Is Ginger Ale any healthier than other carbonated soft drinks?

[agkm800]

My friend only drinks ginger ale thinking that it is better (or perhaps less bad) than other carbonated soft drinks such as coke. I think he is just foolish to think so.

[chown33]

It probably depends on the brand of ginger ale. Start by comparing the nutrition labels.

[ugahairydawgs]

I'd say yes and no. I think any non-caffeinated drink is better than one with caffeine.

Outside of that though.....no.....not really.

[Apple fanboy]

Lets be honest neither are a great choice for health. Just choose what you prefer to drink (beer for me!) or if you want to be healthy go for water or fresh fruit juice.

[snberk103]

Flavoured Sugar Water....

Different brands will use more or fewer GMO products.

Note that there has recently been an early preliminary study released that indicates that Fructose (Corn Syrup) and High Fructose mess with a region of the brain that decides when you are full. Basically, foods and drinks with Fructose don't register - so you don't feel "full". So you keep eating and drinking....

Does his Ginger Ale have Fructose? Most American made drinks do...

How much Ginger Ale are we talking here? A can a day, or a gallon a day?

[KnightWRX]

Seagram's Ginger Ale, 12 fl. on. can :

120 calories, 35g sugars

Coca-Cola, 12 fl. on. can :

140 calories, 39g sugars

So the answer ? Yes. It's "more healthy" in that it has 20 less calories and 4g less sugars. Is that a meaningful enough amount to claim Ginger Ale is healthy ?

Hell no. Don't drink calories. Period.

[Huntn]

I drink diet cola. Have been doing so since 1980. I remember when it (low calorie cola) first showed up and considering calorie intake over 30 years it was a life saver, although I acknowledge there is a little bit of a pick your poison aspect to this. What is worse- being obese due to sugar or intake of aspartame? Right, I know the right answer is neither, but I'm limiting my cola consumption in general, but many of the substitutes I pick include artificial sweetners.

Oceanspray Diet Cranberry Pomegranate 5 calories

Minute Maid Light 15 calories

[mobilehaathi]

Originally Posted by agkm800

My friend only drinks ginger ale thinking that it is better (or perhaps less bad) than other carbonated soft drinks such as coke. I think he is just foolish to think so.

If your friend is truly concerned about the health consequences of drinking various types of soda, he ought to simply eliminate or severely cut back on consumption.

To ask about relative "healthiness" in this case is disingenuous. It is a very bad idea to consume so mich sugar. Upon learning that one form of soda is "healthier" than others, one might become less aware of how much is being consumed.

I hope he doesn't think the "healthiness" is derived from the difference in flavoring.

[macimby]

Don't colas contain phosphoric acid? I prefer to limit things that can eat away teeth and dissolve bone. I can imagine a woman being especially careful about that.

Of course it's also advisable to avoid the empty calories from the sugar or fructose in soft drinks (or sweetened bottled teas excessive amounts of juices). I don't understand purists who prefer the natural flavor of sugar and fructose (vs. pretty natural-tasting and safe Splenda) rather than preferring to avoid the average 42 lbs./year of pointless calories that will just become unhealthy fat.
http://www.kickthecan.info/soda-facts
But everyone is entitled to their own preferences.

[jessica.]

It is "less bad" but it is still bad. Like others have said, it is not as though ginger ale is the water of soda.

[Zombie Acorn]

Try carbonated water, I actually figured out its not the soda/sugar I like but the fizz of the carbonation.

[fiddlestyx]

It's healthier than a cola, but its my no means healthy. You shouldn't be drinking your calories to begin with.

----------

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Try carbonated water, I actually figured out its not the soda/sugar I like but the fizz of the carbonation.

Same here, although I do like my soda from time to time.

[Technarchy]

Originally Posted by agkm800

My friend only drinks ginger ale thinking that it is better (or perhaps less bad) than other carbonated soft drinks such as coke. I think he is just foolish to think so.

Ginger-Ale made with real ginger is a good digestive aid and remedy for many types of stomach ailments.

[snberk103]

Coincidental timing... but this just in.... (cue teletype sound effects)

... A new study by the U.S. National Institutes of Health finds that fruit and soft drink drinkers are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than those who didn't regularly drink sweetened beverages.
And interestingly, those who drink diet drinks made with artificial sweeteners were linked to an even higher likelihood of depression...

Link

Note that the link between the two does not necessarily mean that drinking soft drinks cause depression. But the correlation is very high, about 30% increased risk for people who drink regular soft drinks, 38% for fruit punch, and drinking diet soft drinks a risk linkage even higher than that.

Interestingly, people who drink coffee showed a decrease in depression rates by about 10%. Personally, I drink coffee... and I'm jollee....

[mobilehaathi]

Originally Posted by snberk103

Coincidental timing... but this just in.... (cue teletype sound effects)

Link

Note that the link between the two does not necessarily mean that drinking soft drinks cause depression. But the correlation is very high, about 30% increased risk for people who drink regular soft drinks, 38% for fruit punch, and drinking diet soft drinks a risk linkage even higher than that.

Interestingly, people who drink coffee showed a decrease in depression rates by about 10%. Personally, I drink coffee... and I'm jollee....

I've seen some studies showing that high sugar, high fat diets show physiological signs of addiction, so I suppose depression fits in well with that.


I've also seen some odd studies linking high caffeine blood levels to lower rates of dementia and other curious things....