4/19    Is coke bad for me? I feel I need the 'kick' after lunch. I don't
        drink Coke as I mainly drink Sprite. Is one a day bad in the
        long run?  What do you health conscious sodans do?
        \- it's bad for your teeth more than anythign else.
           \_ because of the sugar?
              \_ The sugar and the acids.
        \_ Yes. coke is bad.  In addition to sugar and acid mentioned below,
           you are ingesting 1) empty calories(no nutritional content),
           2) a miniscule amount of aluminum which may be linked to Alzheimers
                \_ This was pretty much debunked.  The Alzheimer's
                   brain plaque mass spec which showed aluminum in
                   Alzheimer's brains was contaminated.
           3) a ton of calories which causes weight gain, or sugar substitutes
           which have been potentially linked to any number of weird,
           fucked up conditions(IOW don't touch saccharin and other
           substitutes with a 10 foot pole), and 4) caffeine, which some
           ppl say negatively affects the body: it speeds heart rate,
           increases blood pressure, etc.
           If you need a caffeine kick, drink tea, preferably green tea,
           which has antioxidants and has beneficial health effects.
           On the other hand, you could try getting some mild exercise
           during lunch(15 min. jog, or 30 min. yoga).  This likely will
           keep your metabolism up, and you won't feel tired in the afternoon.
           \_ thanks, will do!
        \_ High acid + sugar is bad for teeth.  Corn syrup instead of
           sugar is bad for your dabetic tendencies and waistline (then
           again that's true of all major soft drinks these days.)  And
           frankly coke tastes like ass, drink tea or coffee instead.
           \_ Coke from other countries tastes different and better than
              they do here (primarily because they use real sugar).
           \_ What about diet coke/pepsi?
              \_ You're substituting chemicals that at least occur somewhat
                 naturally in nature with funky ones that do not.  And if
                 regular coke tastes like malted battery acid, diet coke tastes
                 like malted battery acid with a funky aftertaste.
                 \_ But what about my teeth?
           \_ What's with the acid? Is coke really acidy compared to other
              sodas? I have noticed before that Coke feels weird on my teeth
              afterwards unlike any other drink. I am in the habit of always
              rinsing my mouth with water after drinking/eating anything.
              \_ My old roommated did a project in undergrad that involved
                 effects of coke on concrete and metal.  Coke can eat concrete.
                 - 3 cokes-a-day
        \_ "Acidic food and drinks can cause decay. Listed below are the
           pH values of some food and drinks. The lower the pH number; the
           more acidic the product. Anything with a pH value lower than 5 may
           cause tooth decay. Alkalies have a high pH number and neutralise
           the acid effects of sugars."
           - mineral water (still) pH 7.6
           - milk pH 6.9
           - cheddar cheese pH 5.9
           - lager pH 4.4
           - orange juice pH 3.8
           - grapefruit pH 3.3
           - pickles pH 3.2
           - cola pH 2.5
           - red wine pH 2.5
           - vinegar pH 2.0
           - concentrated HCL solution -1.0 <-- don't drink this
                \_ What is the pH of vomit?
                   \_ That should be around 2, the same as your stomach HCL.
        \_ You could try some Cambodian tap water; it's especially interesting
           if accidentally consumed (ice cubes, washed fruit).  OK it won't
           pick you up, but it sure has some amusing side-effects.  -John
           \_ It's really not as bad as you say, I spent 3 months there and
             brushed my teeth using tap water, ate the ice and everything you
             not suppose to do minus drink tap water straight.  I only once got\
             sick and that was from eating iceberg lettuce...which I assume was
             washed in tap water or fertilized with crap or some such fun.
             -scottyg
              brushed my teeth using tap water, ate the ice and everything
              you not suppose to do minus drink tap water straight.  I only
              once got sick and that was from eating iceberg lettuce...which
              I assume was washed in tap water or fertilized with crap or
              some such fun. -scottyg
              \_ Fair enough, but it is pretty bad.  Luck of the draw and
                 your own physiology have a lot to do with it--my girlfriend
                 can drink Mexican tap water, while I get gastroenteritis from
                 just looking at it.  -John
                 \_ that's not a nice thing to say about your girlfriend.
                    \_ Yermom douches with Cambodian tap water.  -John