Women’s Health: Make mine orange juice…rather than coke

Do you begin to sag a little around the edges in the afternoon and then head for the coffee pot at home or office; or is it Coke that you prefer.

Coke is certainly approved by a lot of folks in and around Atlanta since it was first invented here in as cough syrup. Rumors have it that the original concoction actually contained “cocaine” thus the name Coke; shortened from Coca-Cola. Check this link for the Coke story and how it began. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola

Note: When launched, Coca-Cola's two key ingredients were cocaine and caffeine. The cocaine was derived from the coca leaf and the caffeine from kola nut, leading to the name Coca-Cola (the "K" in Kola was replaced with a "C" for marketing purposes).

Most everyone on the face of the earth knows what Coca-Cola is like – even though the old timers say it certaily does not taste the same as it did back in Atlanta during the 1950’s when the little small ounce green bottle was truly the “pause that refreshes.”

Coke in those days was a treat – something special for a special time – like an ice cream cone. But you didn’t see folks becoming emotionally and physically addicted to ice cream cones like they have their daily doses of Coke. (It no longer contains the coca leaf ingredient – or does it? The formula is still a secret.)

Did you know that Coke also bottles orange juice??? They make hundreds of products; and you probably didn’t have a clue that they made so many; and different products for different parts of the world.

Once Atlanta was the big market for them starting out at Jacobs Drug Store in Atlanta; but now they are an international company; and while they provided many jobs in America. And now like most huge companies, they are sending a lot of American jobs overseas. Even though the Coke recipe is still a complete mystery and kept in a vault somewhere on the moon, we can get a little peek of just want is in a nice tall healthy (?) drink of Coke. (Actually, iis locked away in the valult at the Sun Trust Bank in Atlanta.)

Coke facts: Coke has no nutritional value. It is loaded with sugar and contains caffeine in the regular form. The diet variety contains aspartame which in and of itself can be harmful especially when it accumulates from over indulgence in products that are high in this chemical.

Coke contains carbonated water, food coloring, and that ever elusive secret ingredient. It benefits are not even to quench thirst; for in fact the sugar makes you even more thirsty; and too much of this drink (too often in too large servings), can lead to health problems like diabetes. Its main ingredient is empty calories that have no nutritional value.

From the original small ounce bottles, many people can today down a 2 liter with no problem – until that is they see their doctor. Also the label is misleading in that it gives information for 8 ounches when the can holds 12 ounces.

Soooo why would people indulge in this drink to the tune of billions of dollars of profit for the company? It taste good… and the caffeine gives you a boost for a limited amount of time; and then you have to return to the well again and again. Those empty calories turn into a thing called “fat!”

Orange juice instead of coke:

100% orange juice provides a variety of vitamins and minerals and is fat free, saturated fat free, sodium free, cholesterol free and free from added sugars.

Because orange juice is healthy and naturally sweet without any added sugars, it is one of the most popular beverages around.

Parents may be concerned that including 100 percent fruit juice in their child’s diet may have negative impacts on body weight. However, the majority of evidence in a comprehensive review of studies regarding 100 percent fruit juice intake and increased weight in children does not support such an association.

In fact, this review suggests that consuming 100 percent fruit juice in moderate amounts “may be an important strategy to help children meet the current recommendations for fruit.” See rest of information at http://www.orangejuicefacts.com/nutrition.html

Drinking orange juice in the afternoon helps to raise blood sugar just like coke; it gives you a refreshing beverage drink just like Coke, it contains a lot of good things for health that Coke does not.

Orange juice contains the following:

Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidants and it helps support a healthy immune system. Vitamin C may help neutralize free radicals that can damage cells and tissues and lead to disease. One 8-ounce glass of 100% Florida orange juice provides at least 100 percent of the Daily Value.

Potassium plays an important role in muscle function and may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. One 8-ounce glass of 100 % orange juice provides 14 percent of the Daily Value for potassium.

Folate (Folic Acid) is essential for cell division and healthy red blood cells. Adequate folic acid consumption during a woman’s childbearing years is strongly associated with reducing the risk of having a baby with birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, known as "neural tube defects." Folate may help lower homocysteine levels in the blood that may contribute to inflammation that has been associated with cognitive impairment. An 8-ounce glass of 100% Florida orange juice provides about 11 percent of the Daily Value for folate.

Calcium (in fortified orange juice) is a key building block for strong, healthy bones and diets rich in calcium may also help support healthy blood pressure and promote cardio-vascular health. Eight ounces of calcium-fortified orange juice is an excellent non-dairy source of calcium, providing at least 35 percent of the Daily Value.

Vitamin B6 helps the body process energy from the food we eat and is needed for the production of new cells, including healthy red blood cells. An 8-ounce glass of 100% Florida orange juice provides 7 percent of the Daily Value for vitamin B6.

Thiamin is associated with the action of many enzyme systems, the conversion of food into energy and the production/repair of DNA. An 8-ounce glass of orange juice provides 18 percent of the Daily Value for thiamin.

Eight ounces of coke has 97 calories. 33 mg of sodium and 27.0 grams of carbs – from sugar.

Eight ounces of orange juice contains: 112 calories, 0.5 g total fat, 0 cholesterol, 2 mg of sodium, 25.8 grams of carbs, 1.7 protein and of daily requirements it contains 10% Vitamin A, 3% Calcium (and more if it has added calcium and Vitamin D) 207% of Vitamin C and 3% of Iron.

Sooo if you are going to get those calories from a drink; why not get some benefits as well? Why not try a nice cold glass of orange juice when that afternoon drag hits you. Those high powered caffeine drinks increased your heart rate and can over time be detrimental to your overall health as well. They can also keep you awake at night making you feel all the worse the next morning.

Those with diabetes should consult the diet plan suggested by your physician. Orange juice – like coke – can raise your blood sugar; that is why those who get too much insulin in their treatment of diabetes needs orange juice immediately to help level out the insulin.

Just saying……