooth- and causes the enamel to lose its natural minerals. Basically, this leads to decay. Observe, to the right, the result of constant soda consumption on a 29 year old's teeth.
                                                                   
Deeper into the digestive tract, sodas are part of another interesting yet not so pretty process. The stomach, with a ph of around 2 (quite acidic) harbors some enzymes that work on digestion only under specific conditions. However, a certain enzyme called pepsin "overworks" when provided with an extreme acidic medium. There is nothing better than a coke for the job? When a soda lowers the stomach ph to 1.5, pepsin begins to "chew on the wrong meat," your own! That’s why people with a history of coke addiction end up with ulcers. Believe me, you wouldn't want to see one!

If I still haven't convinced you to at least have second thoughts before having your next drink, it is worthwhile to say that every serving of coke contains no less than around 10 tablespoons of pure sugar and no nutrients whatsoever. Sodas also are not a very wise choice with meals; they cause the food to ferment in your stomach and thus cause bad smelling gases. I could go on and on about coke, but I've already used up my quota of words, so the only advice I can leave you with is: Vote Water!

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