I remember seeing those affiliations on her website, but chose to not mention them in the interest of debating her claims in the most respectful and objective way possible. However, I’m glad you mentioned them because it’s a good example of how industry can influence mainstream health beliefs.

The Coca-Cola Company
The Kroger Company
National Pork Board
Minute Maid Juices
Corn Refiners Association”
….and so on

So Coke and the people who make high-fructose corn syrup are two of her main clients. Is it any wonder she didn’t reply when Vin called her on her sources?

Thanks for the well thought out article Vin. Obviously it struck a chord with someone since they called in their expert spin doctor (check out her full site).

Carbonation is a concern to an extent due to its potential to promote tooth decay and bloating, but I think this is relatively minor in comparison to the other concerns related to soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer for you as to which has more carbonation, but there’s probably not much of a difference, and the difference probably doesn’t matter all that much. I don’t think it’s a good idea to drink carbonated beverages on a regular basis, even carbonated water, but drinking them in moderation shouldn’t be a big deal.

I know that I probably missed it somewhere in here, but my husband and I are having a constant comparison to the carbonation in Lite Beer (Miller) to Soda (Diet Coke). Which one has more?

Thanks for all the information….

Yes, olive oil and butter can indeed be a valuable contribution to a healthy diet despite being processed. However, what’s important to consider here is the extent of processing. Olive oil, for example, is minimally processed and is much more similar to the source it was derived from than most other processed foods.

Given their excessively high omega-6 fatty acid content and extreme susceptibility to oxidation, I wouldn’t necessarily consider most vegetable oils to be healthy. More and more research is showing the irony of recommending vegetable oils as part of a “heart healthy” diet.

Regarding fire and evolution, have you read Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human? Very interesting and convincing, although I do think there is important value in raw foods, and I also think that many people over cook their food.

If beer is a great ingenuity, it’s too bad that we don’t also have the ingenuity to prevent the violence, disease, and death that it’s over consumption provokes.

Yes, if you’re referring to what’s generally available in grocery stores, no fruit juice. Even if it doesn’t have added sugar, it’s still relatively high in sugar and doesn’t have the fiber of the original fruit to help slow its absorption. In addition, the processing and pasteurization reduce it’s nutritional value. Similarly, refined flour is stripped of much of the nutritional value contained in whole grain and is just as much of a concern in regard to elevating blood sugar as fruit juice is. There is plenty of research on the detrimental effects of sugar and refined carbohydrates. As you said – a “no brainer.” Tofu and soy are inadvisable as well, but for a completely different set of reasons. You can read The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla Daniel if you’re interested in knowing why.

In our million plus years of evolution, I think it’s safe to say that there has been a significant amount of societal development prior to the 5,000 years ago or so that beer has been consumed. While I can see the potential of moderate alcohol consumption making one more friendly and open and therefore supportive of societal development, I’d love to see the evidence suggesting it to be a fundamental factor. Besides, it’s the excessive consumption so common today that’s the focus of this article, although I suppose the level of excessiveness is subjective.

Yes, for the core of a truly healthy diet, I absolutely mean what I say. With the exception of oils and spices, the core of my diet is 100% whole foods, and all I drink is water. The only time I eat processed foods or drink anything other than water is when I’m consuming something in infrequent moderation for enjoyment purposes. Granted, one doesn’t have to go to this extent to enjoy good health, but I think it’s advantageous to come as close to it as possible.

I do drink herbal tea on occasion, but I consider this to be more of a nutritional supplement. I also juice fruits and vegetables, but consider this to be more of a nutritional supplement as well.

Yes, anything over consumed is bad, including water. However, that is an extreme generalization. A cup of beer is obviously not as nutritionally beneficial as a cup of vegetables, and over consuming beer is far worse than over consuming vegetables.

You said yourself that genetics play a large role in health, and this is a major reason why some people have more tolerance for unhealthy habits than others. Just because you haven’t noticed any negative effects from drinking soda doesn’t mean that it wouldn’t be more problematic for someone else who drinks the same amount. Furthermore, it also doesn’t mean that drinking soda hasn’t compromised your health and wellness in some way that has escaped your attention. Another consideration is that chronic disease doesn’t develop overnight, it results from a gradual buildup that can easily go unnoticed.

I agree that a soda a day probably isn’t going to significantly harm your health, but it has more potential to do harm than good. Besides, many people drink much more soda than this, including kids, and the negative effects of this have been thoroughly researched.

I also agree that there’s a discrepancy between the support of moderate alcohol consumption and the lack of such support for soda, but rather than giving more support to soda, I think less support should be given to alcohol.

It all comes down to priorities and personal choice. In line with this, anyone who values the benefits of optimal health will be best served by minimizing their consumption of both soda and alcohol.