Beer vs Soda: Which is Worse?
by Vin Miller
Beer and soda are two of the most popular and unhealthy beverages available today. They’re both associated with a long list of health risks, but which one is worse?
For the past two decades, Americans have been drinking just as much beer as they’ve been drinking coffee and milk. Soda consumption is even worse and typically doubles that of any other beverage. In fact, many people drink more soda than water. Needless to say, a majority of the population is harming their health by drinking a significant amount of these beverages. As such, choosing which one is worse is a matter of determining the lesser of two evils.
Bud Light vs Coke Classic
According to U.S. sales data, Bud Light is the most popular beer and Coke Classic is the most popular soft drink. Although it may not be entirely fair to compare a light beer to a regular soda, sales history indicates that anyone choosing between beer or soda will most likely be choosing between Bud Light and Coke Classic.
Calories and Weight Gain
Based on a 12 ounce serving, Bud Light contains 110 calories and Coke Classic contains 140. Most of the calories in Bud Light come from alcohol with a tiny portion of them coming from it’s 1 gram of protein and the remainder coming from refined carbohydrates. In contrast, all of the calories in Coke Classic come from sugar.
Most of the alcohol in beer is ultimately used to meet immediate energy needs. Although only a small portion of the alcohol is converted into fat, it contributes to weight gain by blocking the metabolism of body fat that already exists. In contrast, the sugar content of soda is likely to elevate blood sugar considerably, and in turn, cause a strong insulin release that will store the excess sugar as body fat. As such, soda has more direct potential to cause weight gain, and to add insult to injury, Coke Classic also happens to contain slightly more calories than Bud Light.
The consumption of beer or soda increases caloric intake, and as such, also increases the chance of the calories from any additional food or beverage consumption being stored as body fat. In addition, the calories from beer and soda, often referred to as empty calories, lack any notable amount of the nutrients needed by the body to sustain itself. Because of this, counting and restricting calories to compensate for alcohol or sugar consumption is one of the worst things you can do for your health.
The Sweet Misery of Soda
It’s primarily the effects of sugar that make soda such an unhealthy beverage. Sugar is highly addictive and can cause blood sugar fluctuation, mood disorders, poor digestion, suppressed immunity, weight gain, and tooth and bone decay. Long term, the effects of excessive sugar consumption can even lead to deadly diseases such as heart disease and cancer. As such, drinking soda on a regular basis can be a significant health risk, especially considering the many other sources of sugar and refined carbohydrates in the modern diet.
The Buzz Kill of Beer
In comparison to the dangers of sugar, alcohol is even worse. It causes many of the same issues as sugar, but in addition, can damage the brain, the nervous system, the intestines, and can even cause infertility and impotence. Based on this, frequent alcohol consumption is probably more of a health risk than frequent sugar consumption. If you doubt this, consider the typical health of a long term alcoholic.
Whipping a Tired Body with Caffeine
A 12 ounce serving of Coke Classic contains about 34 milligrams of caffeine which is actually a lot less than what some other sodas contain. It’s also significantly less than a cup of coffee. However, many people rely on caffeinated beverages such as soda for an artificial lift in energy. Caffeine provides this lift by forcefully stimulating the adrenal glands and provoking the “fight or flight” stress response. Because the fatigue that inspires most people to drink caffeine is often a result of overworked adrenal glands, caffeine makes the problem worse.
The blood sugar fluctuation caused by the high sugar content in soda often results in hypoglycemia. Because the adrenal glands play a large role in the regulation of blood sugar, this adds to the stimulation caused by the caffeine. Excessive alcohol consumption stimulates the adrenal glands as well, but most likely to a lesser extent than the sugar and caffeine from soda.
A Sensitive Issue with Gluten
The refined grain typically found in beer contains a protein called gluten that many people have difficulty digesting. Gluten intolerance can worsen the intestinal damage caused by alcohol, cause many of the symptoms associated with food sensitivities, and even lead to autoimmune disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and brain disorders. Grains are the most common cause of food sensitivities, and as such, significantly increase the health risks associated with beer. Fortunately, people who are sensitive to gluten can still enjoy an occasional beer if they’d like. Anheuser Bush makes a gluten free beer called Redbridge.
Another concern regarding the grain that beer is derived from is it’s quality. It’s often the lowest quality grain available which likely means that it’s been heavily sprayed with pesticides and is contaminated with mold toxins that make it unsuitable for food products. You can avoid this issue by choosing organic beer.
The Secret Ingredients of Beer
Much of today’s food is highly processed and contains a large number of ingredients including chemical additives. Fortunately, the FDA requires that the ingredients of these foods are listed on their packaging. This is important for people who have sensitivities or allergies and need to avoid ingredients that could lead to an uncomfortable or even fatal reaction. It’s also important for people who are health conscious and simply don’t want to consume unnatural and unhealthy additives.
With it’s political influence, the alcohol industry has managed to exempt itself from the FDA’s labeling requirements. As such, you won’t find an ingredient list on alcoholic beverages and will have no way of knowing what kind of additives and chemicals you may be drinking.
The Ingredients of Soda
Fortunately, we do know the ingredients of Coke Classic because they’re listed right on the can. Two of the primary concerns, which are found in most soft drinks, are phosphoric acid and high fructose corn syrup.
Phosphoric acid creates an acidic environment in the body that often requires calcium to be pulled from teeth and bones to buffer it. As such, excessive soda consumption increases the risk of tooth decay and osteoporosis.
High fructose corn syrup is a highly processed sugar that contains both fructose and sucrose. In comparison to other types of sugar, it’s more likely to cause blood sugar fluctuation and body fat storage. In addition, it’s also been found to contain mercury as a result of it’s processing.
Which is Worse?
Beer and soda are both a significant cause of the poor health that’s become so prevalent today. Does it really matter which one is worse? It’s like trying to choose between cancer and heart disease. Why choose between the disadvantages when you can choose to avoid them instead?
If you must know which is worse, then compare the health of a long term alcoholic to the health of someone who has a long history of excessive soda consumption. They’re both likely to be suffering from poor health and disease, but in my estimation, the health of the alcoholic is likely to be much worse.
The bottom line is that your consumption of beer and soda should be kept to an absolute minimum. If you’re going to indulge, simply choose whichever one will bring you the most enjoyment. There’s nothing wrong with consuming beer or soda within the limits of reasonable moderation, but keep in mind that even though it may only be slight, it will still come at a cost. When you do decide to enjoy some well deserved indulgence, savor every bit of it and don’t let guilt ruin the experience.
This article is part of Fight Back Fridays
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Excellent post, Vin! Very informative. I would imagine that even the most health conscious indulge in something from time to time. I like your advice to enjoy when you do indulge, but to keep them in moderation.
Great post, terrific information. I’ve cut out soda completely but still have the occasional beer (or two), same goes for wine.
I don’t do soda or beer. (But I do drink a glass of wine about twice a week.) Even then, I still try to ease the burden on my liver a bit by drinking extra kombucha.
Thanks for sharing this in today’s Fight Back Fridays carnival.
Cheers,
KristenM
(AKA FoodRenegade)
“Beer and soda are both a significant cause of the poor health that’s become so prevalent today. Does it really matter which one is worse? ”
Thats the first thing I thought when I read the title of the article. It’s like asking which is healthier mcdonalds or KFC?
I would have to give the slight edge to beer though, as it causes people to do stupid things…
I’ll have to get you in contact with my friend Johnathan who has Celiacs disease, as you seem rather knowledgeable on the subject.
Thanks for the comments guys!
Beth – It’s impossible to live a perfect lifestyle and anyone who tries to do so will defeat the purpose of their efforts by creating unnecessary stress. Some people do have to be much more strict because of medical reasons, but in general, living a healthy lifestyle does not have to be stressful.
Leesie – Sounds like you found a great balance! I’ve almost completely eliminated soda myself. On the rare occasions that I have fast food, I’ll usually have a few sips of soda along with it, but that’s it. I enjoy a rum and coke once in a while too.
Kristen – Maybe I should have included wine as well! Although, I think it’s pretty obvious to most people that even though wine contains alcohol, beer and soda don’t stand a chance in comparison based on it’s antioxidant benefits.
Bud – I agree, alcohol certainly has the added disadvantage of influencing people to do things that they’ll likely regret.
I’d be happy to answer any questions your friend may have. I suggest that you have him read Dangerous Grains by James Braly and Ron Hoggan.
Good advice, but one thing I’ve learned the hard way: there are no guarantees.
Never did drugs, alcohol (little soda – just never cared for it much) or tobacco, was at my right weight, ate right, jogged in moderation my entire adult life – and was stricken at age 37 by a rare progressive disease, incurable. Now mostly bedridden and in my sixeenth year of it.
Absolutely no history of any rare diseases on either side of my family.
I’ve heard similar stories with other diseases, including more common ones like cancer. Even no prior family history is no guarantee of what your particular genes may have in store for you down the road.
It will be great when the science of genetics reaches the point of having major treatment implications…
Hi Paul, thanks for your comment.
You’re absolutely right. Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t guarantee the prevention of disease or illness, but it certainly minimizes the risk and maximizes your chances of living a vibrant life.
There are so many things to consider beyond lifestyle in regard to undiagnosed illness. Infection and chemical or electromagnetic pollution are a few common factors. Having been through chronic health issues myself that are not quite 100% resolved, I can relate to and appreciate your situation. The bottom line is that you have to continue searching, trying, and staying positive, and I wish you the best of luck in doing so. Please feel free to contact me if you think there’s anything I can do to help you.
I’m a registered dietitian and consultant to food and beverage companies and I disagree with many of your conclusions about soda, sugar and high fructose corn syrup. These two websites will provide accurate, credible, and up-to-date scientific research-based information about beverages and the ingredients they contain, as well as their impact on health: http://www.beverageinstitute.org and http://www.ific.org/nutrition/sugars/index.cfm
Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are not the reason for weight gain; not balancing overall calories in vs. calories out (activity/exercise) is. High fructose corn syrup does not cause “body fat storage” nor does it adversely affect blood sugar. In addition, the effect of phosphoric acid on calcium absorption is physiologically trivial.
No one ingredient, food or beverage is bad, unhealthy or the “cause” of so many health problems. Overall lifestyle choices are what impact our health the most – moving more and getting regular exercise/physical activity, staying within your own personal calorie level, making sure you eat the right amount of all the nutrient-rich food groups to ward off diseases and boost immunity, and enjoying decadent desserts, alcoholic beverages and sugary treats and drinks in moderation. And no one food, beverage or ingredient – and that includes beer and soda – needs to be avoided if one truly practices the concept of moderation (unless for very specific medical conditions.)
Kim Galeaz, RD CD
Vin, I loved this post. They are both bad. Soda loses hands down though in my opinion. The sugar and acid is worse than alcohol and gluten. You can get your alcohol from red wine which is a much better choice. Less than two drinks per day is associated with longevity, although I rarely have any.
Hi Kim, thank you for sharing your opinion.
The first resource you provided, The Beverage Institute for Health & Wellness, is part of the Coca-Cola corporation. Obviously, they’re not going to readily admit that high fructose corn syrup is an unhealthy sugar. This is like a drug company running it’s own trial for FDA approval. It’s a major conflict of interest!
The second resource, the International Food Information Council, is partners with the USDA and the FDA, and the article you linked to references the USDA food pyramid. The FDA still seems to think that there’s nothing wrong with additives such as aspartame and sucralose and the USDA still seems to think that the majority of our diet should come from grains even though they are only a minuscule part of our 2 million year history.
I am thankful that you took the time to provide these resources, but I consider them to be biased.
High fructose corn syrup is roughly half glucose and half fructose. Because fructose is primarily metabolized by the liver, it doesn’t have much of a direct effect on blood sugar. However, the metabolism of fructose prevents the liver from metabolizing glucose. Because of this, blood sugar levels can increase and result in an increased production of insulin. Long term, this can lead to insulin resistance and eventually diabetes.
The liver metabolizes fructose into triglycerides which can be stored as body fat if not needed for energy production. In addition, the increase in insulin described above can result in even more triglycerides being produced. As such, sugar and high fructose corn syrup absolutely can be the cause of weight gain, and more importantly, poor health!
You can read more about this in Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes.You can also read the following reasearch article about fructose, weight gain, and the insulin resistance syndrome published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
I disagree that the solution is to simply balance calories in with calories out. Assuming 2 cans of Coke Classic would meet your definition of moderation, this would be 280 calories. To maintain the balance you suggest, one would either have to cut out 280 calories of nutritious food, or pound away on a cardio machine for a half hour. Either solution is a losing proposition. By replacing the calories from nutritious food with calories from soda, the body is deprived of the nutrients it needs to sustain itself. Alternatively, compensating for the extra calories with repetitive and strenuous exercise is not healthy either, especially if done on a daily basis. Furthermore, this is just 2 cans of soda. What about all the other nutrient lacking calories that many people eat every single day?
The average American is drinking about 50 gallons of soda per year which averages out to one and a half 12 ounce cans per day. Many people are drinking more than this and also consuming other unhealthy foods and beverages. On a daily basis, they compensate by overexercising and/or depriving themselves of nutrition. The result is often exhaustion, failure to lose weight, frequent illness, and if this continues long term, a compromised life that may very well lead to disease.
In regard to phosphoric acid, I never said that it impairs calcium absorption. I said that it’s acidity can cause calcium to be pulled from bones and teeth, which in my opinion is worse!
I agree with you that beer and soda can be enjoyed in moderation, and I stated that clearly in the article. However, moderation is a vague word, and what I’m trying to emphasize here is that the amount of beer, sugar, and other sources of sugar and alcohol that most people consume is far from moderate.
Finally, I know there has been conflicting research in regard to the effects of sugar and high fructose corn syrup. However, the bottom line is that processed sugars are unnatural and weren’t part of our evolution. As such, it’s a risk to assume that they don’t have unfavorable effects on our health.
Hi Stephen, I’m glad you liked it! I think there are many possible ways that you can support an argument for either one being worse. As such, I don’t disagree with you, and I’m happy that you understood the main point which is that they’re both bad.
I just wanted to talk about the dietitian’s commentary of nutrition and say that this type of philosophy about moderation and balancing overall calorie intake with exercise burning of calories is pretty typical of people in that industry and it shows an overall misunderstanding of how powerful, toxic chemicals that don’t appear in real foods can affect our overall health and in particular our metabolism, weight gain, insulin-burning, our tendency to develop heart disease, diabetes, and other degenerative diseases. I’m certain you already know this, but I’ve dealt with various individuals in these industries and most of them hold the same opinions. It’s difficult to change their viewpoints because what they believe basically represents the core of what they learned in their college curriculum and to change their beliefs would undermine the foundations of their education. Unfortunately, the medical and health industries teach much incorrect information about nutrition and health, and really don’t get to the heart of real nutrition to help people overcome health issues, which has led to a great deficit in our overall understanding as a culture of how real foods can keep us from being sick.
Here is a post from my site discussing how another individual with a similar background believes that all calories are the same and the body doesn’t differentiate between carbohydrate grams from junk food versus carbohydrate grams from real food….http://agriculturesociety.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/which-is-it-junk-food-is-good-for-children-or-it-isnt/
Thanks Vin! Great post, by the way.
Soda pop has no nutritional value whatsoever. In fact a normal can of soda has roughly 13 teaspoons of sugar. Beer on the other hand offers substantial health benefits when drinking in moderation *2 beers a day*. So can vs can a beer is much more healthy then a soda pop is. I would be willing to make a solid bet that more health deterioration can be pointed to soda pop for the sure fact that so much more is consumed compared to beer.
Thanks for the great comments guys!
Raine – I agree that it is difficult for many health professionals to embrace ideas that contradict their education. Fortunately, there are many open minded experts who are most concerned about finding the truth, even if it turns everything they know upside down. I am thankful to have the opportunity to learn from such people.
The main problem with much of the education that many of these professionals receive is the fact that it’s funded and influenced by corporations who benefit from promoting questionable information such as aspartame, splenda, or high fructose corn syrup not being a health concern.
Kirk – While I’m open to the idea that soda can be more unhealthy than beer, I think it’s quite a stretch to say that beer offers substantial health benefits regardless of how moderately it’s consumed. Substantial health benefits come from real foods such as meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables. Compared to these foods, beer and it’s alcohol, empty calories, and grain content doesn’t even register on the same scale!
In November of 1999, The New England Journal of Medicine stated that light to moderate beer drinkers would decrease their chances of suffering a stroke by 20%.
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (May 1999) reported that consuming moderate amounts of beer would lower one’s chances of coronary heart disease by 30-40%, compared to those who don’t drink at all.
Hi Josie, thanks for sharing those references.
There’s also research that shows low to moderate alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer and other health issues. It’s also believed that many of the findings that support moderate alcohol consumption are a result of the research subjects being good at moderating other potentially unhealthy influences as well.
If you want to enjoy alcohol on occasion, that’s fine. However, I think it’s very questionable to consume it based on the notion that it will improve your health. Alcohol consumption is clearly not a proven method of improving health and was not a significant part of our 2 million year history. Furthermore, any health benefit that alcohol could possibly provide can be better achieved through a healthy lifestyle.
If you truly want to promote excellent health, it’s in your best interest to assume that alcohol has more potential to detract from good health than to promote it, and in turn, not let such research serve as a license to drink more frequently.
You can’t take your health with you when you die and we all end up in the same place. Beer and moderate aclohol use is something many of us enjoy. In the long run, something is going to kill you. We were all engineered to die. I look at alcohol as I do fast food. It isn’t meant to be part of a healthy diet, but it’s something we enjoy anyway.
I won’t stop enjoying a couple of drinks a day because it’s so-called, unhealthy.
You gotta live your life in moderation. Nothing in excess. Eat what you like, drink up and be happy!
Hi Rob, thanks for your comment!
You’re absolutely right that there needs to be some compromise between health and pleasure for situations where the two contradict each other, and that’s exactly what the 80/20 rule is for.
However, you also have to consider the possibility that having a few drinks every day could shorten your life or compromise your later years. For some people, this a worth while sacrifice. For others, it’s not. It’s a decision we all have to make on our own, but what’s important is that we understand the implications when we do.
Individuality should be taken into account as well. Some people are more sensitive to unhealthy foods and beverages and may be vulnerable to more significant problems than most other people when pushing the limits of moderation.
We all know that beer is a lot better for you than soda, considering soda no longer uses any earthly ingredients. They are usually high fructose corn syrup, and “natural flavors” which are just chemicals. Soda is chemicals on top of chemicals. Where beer my have some preservatives, but at least it’s not chemicals on top of chemicals. And most beers don’t contain high fructose corn syrup, which MAKES EVERYONE FAT!
Hi Derek, thanks for your comment.
Yes, beer contains “earthy” ingredients, but they are generally of the poorest quality, and in beers that are pasteurized, any nutritional value from these ingredients are compromised even further.
It could be argued that a high quality beer made from natural ingredients,that doesn’t contain additives, and isn’t pasteurized could be somewhat beneficial when consumed in small to moderate amounts, but the same could probably be said for some types of soda as well.
The bottom line is that the beers and sodas most commonly available today are both bad and it really doesn’t matter which is worse. For anyone wanting to promote or maintain excellent health, the consumption of either should be kept to a minimum.
Hi Vin,
After reading your post and all the comments, I am now truly enlightened…
I know that drinking water is the best fluid we can consume but can you recommend drinks that can be bought from the local mart? what should we be avoiding (Catorade, 7UP) and what drinks are ok (fruit juices?)
Hi Ramon,
The only thing I drink on a regular basis is filtered water with a little bit of sea salt. As such, I unfortunately don’t have any good recommendations for you. Your best bet is to read the ingredients labels closely and avoid things that have excessive amounts of sugar and unnatural additives.
Fruit juices are questionable, even the one’s that are labeled 100% natural with no added sugar. Due to extraction and additional processing, some of the nutrition from the original juice is lost. Most fruit juice is pasteurized and this causes even more nutrition to be lost. Finally, because juice doesn’t contain the fiber from the original fruit, the sugar is digested and absorbed more rapidly which can cause problems with blood sugar fluctuation. I don’t think it would be a problem to enjoy fruit juice in moderation, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to drink it on a regular basis, especially if you’re prone to blood sugar problems.
If you want to drink something other than water that’s also nutritious, raw milk is probably your best option, but you have to be careful about where you buy it, and it’s important to realize that many people react negatively to the casein proteins found in dairy.
Green tea might be another option worth considering.
Vin,
I have enjoyed reading all the above. My main question is this and I’m sorry if it is a little off topic: Does lite beer have aspartame in it? I used to drink diet coke like no other and had terrible memory problems as a result. It has been a little over a year and I am still recovering. I love a cold one every now and than and gotta know how to find out if that beer from the bar is poisoning me? Thanks a lot.
To all that read this: NEVER EVER drink anything that is diet or light = POISON! I know from years of painful experience!
Hi Kev, thanks for sharing your experience!
I think some beer manufacturers do use aspartame, but unfortunately, they’re not required to disclose the ingredients they use and often choose not to. As such, it’s difficult to know for sure. Since you’re only having beer for occasional enjoyment, I think it would be better to have regular beer instead of light beer.
Aspartame is a significant risk for people who suffer from Phenylketonuria (PKU) and most products that include aspartame have a warning label regarding this. If a can or bottle of beer has this warning on it, then it’s more likely to contain aspartame.
In case you’re interested, here’s more information about aspartame. I wish you the best of luck with your recovery!
“Yes, beer contains “earthy” ingredients, but they are generally of the poorest quality, and in beers that are pasteurized, any nutritional value from these ingredients are compromised even further”
Perfect reason to brew your own beer! You get the health benefits and not all the “junk” that comes from “processed beer”!
Another interesting article that just came out….
http://news.discovery.com/human/beer-healthy-bones.html
Hi Jake, thanks for your comments!
I completely agree. If you’re going to drink beer, you’re much better off brewing it yourself, especially if you drink it at home or any other place where you can bring it along with you. I have a friend who brews his own beer and he even seems to enjoy the process as a hobby.
Regarding the potential health benefits of beer, the bottom line is that alcohol is a toxin, beer is full of refined carbohydrates, and many people react negatively to the gluten of from the grains that beer is made from. Regardless of how pure and fresh the ingredients of beer are, these are still unhealthy characteristics. Although I see nothing wrong with enjoying beer on occasion, in my opinion, these characteristics outweigh any possible benefit that beer can have, especially since these benefits can be obtained from nutritious foods without the negative effects. Beer is an indulgence, and unfortunately, those who cite it’s supposed health benefits are often looking for an excuse to drink more of it without feeling guilty. The bottom line is that we all have to choose for ourselves how much we’re willing to drink, how important our health is to us, and how willing we are to let it be compromised by indulgence.