Soda/caffeine

[aking3028]

I was diagnosed with celiac disease about 8 months ago. I've been eating everything I should be but for the past month have noticed when I drink soda (diet or regular), I become really nauseous. Am I not supposed to be drinking these items? My doctor never mentioned anything about soda. Thanks for any help

[BeFree]

Could it be from the artificial sweeteners? Those can be hard on your system.

[AVR1962]

Soda, no matter who makes it, is the most acidic beverage you can buy, with a pH of about 2.51, about the same as vinegar, but the sugar content disguises the acidity. To put that into perspective, consider that battery acid has a pH of 1 and pure water has a pH level of 7. Experiemtns have been done where you pour soda on the posts of a car battery and it will eat the corrosion....imagine doing this to your stomach!

Before the acidity of a soft drink reaches the stomach it passes through all the other organs involved in the digestive system thus causing an abnormal acidic environment. The linings of the mouth, pharynx and esophagus are highly sensitive to acids.

I used to be a daily Dr Pepper drinker, drank the stuff for 30+ years but gave it up when I realized how bad it was for you and how worthless it is in the diet.....lots of empty calories and full of all kinds of things you can't even pronounce.

[BeFree]

At the recycling plant I volunteered at, the barrels sent for recycling from the Pepsi plant were marked that they had held "corrosive materials".

[jswog]

Soda, no matter who makes it, is the most acidic beverage you can buy, with a pH of about 2.51, about the same as vinegar, but the sugar content disguises the acidity. To put that into perspective, consider that battery acid has a pH of 1 and pure water has a pH level of 7. Experiemtns have been done where you pour soda on the posts of a car battery and it will eat the corrosion....imagine doing this to your stomach!

Stomach acid is even more acidic.

[Skylark]

Stomach acid is even more acidic.

That doesn't mean you are designed to eat or drink large quantities of very acidic foods. Low pH does not naturally occur in many foods, particularly not as phosphoric acid. Even though your stomach is more acidic, the effect of drinking a lot of phosphoric acid on teeth and bones is unclear. Foods and drinks with a pH below 3.0 are sour enough that you are disinclined to drink them in quantity or without dilution (think vinegar, lemon juice, unsweetened cranberry juice). You probably have a built-in aversion to strong acid for a good reason.

I mean seriously, would you consider drinking a 12-oz glass full of straight vinegar or lemon juice? Would you wonder why it upset your stomach if you did? Would you expect to make yourself less nauseous by adding 3 tablespoons of sugar to the vinegar so it didn't taste as sour? (Yes, there is a whopping 3 tbsp of sugar in a 12-oz can of pop. Ewwww.)

@aking3028 Try water with a squeeze of lemon or a cup of herbal tea if you don't like the taste of plain water. It's a much healthier alternative to soda. Ginger or peppermint tea are particularly good for nausea.

[Reba32]

I'm with Skylark. Switch to water with a squeeze of lemon, or some mint leaves, or both! Stay away from the drink mix powders too, like Crystal Lite and similar. They're just garbage, and likely to upset your stomach just as much.

although, I do know people who drink vinegar (at the suggestion of "nutritionists" or "naturopaths" and when their stomach gets upset they drink milk to settle it. And then can't figure out why they feel sicker