Carbonated beverages like cola usually contain phosphoric acids, caffeine, large amounts of sugar, and other chemicals. These may add excess calories (if not diet), be dehydrating, and studies have shown that phosphoric acid in excess actually pulls calcium from bone making you more prone to developing osteoporosis.

But what about carbonated beverages that are caffeine-free and low sodium like club soda or Fresca? Sure, a cold, fizzy drink can be very refreshing, especially in hot weather or after a work-out.  But is there such a thing as too much?

The answer is: Yes.  Because carbonation usually causes a feeling of fullness or bloating, you may not be getting adequate fluids to rehydrate your body. The human body’s mechanism for thirst detection is very poor. Therefore, we have already been dehydrated for sometime before we feel thirsty.

Companies like Gatorade have not carbonated their products because it causes gastrointestinal distress and inhibits sufficient hydration.  Because our bodies are composed of 70 percent water, dehydration can have serious adverse effects on bodily functions and even be fatal. On a smaller scale, our skin is affected many different ways when we do not hydrate it properly. Things like age spots are partially caused by the skin being dehydrated.

When your skin is dry, you will lose the elasticity and resilience or the ability for the skin to return to its original state after pressure is applied. Due to our aging process and environmental stress the resilience or tension and elasticity of our skin gradually deteriorates and then we begin to see the appearance of age spots and wrinkles.

There is no reason to completely eliminate caffeine-free carbonated beverages from your fluid intake.  Just consume in moderation and make sure you are drinking 8 ounce glasses of non carbonated/caffeinated water per day to properly hydrate your body and skin to keep you living longer and looking better!

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of www.Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

In the past few years, omega-3 fatty acids have become increasingly popular with their numerous amounts of health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids work as an anti-inflammatory agent that helps reverse the processes of heart disease, cancer and many other conditions.  As of Monday, April 13th, new research has just been added to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on the effects of walnuts and fish on heart disease.

Researchers from Loma Linda University concluded that in healthy individuals walnuts lowered cholesterol more than fish, while fatty fish lowered triglyceride levels ultimately both reducing the overall risk of coronary heart disease. This study was conducted to show everyone including the healthiest of people how imperative and easy it is to simply add walnuts and fatty fish to their daily diet.

The American heart association recommends eating fish 3 times a week to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. Using this as a guideline, the researchers found that healthy people who included fatty fish twice a week, decreased triglyceride levels by 11.4 percent. In addition, adding 1.5 ounces of walnuts to their eating regimen lowered their LDL levels by 9.3 percent compared to a control diet based on USDA recommendations. Studies have shown that walnuts can significantly reduce blood cholesterol. Walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and they also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic.

Some of the highest levels of omega-3 fats can be found fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon.  The reason for this being, that fish is a good source of protein and doesn’t have the high saturated fat like ones found in fatty meats.  

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and founder of Skinnyandthecity.com.    She is also the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.