Could Your Soda Cause You Cancer?
High-calorie, sugary soda drinks such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi may harm more than just your waistline. New research shows that soda may actually cause lung, liver, and thyroid cancers.
The problem, according to government studies, is a certain caramel coloring used in food and soda brands like Coke and Pepsi. These dark colas get their signature hue by mixing sugars with sulfites and ammonia. In a study by the National Toxicology Program, the chemicals produced by this reaction were found to be carcinogens that caused cancers in lab rats or mice. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is calling on the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of the chemicals in soda, or at least force manufacturers to put warning labels on their products.
One state has already taken steps to actively respond to the risk. Lawmakers in California are in the process of crafting regulations that may require food and drinks with significant levels of the chemicals to bear cancer warnings.
The FDA is studying the issue and whether there is any risk to humans. Meanwhile, the soda industry denies that the caramel colorings known as Caramel III and IV are carcinogens that threaten human health. They argue that the doses used in animal tests are much higher than what consumers would be exposed to in the real world.
Although the risk may be relatively small, the health threat that these controversial “caramel colorings” pose is significant. Even if popular soda producers are found to be acting within the bounds of the law, their behavior is clearly irresponsible. These carcinogenic chemicals are used purely for cosmetic purposes and have no other benefit for consumers.