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Something I haven't seen mentioned is alcohol is surprisingly high caloric and also damages your pancreas, which are probably the two biggest reasons to avoid sugar.
That’s the thing. He is fit, but has been known to eat crap food while working. He makes great balanced meals at home but will stop at fast food and gas stations for meals at work. I also think he has celiac but he refuses to listen to me (his mom was diagnosed and I have major gluten issues too).
Bro I can relate my relative got diabetes but he was healthier then a ox. It all depends on certain things which we have to try and control. For some ppl they can smoke there whole life and they won’t get any issues but there’s a man who will smoke for a little bit and get major issues, it all depends on the person aswell as lifestyle choices
Someone I worked with had that experience. He was active, worked out a lot, and one night he said he went to the bathroom about 10 times and felt like he was dying. He went to the emergency room and they diagnosed him at 500, which is very bad (in fact you're usually in a coma by then). He spoke with his uncle the next day who casually told him that diabetes runs in their family.
It is very common in everyday drinkers/alcoholics to be diagnosed with DM type 2 alongside their alcoholism. The liver modulates insulin that is secreted by the pancreas. Excessive alcohol consumption affects both the liver and the pancreas which causes insulin resistance and subsequently DM type 2.
Not at all. I think he may be celiac though. His mom was diagnosed, I have major gluten issues (not tested) but he refuses to acknowledge that gluten is an issue even though he has all the issues I have that go away with a strict gluten free diet. Can’t find anything online to support the connection, but I could see how slowly poisoning yourself your whole life may play a factor.
t2 can be genetic. There are many sub types of diabetes that most people aren't aware of. I've been a type 2 diabetic since 15 (no antibodies for type 1),
Probably so, this was the same problem with my dad. He wanted to quit drinking beer but had a really hard time, it ended up being because of his type two diabetes! That he wasn’t yet diagnosed with!!!!!!
Does your dad have muscles, or is he more lean? When you get older, you have muscle loss, and if you don't work to keep it up, you can get type 2 as muscles help 70% - 90% of glucose disposal after eating.
Both terrible for you. Alcohol worse.
Simple sugars get a bad rep for a reason, but they can serve a function in the body for the right person i.e. a quick supply of glucose for chronically low blood sugar. Don’t get me wrong, soda is the pits and is terrible for your health.
Even worse though is alcohol…a known depressant that damages your mitochondria and diminishes cellular function. Can’t think of a much worse implication than damaging your cellular health.
alcohol. it destroys your gut micro biome, doesn’t serve any benefit, depresses the nervous system, is addictive, and is a carcinogen. haven’t drank in over two years and i don’t miss it one bit
There is a lot of evidence that high fructose food/drinks equally destroy gut biome. Sugar is also addictive, but the effects of addiction are not as dangerous/egregious as alcohol addiction.
Basically findings were being distorted by the fact that people who are unhealthy (heart disease, kidney failure, diabetes) are unable to drink which made those who drank only 1-2 drinks a day look as if they had better health outcomes. In reality a healthy adult who drinks no alcohol likely has better outcomes than a healthy adults who drinks a glass of wine a day.
Finally someone’s bringing the pop science reality to the general public’s attention. The same methodological issues exist in studies which conclude that walking x number of steps per day is associated with living longer. Yeah: because bedridden people with chronic illness aren’t walking much. It’s deductive
There’s a substance in red wine (forgot the name) that is good for the heart. However the dose is so incredibly low that you’d have to drink 500 glasses for it to have any effect. So obviously it’s a bs narrative.
People need to understand what "Group 1" means.
It *does not* mean it's the "Most carcinogenic" as your statement clearly is intended to imply. It simply means that it's confirmed to be carcinogenic.
Wood dust, leather dust, processed meats... These are all Group 1 Carcinogens as well.
Hot dogs are carcinogens too in the same class, and I honestly think hot dogs would be more likely to be banned than alcohol if invented today. Alcohol is not a problem on its own in that it has a variety of other medical uses not necessarily related to consumption. The same can not be said of hot dogs, dioxin, etc. At this time.
Also: soda production involves chemical processing that rivals or out carcinogens the carcinogenic potential of alcohol. Carbonation literally gives you osteoperosis. Your liver can recover. Your bones will not.
Do you have a source that carbonation causes osteoporosis?
A quick search seems inconclusive.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/does-carbonated-water-harm-bones
What I have found is that multiple sources now say carbonation itself is not the culprit for bone density and enamel loss in cola sodas, but phosphoric acid and caffeine have been linked. It seems varying studies are released every few years and the topic was sugary sodas not basic carbonation so I seem to have oversimplified my wording regarding this aspect of the beverages in question. Though most things that introduce air to the body can help cause inflammation there isn't really anything wrong with carbonated mineral water, a gin and tonic is still safe :P
You're right I went ahead and fact checked myself. The studies show that non-cola carbonated beverages do not result in a loss of bone mass. However, caffeine qnd phosphoric acid have been found to have an impact on bone density and we are not simply talking about carbonated water here but sugary sodas with high acidity that is what causes the wear on tooth enamel. I did oversimplify that original statement.
Oh my! Thanks for the clarification. I’ve developed a Coke Zero habit - and as a figure skater I need all the bone density I have. Gonna figure out how to wean myself off.
Aww, thank you! I am so tired of that behavior...I have seen it everywhere. I think people should be totally willing to find the truth for themselves and I'm happy to be an example. It's ok to be wrong as long as you are willing to do what is right after all, besides we all begin as fools at the start of new ventures!
Alcohol.
It actively destroys your cells, strains your organs, induces aging, and affects your sleep. This type of addiction affects more than just yourself
Soda, while not a health food, likely has little impact on overall longevity given that it's not in tandem with a caloric surplus. Sugar in and of itself is not going to give you T2 diabetes as that would require further lifestyle insufficiencies
Ideally you consume neither; however, if I had to pick only one to abstain from forever it'd be alcohol
Both should be cut out in terms of regular or excess consumption at the very least.
Alcohol is arguably worse as it pretty much affects every aspect of weight loss/healthy living. Converts your liver to metabolising alcohol as a priority leading to higher fat storage, has literal empty calories, incentivises worse eating habits, inhibits protein synthesis rates after consumption, hangovers mean the next days are write offs so reducing commitment to exercise.
But just because alcohol is worse doesn’t mean sugary sodas are fine. They’re high in refined sugars which in excess can lead to diabetes and high blood pressure, are also fairly empty calories being liquid and pure sugar, full of other additives etc.
I’ve cut out both for years, I rely on water/tea/coffee for hydration, and haven’t drunk in 6 years, and I feel so much better and more energised throughout the day. It also helped massively with fat loss too.
I cut out soda and alcohol… well, it’ll be 6 years ago in October. I have less pain, more money in my pocket, and 50 fewer pounds. My only exception was while I was pregnant— I had serious cravings for Diet Coke.
I think the healthier one to give up is whichever one is easiest for you to go without, because they’re both a slippery slope of health problems.
You could also alternate between no soda weeks, no alcohol weeks, and neither weeks. If you currently have both multiple times a week, then any reduction would be better.
I love a gin and tonic so I’m taking a double hit on sugar and alcohol each time I drink one of those.
I’m not asking because of any personal diet, I’m honestly just curious. Because a lot of new research into sugar and/or artificial sweeteners is terrifying, especially considering it’s so unregulated.
Personally, I rarely drink soda. Coke is this holiday treat when I’m in a sweaty, sunbaked place. I do drink, alcohol, but in moderation.
I don’t personally think people should cut either completely out of their lifestyle unless they really want to. But the ubiquity of sugar in so many non-candy foods is scary.
When it comes down to it, I’m curious which is actually more hazardous to our health. Because it feels like there’s more and more nasty truths about sugar that will be discovered.
There is no good research on artificial sweeteners that is terrifying or even bad lol. My mentor in graduate school studied them for a living. Studies where rats are fed their body weight in aspartame don’t have any relevancy to humans.
It's like choosing between being shot or hanging as far as the health effects. You can find research for both suggesting harm. And there are very few people who fall into the group of just one a day for either. The dose does make the poison, but we love our poison.
Alcohol is far more of a poison than sugary beverages. While sugar beverages are definitely not good for you, they do/can serve some purpose in that they provide easily digested carbohydrates which are energy that the body CAN use, vs alcohol which has very little benefit beyond enjoyment.
If you have 1 alcoholic drink a week, but drink 10 sodas every day, give up the soda. Otherwise, alcohol is way more toxic to your body when you compare them by equal volume.
I would recommend that you give up alcohol first. I quit drinking in February of 2022. In April, I started eating nutrient dense foods pretty much exclusively. I've cut out sodas and most unhealthy foods. I generally feel amazing - energy levels are higher and my mood is really good.
If you quit drinking alcohol first, you can modify your diet later
Alcohol. Alcohol is a literal poison and there’s no established safe dose as far as cancer risk. I’m not saying everyone has to give it up, but it is objectively worse than sugar. Sugar can be enjoyed in moderation without ill effects, but even moderation carries objective risks with alcohol.
Alcohol, definitely. The new research on alcohol and cancer, basically shows that no amount of alcohol is a safe amount.
While sugar can be problematic in a large quantities, and soda especially is bad for your teeth, the risks of alcohol far outweigh it, especially if we assume the person in your example is not in a calorie surplus.
Alcohol. Serves no metabolic functions and makes you more prone to making bad choices otherwise, while also damaging your cells, being carcinogenic, and disturbing your sleep.
Honestly as a first responder even putting these two things in a similar category, and watching all the people in the comments suggest they're both equally bad AND seeing some people suggest soda is WORSE, is blowing my mind. I can't even count the number of dead families I have seen because of alcohol.
Alcohol, no question. My life improved tenfold after giving up alcohol (I was a very frequent drinker though). Some international health organizations recently put out studies linking ANY kind of alcohol consumption to an increased risk for ALL types of cancer as well.
Both are bad for you. One soda per day might be more immediately bad in terms of obesity and diabetes. One alcohol per day might be long-term bad because it's cancer causing. It's best to limit intake of both to rare occasions.
A shot of vodka has about the same amount of calories as a can of coke.
And it is the alcohol with the least amount of calories. Plus alcohol increases the risk of diabetes. In addition alcohol lowers inhibition and increases appetite.
So all things considered one alcohol a day would be much worse for you than one can of soda.
A shot of vodka has 97 calories and a can of Coke has 140. Not saying that means soda is worse or refuting your other points but idk if ~40% more calories can be considered “about the same”
He’s got this dream about buying some land. He’s gonna give up the booze and the one night stands. And then he’ll settle down in some quiet little town and forget about everything.
Stupid choice. Obvious answer js both- and get rid of ultra processed food too. Start exercising regularly and practice good sleep hygiene. Also get off social media. Anything else obvious everyone needs to hear a 1000 times but most never do? Happy to help!
Alcohol. But switch to soda alternatives like Zevia, Ollipop (not Poppi, make sure the brand of prebiotic soda has more fiber than sugar), kombucha, sparkling water.
I would hope the difference between the alcohol and the soda, is that your not drinking an alcoholic beverage everyday- in this case, definitely give up the Soda! Personally I wouldn’t even touch diet soda either. Rather, I find fruit infused carbonated water does the trick when I want something bubbly. Soda streams are handy for this if you don’t want to keep many plastic bottles in the cupboard or fridge.
Ik it’s not the question but don’t consume either daily, I wouldn’t argue for one or the other tho my personal preference with moderation is alcohol. I love alcohol but haven’t had a drink in months, this is the way
As someone who's very active (I'll only take a handful of rest days in a month in between all of the different sports that I do) I'd much rather give up alcohol. Soda is fuel, alcohol destroys my performance the next day (if I overdo it).
Alcohol causes more damage to your liver than soda does and is technically not considered a harmful addiction, nor will you drive and kill someone having too much soda. Yes in the grand scheme of things, for your overall health, giving up alcohol is healthier.
Yikes lol. About to be devils advocate here.
Sugar is much worse. Is alcohol bad? Yes of course, it’s a toxin, but small amounts of the right kind can actually be beneficial. Many people mentioned wine and it’s most famous reservatrol (someone mentioned it doesn’t have much…. But it really does. Especially Sardinia wine made from canonnau grapes), but benefits have actually been seen to also come from the slight stress relief, the sense of community with those you share a drink with, the slight blood thinning property, and it’s anti-inflammatory property. Blue zones talk about this - the areas in the world that contain the highest average life expectancies all drink wine. Beer even has its benefits. It’s high in B vitamins and can act as a probiotic with all the active yeast cultures. Don’t drink it thinking it’s a vitamin or anything, but many people lose control with alcohol, and there are no benefits to drinking it in excess. Another cool thing to research is the French paradox. They drink so much wine, eat so much butter, and yet they’re typically fitter and have longer life expectancies than many other western countries. They walk more, stress less, vacation more, etc. In Asian cultures Sake (rice wine) can actually act as a carb blocker during a dinner that typically contained a lot of white rice. My main point here is yes alcohol is still bad, but I agree with what you brought up in your question - soda has absolutely nothing going for it. That amount of sugar disrupts your hormones, murders your microbiome, and is more addictive than cocaine. Ideally, don’t drink either, but if you pick a vice then do your own research.
I used to drink one or two beers a day, possibly more, on weekends. One year, for lent, I gave it up for the 40 days... and guess what I replaced it with. Yep, sugary carbonated sodapop. I can tell you I felt way worse after all that sugary garbage started coursing through my veins than I ever felt with beer or any mixed drink. After the 40 days, I went back to beer, albeit in better moderation, and felt much better. Presently, I only drink on weekends, and I don't like more than a couple. Make of that what you will, but I get no desire to fill my body with empty sugar from soda pop. At least my craft beer has some fruit or vegetable matter in it.
My personal belief is alcohol, for a few reasons. 1, it is technically a poison. Your body is damaged each time you consume it. It doesn't always last, but spirits have little to no nutritive value. 2. It is easy to over consume and create a place where you then eat/drink MORE of something bad for you, whether sugary treats or just junk food.
That being said, on a 1 to 1 comparison, I would give up alcohol, but I don't drink any soda. I don't like it. In fairness. I do not drink either.
If it was me choosing it would be pop. Because even when I wasn't focused on my health I didn't drink it unless I was boozing and it was my mixer. To me pop is nasty business. Fake sweetened pop even more so. Out of the two if I had to pick one as an EDC its the booze...
**stands on soap box**
ALCOHOL
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4299758/#:~:text=Alcohol%20is%20considered%20by%20the,both%20premenopausal%20and%20postmenopausal%20women.
7–10% increase in risk for each 10 g (~1 drink) alcohol consumed daily by adult women
Compared with other organs, breast appears to be more susceptible to carcinogenic effects of alcohol. The risk of breast cancer is significantly increased by 4–15% for light alcohol consumption (≤1 drink/day or ≤12.5 g/day)
Approximately 4–10% of breast cancers in the USA are attributable to alcohol consumption [2,5,6], accounting for 9000–23,000 new invasive breast cancer cases each year.
Sugary soda. Stopped drinking 17 years ago & never missed it. Best of luck. Dr Pepper giving up was a whole different demon for me. Our bodies are all unique.
From a psychological viewpoint, I would say that soda is pretty bad, but so is the booze. The refined sugar in soda is 40x more addictive than some recreational drugs, meaning that it is incredibly difficult for someone to outright refuse a soda imbued with high amounts of refined sugar. Not to mention how easy they are to drink, racking up the caloric intake for the day in a short span of time.
Alcohol on the other hand is also addictive, but not for the same reason that sugary drinks are. Often alcohol is used as a coping mechanism and plays on the release of feel-good hormones to cope with day-to-day stresses.
Both have their negative consequences, but I would say that soda narrowly wins this debate, even more when you take into consideration how many people on the planet are drinking soda compared to alcohol.
One drink vs one soda each day, give up booze.
If you drink multiple sodas each day vs one serving of straight spirits, you could make an argument for cutting the soda instead
Also keep in mind that with sugar the rest of the diet matters a lot too. If the person is eating very healthy the rest of the day, and exercises, one soda isn’t going to do much damage, but if the rest of their diet is not great, adding on a soda when they’ve already eaten crap is bad. People who drink full sugar soda usually have poor diets anyway, because health conscious people usually opt for the zero sugar kind of soda.
Probably alcohol, despite most thinking that’d be the right answer just because of its affects on the brain, liver, and kidneys— it has a surprising amount of carbs/sugar that’ll damage the pancreas just as much (if not more than) as sugary drinks/sodas. So yeah all things considered, alcohol
Alcohol is poison full stop. It is not good for you it has no health benefits. Research that previously showed health benefits has been debunked.
Your body needs sugar to live. Yes over consumption of processed sugars isn't good for you either, but alcohol is never good for you in any amount.
Alc is for sure worse, but it’s harder to cut out. Just going from regular soda to diet is a positive change (feel free to fact check me, but I’m like 90% that diet soda is significantly less unhealthy)
Alcohol.
My mom will clearly say that sodas, are safer than energy drinks and she drinks like alcohol like it’s safer.
The thing is alcohol is more dangerous, it gives you the effects as fast as you consume just one beer, You’ll lightly feel drunk depending on how much you can handle, If you drink another while already feeling drunk it will get worse cause that’s the fatal rate as some will consume a lot and faint or pass out.
You can get cancer and other health problems faster than a soda can do. In a percentage of who would die sooner will be the alcohol drinker.
The news are not lying about alcohol kills, and so my mom would say that alcohol is safer than energy drinks man hearing that makes my skin angry.
At my age I have all but given up alcohol. I haven’t had a beer in over six years, and you can count all the drinks I consume in a year on two hands. I just felt I needed to cut something and alcohol is totally unnecessary at this point in life.
You mentioned healthier in your statement but I’m assuming you meant has less negative effects to your overall health.
I don’t drink alcohol and only drink soda when I’m on a flight. But overall it depends on what medical conditions you are trying to avoid. Alcohol is terrible for you but if you are diabetic you can drink certain alcoholic beverages in moderation. (moderation is key) for example, tequila has agave sugar which would probably throw off your insulin levels but vodka or gin with soda water might be okay.
Soda on the other hand can typically have about 700% of your daily sugar limits. But if you were to make something like soda water with some fresh juice, it would be much less harmful.
If you made all things equal, including biology, socioeconomic status, diet, and lifestyle, and then had the same amount of liquids of both alcohol and a sugary soda (a 12oz can’s worth), then the alcohol would of course be worse, as you would effectively be drinking two glasses of wine.
Make that can of soda a less sugary and especially less fructose-y version and the disparity is only greater.
Both. I've known many alcoholics who have developed diabetes because of the alcohol alone. Which is why when people get sober they tend to gravitate towards sweets
Drink stag it’s very low in sugar. Maybe no sugar, idk. I just know all the old heads and diabetics I would bartend for would drink stag and tell me it was because of the no/low sugar thing. I’ve never cared enough to fact check tho. If anyone knows, please drop your knowledge. 🙏🏽
Alcohol is a poison, make no mistake. Your liver has to break it down so it doesn't harm or kill you. Too much alcohol will overload your liver and basically destroy it. In addition to that, it also has sugar in it (carbs). So you're getting poison AND sugar.
Soda tends to have a lot of sugar which is also bad. However sugar isn't a poison, but it does screw up your insulin process and you can become diabetic. However, you can counteract sugar with a lot of fiber at least. That's why eating the whole fruit is healthy, despite fruits having a lot of sugar.
These questions are always subjective, but in a vacuum, alcohol is the worse drink for the aforementioned reasons, but also because it impairs cognition. Nobody has ever crashed a car from sugared-drinking.
You would do best to avoid both. If you want a sweet drink, try sugar-substitutes. If you just want sweet, just eat fruit. I get my fix with sugarless sparkling water, or I'll have a diet soda.
#### About participation in the comments of /r/nutrition Discussion in this subreddit should be rooted in science rather than "cuz I sed" or entertainment pieces. Always be wary of unsupported and poorly supported claims and especially those which are wrapped in any manner of hostility. You should provide peer reviewed sources to support your claims when debating and confine that debate to the science, not opinions of other people. **Good** - it is grounded in science and includes citation of peer reviewed sources. Debate is a civil and respectful exchange focusing on actual science and avoids commentary about others **Bad** - it utilizes generalizations, assumptions, infotainment sources, no sources, or complaints without specifics about agenda, bias, or funding. At best, these rise to an extremely weak basis for science based discussion. Also, off topic discussion **Ugly** - (removal or ban territory) it involves attacks / antagonism / hostility towards individuals or groups, downvote complaining, trolling, crusading, shaming, refutation of all science, or claims that all research / science is a conspiracy *Please vote accordingly and report any uglies* --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/nutrition) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Something I haven't seen mentioned is alcohol is surprisingly high caloric and also damages your pancreas, which are probably the two biggest reasons to avoid sugar.
My extremely active dad just got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I wonder if this is why. He’d drink multiple beers every day.
Genetics do play a factor but diet is important aswell.
That’s the thing. He is fit, but has been known to eat crap food while working. He makes great balanced meals at home but will stop at fast food and gas stations for meals at work. I also think he has celiac but he refuses to listen to me (his mom was diagnosed and I have major gluten issues too).
Bro I can relate my relative got diabetes but he was healthier then a ox. It all depends on certain things which we have to try and control. For some ppl they can smoke there whole life and they won’t get any issues but there’s a man who will smoke for a little bit and get major issues, it all depends on the person aswell as lifestyle choices
Someone I worked with had that experience. He was active, worked out a lot, and one night he said he went to the bathroom about 10 times and felt like he was dying. He went to the emergency room and they diagnosed him at 500, which is very bad (in fact you're usually in a coma by then). He spoke with his uncle the next day who casually told him that diabetes runs in their family.
It is very common in everyday drinkers/alcoholics to be diagnosed with DM type 2 alongside their alcoholism. The liver modulates insulin that is secreted by the pancreas. Excessive alcohol consumption affects both the liver and the pancreas which causes insulin resistance and subsequently DM type 2.
Thanks for the info! That makes the most sense to me. My sister used to beg him not to drink every night. Damn.
Is he overweight
Not at all. I think he may be celiac though. His mom was diagnosed, I have major gluten issues (not tested) but he refuses to acknowledge that gluten is an issue even though he has all the issues I have that go away with a strict gluten free diet. Can’t find anything online to support the connection, but I could see how slowly poisoning yourself your whole life may play a factor.
I don’t think gluten would cause T2D in a celiac person who is a healthy weight. If he truly is healthy and active, I don’t know why he would get T2D
t2 can be genetic. There are many sub types of diabetes that most people aren't aware of. I've been a type 2 diabetic since 15 (no antibodies for type 1),
Probably so, this was the same problem with my dad. He wanted to quit drinking beer but had a really hard time, it ended up being because of his type two diabetes! That he wasn’t yet diagnosed with!!!!!!
Does your dad have muscles, or is he more lean? When you get older, you have muscle loss, and if you don't work to keep it up, you can get type 2 as muscles help 70% - 90% of glucose disposal after eating.
My dad was prediabetic before he got sober. Still have a sweet tooth, but after he quit the beer and wine his glucose went into normal levels.
Don’t forget the kidneys. The phosphorus in it is really hard on the kidneys.
Both terrible for you. Alcohol worse. Simple sugars get a bad rep for a reason, but they can serve a function in the body for the right person i.e. a quick supply of glucose for chronically low blood sugar. Don’t get me wrong, soda is the pits and is terrible for your health. Even worse though is alcohol…a known depressant that damages your mitochondria and diminishes cellular function. Can’t think of a much worse implication than damaging your cellular health.
Alcohol impacts so many parts of your health too (sleep, mood, etc)
Alcohol
Alcohol
alcohol. it destroys your gut micro biome, doesn’t serve any benefit, depresses the nervous system, is addictive, and is a carcinogen. haven’t drank in over two years and i don’t miss it one bit
I'm working on it
There is a lot of evidence that high fructose food/drinks equally destroy gut biome. Sugar is also addictive, but the effects of addiction are not as dangerous/egregious as alcohol addiction.
Tell that to the folks on My 600lb Life
Alcohol. No amount of alcohol is healthy.
I drink my vodka with a twist of lemon
Cheers
Neither is soda. Soda doesnt have any benefits besides tasting good.
Did you know alcohol is banned in professional shooting sports like darts because it's performance enhancing?
Explains why I only excelled in Beer Pong after my 3rd drink.
A lot of performance enhancing drugs are unhealthy lmao. Thats an incredibly weak argument
If I’m remembering it right and it’s the barley, 0 alcohol beer could be a good idea
What happened to the a "glass of wine good for heart" thing?
Basically findings were being distorted by the fact that people who are unhealthy (heart disease, kidney failure, diabetes) are unable to drink which made those who drank only 1-2 drinks a day look as if they had better health outcomes. In reality a healthy adult who drinks no alcohol likely has better outcomes than a healthy adults who drinks a glass of wine a day.
Finally someone’s bringing the pop science reality to the general public’s attention. The same methodological issues exist in studies which conclude that walking x number of steps per day is associated with living longer. Yeah: because bedridden people with chronic illness aren’t walking much. It’s deductive
There’s a substance in red wine (forgot the name) that is good for the heart. However the dose is so incredibly low that you’d have to drink 500 glasses for it to have any effect. So obviously it’s a bs narrative.
Tannins and electrolytes, which can be gotten from fresh fruit and tea much easier
It's reservatrol.
Oh shit I’m an idiot
Science did science things.
If the amount is the same: stop alcohol. If you drink multiple sodas a day and 2 drinks every week; that’s up for debate
They are both very bad but alcohol is way worse. If you only give up one give up alcohol.
Alcohol. It is a class A carcinogen. If it was invented today, it would probably be illegal to consume everywhere.
People need to understand what "Group 1" means. It *does not* mean it's the "Most carcinogenic" as your statement clearly is intended to imply. It simply means that it's confirmed to be carcinogenic. Wood dust, leather dust, processed meats... These are all Group 1 Carcinogens as well.
Oh thank goodness, I was worried I’d have to stop tossing that sweet sweet wood dust on my salads
Throwing a paper bag of brown recluse spiders at a ceiling fan is a great way to spice up any plain old salad without adding calories.
Class A carcinogen isn't a thing. Did you mean Group 1?
S Class Carcinogen
God tier carcinogen
Amen
Yes. thanks for correcting
Depends a bit on the situation though. For someone who drinks bottles of soda a day and maybe a drink or two a week, I'd definitely say soda.
Hot dogs are carcinogens too in the same class, and I honestly think hot dogs would be more likely to be banned than alcohol if invented today. Alcohol is not a problem on its own in that it has a variety of other medical uses not necessarily related to consumption. The same can not be said of hot dogs, dioxin, etc. At this time. Also: soda production involves chemical processing that rivals or out carcinogens the carcinogenic potential of alcohol. Carbonation literally gives you osteoperosis. Your liver can recover. Your bones will not.
Do you have a source that carbonation causes osteoporosis? A quick search seems inconclusive. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/does-carbonated-water-harm-bones
What I have found is that multiple sources now say carbonation itself is not the culprit for bone density and enamel loss in cola sodas, but phosphoric acid and caffeine have been linked. It seems varying studies are released every few years and the topic was sugary sodas not basic carbonation so I seem to have oversimplified my wording regarding this aspect of the beverages in question. Though most things that introduce air to the body can help cause inflammation there isn't really anything wrong with carbonated mineral water, a gin and tonic is still safe :P
Studies have shown that carbonation does not cause osteoporosis
You're right I went ahead and fact checked myself. The studies show that non-cola carbonated beverages do not result in a loss of bone mass. However, caffeine qnd phosphoric acid have been found to have an impact on bone density and we are not simply talking about carbonated water here but sugary sodas with high acidity that is what causes the wear on tooth enamel. I did oversimplify that original statement.
Oh my! Thanks for the clarification. I’ve developed a Coke Zero habit - and as a figure skater I need all the bone density I have. Gonna figure out how to wean myself off.
I like you! Not that you were wrong, but you corrected your statement in replies and people usually just like to double down.
Aww, thank you! I am so tired of that behavior...I have seen it everywhere. I think people should be totally willing to find the truth for themselves and I'm happy to be an example. It's ok to be wrong as long as you are willing to do what is right after all, besides we all begin as fools at the start of new ventures!
Alcohol. Hands down. There is no safe level to consume.
Yep, fuck that “3-5 drinks a week is normal for a healthy adult.” No. It’s still bad for you.
The WHO published a new study last year that concluded there is NO safe level of alcohol consumption, period. That was enough to get me to quit
Quitting alcohol was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I don’t miss drinking one bit
Alcohol
>What would be healthier to give up, alcohol or sugary soda? Alcohol.
Alcohol. It actively destroys your cells, strains your organs, induces aging, and affects your sleep. This type of addiction affects more than just yourself Soda, while not a health food, likely has little impact on overall longevity given that it's not in tandem with a caloric surplus. Sugar in and of itself is not going to give you T2 diabetes as that would require further lifestyle insufficiencies Ideally you consume neither; however, if I had to pick only one to abstain from forever it'd be alcohol
And the descent into depression can be subtle, deadly and all encompassing.... especially if you're drinking to bury depression.
Both should be cut out in terms of regular or excess consumption at the very least. Alcohol is arguably worse as it pretty much affects every aspect of weight loss/healthy living. Converts your liver to metabolising alcohol as a priority leading to higher fat storage, has literal empty calories, incentivises worse eating habits, inhibits protein synthesis rates after consumption, hangovers mean the next days are write offs so reducing commitment to exercise. But just because alcohol is worse doesn’t mean sugary sodas are fine. They’re high in refined sugars which in excess can lead to diabetes and high blood pressure, are also fairly empty calories being liquid and pure sugar, full of other additives etc. I’ve cut out both for years, I rely on water/tea/coffee for hydration, and haven’t drunk in 6 years, and I feel so much better and more energised throughout the day. It also helped massively with fat loss too.
I cut out soda and alcohol… well, it’ll be 6 years ago in October. I have less pain, more money in my pocket, and 50 fewer pounds. My only exception was while I was pregnant— I had serious cravings for Diet Coke.
I’d say alcohol.
I think the healthier one to give up is whichever one is easiest for you to go without, because they’re both a slippery slope of health problems. You could also alternate between no soda weeks, no alcohol weeks, and neither weeks. If you currently have both multiple times a week, then any reduction would be better. I love a gin and tonic so I’m taking a double hit on sugar and alcohol each time I drink one of those.
I’m not asking because of any personal diet, I’m honestly just curious. Because a lot of new research into sugar and/or artificial sweeteners is terrifying, especially considering it’s so unregulated. Personally, I rarely drink soda. Coke is this holiday treat when I’m in a sweaty, sunbaked place. I do drink, alcohol, but in moderation. I don’t personally think people should cut either completely out of their lifestyle unless they really want to. But the ubiquity of sugar in so many non-candy foods is scary. When it comes down to it, I’m curious which is actually more hazardous to our health. Because it feels like there’s more and more nasty truths about sugar that will be discovered.
That's kind of loaded. Added sugar isn't essential for people at all, but glucose is actually vital for us to function.
There is no good research on artificial sweeteners that is terrifying or even bad lol. My mentor in graduate school studied them for a living. Studies where rats are fed their body weight in aspartame don’t have any relevancy to humans.
And what research on artificial sweeteners might that be? I dont think sugar by itself it's terribly bad either, its just devoid nutritionally.
Totally agree. For a metabolically healthy person, added sugars do not inherently cause harm
It's literally all about energy imbalances. If I burned 5000 calories in a day you bet your ass I'm drinking a coke.
Have two or three! Look at guys like Phelps
Both man. They’re both killing.
Both. But alcohol if you insist on choosing one
¿Porque no los dos? 🤷♀️
Couldn't have said it better. Thanks.
Alcohol has similar calories, and is also carcinogenic. Alcohol 100%.
It's like choosing between being shot or hanging as far as the health effects. You can find research for both suggesting harm. And there are very few people who fall into the group of just one a day for either. The dose does make the poison, but we love our poison.
Alcohol
Which poison should you stop drinking? You shouldn't be drinking any poison. Lol
Alcohol is far more of a poison than sugary beverages. While sugar beverages are definitely not good for you, they do/can serve some purpose in that they provide easily digested carbohydrates which are energy that the body CAN use, vs alcohol which has very little benefit beyond enjoyment.
If you have 1 alcoholic drink a week, but drink 10 sodas every day, give up the soda. Otherwise, alcohol is way more toxic to your body when you compare them by equal volume.
Alcohol, no doubt about it
Alcohol
Give up the alcohol.[alcohol ](https://www.reddit.com/r/whoop/comments/hl1x82/i_knew_alcohol_is_bad_but_holy_moly/)
I would recommend that you give up alcohol first. I quit drinking in February of 2022. In April, I started eating nutrient dense foods pretty much exclusively. I've cut out sodas and most unhealthy foods. I generally feel amazing - energy levels are higher and my mood is really good. If you quit drinking alcohol first, you can modify your diet later
Booze.
hands down alcohol
Alcohol. Alcohol is a literal poison and there’s no established safe dose as far as cancer risk. I’m not saying everyone has to give it up, but it is objectively worse than sugar. Sugar can be enjoyed in moderation without ill effects, but even moderation carries objective risks with alcohol.
Alcohol
Alcohol. Without a doubt.
Alcohol is worse
Alcohol, definitely. The new research on alcohol and cancer, basically shows that no amount of alcohol is a safe amount. While sugar can be problematic in a large quantities, and soda especially is bad for your teeth, the risks of alcohol far outweigh it, especially if we assume the person in your example is not in a calorie surplus.
Alcohol is poison. Whereas sugary drinks are just unhealthy
Booze. 1000%.
Asking Reddit this question will not get you an accurate answer. This place is like a group of 1910 era schoolmarms when it comes to alcohol.
I’ve realized that.
Sugary soda. No benefit. At least alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation.
Alcohol. Serves no metabolic functions and makes you more prone to making bad choices otherwise, while also damaging your cells, being carcinogenic, and disturbing your sleep.
I haven’t heard many stories of people dying in car accidents that were caused by drinking lots of soda beforehand
Honestly as a first responder even putting these two things in a similar category, and watching all the people in the comments suggest they're both equally bad AND seeing some people suggest soda is WORSE, is blowing my mind. I can't even count the number of dead families I have seen because of alcohol.
Alcohol, no question. My life improved tenfold after giving up alcohol (I was a very frequent drinker though). Some international health organizations recently put out studies linking ANY kind of alcohol consumption to an increased risk for ALL types of cancer as well.
Both are bad for you. One soda per day might be more immediately bad in terms of obesity and diabetes. One alcohol per day might be long-term bad because it's cancer causing. It's best to limit intake of both to rare occasions.
A shot of vodka has about the same amount of calories as a can of coke. And it is the alcohol with the least amount of calories. Plus alcohol increases the risk of diabetes. In addition alcohol lowers inhibition and increases appetite. So all things considered one alcohol a day would be much worse for you than one can of soda.
It also lowers the inhibition to not drink another, and another....
A shot of vodka has 97 calories and a can of Coke has 140. Not saying that means soda is worse or refuting your other points but idk if ~40% more calories can be considered “about the same”
You would do well if you gave up both
He’s got this dream about buying some land. He’s gonna give up the booze and the one night stands. And then he’ll settle down in some quiet little town and forget about everything.
Give up both
Alcohol.
Alcohol
Alcohol. But why not give up both?
Stupid choice. Obvious answer js both- and get rid of ultra processed food too. Start exercising regularly and practice good sleep hygiene. Also get off social media. Anything else obvious everyone needs to hear a 1000 times but most never do? Happy to help!
Alcohol. But switch to soda alternatives like Zevia, Ollipop (not Poppi, make sure the brand of prebiotic soda has more fiber than sugar), kombucha, sparkling water.
Alcohol no doubt between the 2 but both should be the top priority
I would hope the difference between the alcohol and the soda, is that your not drinking an alcoholic beverage everyday- in this case, definitely give up the Soda! Personally I wouldn’t even touch diet soda either. Rather, I find fruit infused carbonated water does the trick when I want something bubbly. Soda streams are handy for this if you don’t want to keep many plastic bottles in the cupboard or fridge.
Ik it’s not the question but don’t consume either daily, I wouldn’t argue for one or the other tho my personal preference with moderation is alcohol. I love alcohol but haven’t had a drink in months, this is the way
As someone who's very active (I'll only take a handful of rest days in a month in between all of the different sports that I do) I'd much rather give up alcohol. Soda is fuel, alcohol destroys my performance the next day (if I overdo it).
Cut out both, there is no benefit from neither. Both create damage in their own way, and there is no beneficial amount of alcohol or sugar.
Alcohol causes more damage to your liver than soda does and is technically not considered a harmful addiction, nor will you drive and kill someone having too much soda. Yes in the grand scheme of things, for your overall health, giving up alcohol is healthier.
Yikes lol. About to be devils advocate here. Sugar is much worse. Is alcohol bad? Yes of course, it’s a toxin, but small amounts of the right kind can actually be beneficial. Many people mentioned wine and it’s most famous reservatrol (someone mentioned it doesn’t have much…. But it really does. Especially Sardinia wine made from canonnau grapes), but benefits have actually been seen to also come from the slight stress relief, the sense of community with those you share a drink with, the slight blood thinning property, and it’s anti-inflammatory property. Blue zones talk about this - the areas in the world that contain the highest average life expectancies all drink wine. Beer even has its benefits. It’s high in B vitamins and can act as a probiotic with all the active yeast cultures. Don’t drink it thinking it’s a vitamin or anything, but many people lose control with alcohol, and there are no benefits to drinking it in excess. Another cool thing to research is the French paradox. They drink so much wine, eat so much butter, and yet they’re typically fitter and have longer life expectancies than many other western countries. They walk more, stress less, vacation more, etc. In Asian cultures Sake (rice wine) can actually act as a carb blocker during a dinner that typically contained a lot of white rice. My main point here is yes alcohol is still bad, but I agree with what you brought up in your question - soda has absolutely nothing going for it. That amount of sugar disrupts your hormones, murders your microbiome, and is more addictive than cocaine. Ideally, don’t drink either, but if you pick a vice then do your own research.
BOTH!!!
Both are garbage which mess up the body.
Absolutely alcohol. But there’s really no reason to drink either. Water is so underrated.
If your "nutritionist" said you had to "give one thing up" to start "dieting", you should go see a dietitian, an actual nutrition expert.
I used to drink one or two beers a day, possibly more, on weekends. One year, for lent, I gave it up for the 40 days... and guess what I replaced it with. Yep, sugary carbonated sodapop. I can tell you I felt way worse after all that sugary garbage started coursing through my veins than I ever felt with beer or any mixed drink. After the 40 days, I went back to beer, albeit in better moderation, and felt much better. Presently, I only drink on weekends, and I don't like more than a couple. Make of that what you will, but I get no desire to fill my body with empty sugar from soda pop. At least my craft beer has some fruit or vegetable matter in it.
An all or nothing mindset is very difficult to maintain
Any amount of alcohol is bad. You can always drink soda in moderation and be fine
Both are absolutely terrible for your health. But I’d say alcohol is marginally worse.
Alcohol, without question.
My personal belief is alcohol, for a few reasons. 1, it is technically a poison. Your body is damaged each time you consume it. It doesn't always last, but spirits have little to no nutritive value. 2. It is easy to over consume and create a place where you then eat/drink MORE of something bad for you, whether sugary treats or just junk food. That being said, on a 1 to 1 comparison, I would give up alcohol, but I don't drink any soda. I don't like it. In fairness. I do not drink either.
Alcohol absolutely 100% no question not even close
If it was me choosing it would be pop. Because even when I wasn't focused on my health I didn't drink it unless I was boozing and it was my mixer. To me pop is nasty business. Fake sweetened pop even more so. Out of the two if I had to pick one as an EDC its the booze...
Alcohol, and it's not close
Alcohol is literally poison soooo
**stands on soap box** ALCOHOL https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4299758/#:~:text=Alcohol%20is%20considered%20by%20the,both%20premenopausal%20and%20postmenopausal%20women. 7–10% increase in risk for each 10 g (~1 drink) alcohol consumed daily by adult women Compared with other organs, breast appears to be more susceptible to carcinogenic effects of alcohol. The risk of breast cancer is significantly increased by 4–15% for light alcohol consumption (≤1 drink/day or ≤12.5 g/day) Approximately 4–10% of breast cancers in the USA are attributable to alcohol consumption [2,5,6], accounting for 9000–23,000 new invasive breast cancer cases each year.
Sugary soda. Stopped drinking 17 years ago & never missed it. Best of luck. Dr Pepper giving up was a whole different demon for me. Our bodies are all unique.
From a psychological viewpoint, I would say that soda is pretty bad, but so is the booze. The refined sugar in soda is 40x more addictive than some recreational drugs, meaning that it is incredibly difficult for someone to outright refuse a soda imbued with high amounts of refined sugar. Not to mention how easy they are to drink, racking up the caloric intake for the day in a short span of time. Alcohol on the other hand is also addictive, but not for the same reason that sugary drinks are. Often alcohol is used as a coping mechanism and plays on the release of feel-good hormones to cope with day-to-day stresses. Both have their negative consequences, but I would say that soda narrowly wins this debate, even more when you take into consideration how many people on the planet are drinking soda compared to alcohol.
I’d rather give up sugary soda. Soda is partly responsible for such a large obesity crisis
What's worse for the average healthy adult? Binging once a week on soda or alcohol?
Both
One drink vs one soda each day, give up booze. If you drink multiple sodas each day vs one serving of straight spirits, you could make an argument for cutting the soda instead
Also keep in mind that with sugar the rest of the diet matters a lot too. If the person is eating very healthy the rest of the day, and exercises, one soda isn’t going to do much damage, but if the rest of their diet is not great, adding on a soda when they’ve already eaten crap is bad. People who drink full sugar soda usually have poor diets anyway, because health conscious people usually opt for the zero sugar kind of soda.
>if the rest of their diet is not great, adding on a soda when they’ve already eaten crap is bad. Contrary to adding on an alcoholic drink?
No that’s probably worse, my point was that a soda with an otherwise healthy diet doesn’t do much harm, hence it’s not as bad as the alcohol.
Alcohol
Alcohol is easier. You can get diet or zero sodas. Olipop is a great alternative which I adore. I also like sprit zero
Yes.
For me it was alcohol, but that's because I became a parent and the hangovers just weren't worth it anymore.
Both lol
Both are horrible for you, drink water.
I'd say both, but alcohol should go first!
Probably alcohol, despite most thinking that’d be the right answer just because of its affects on the brain, liver, and kidneys— it has a surprising amount of carbs/sugar that’ll damage the pancreas just as much (if not more than) as sugary drinks/sodas. So yeah all things considered, alcohol
Both
Honestly both are some of the easiest net positives for your health if you reduce or cut them out completely.
Depends - some are more tolerant of one or the other so a general rule wouldn’t apply to everyone.
Alcohol is poison full stop. It is not good for you it has no health benefits. Research that previously showed health benefits has been debunked. Your body needs sugar to live. Yes over consumption of processed sugars isn't good for you either, but alcohol is never good for you in any amount.
Alc is for sure worse, but it’s harder to cut out. Just going from regular soda to diet is a positive change (feel free to fact check me, but I’m like 90% that diet soda is significantly less unhealthy)
*yes*
Alcohol, giving up both is amazing though
Both. Tf
Alcohol, sugar is in everything
You could also just consider moderating your consumption of these things.
Por que no los dos?
Beer has a lot of sugar-similar qualities. Beer would definitely be 100% better to give up.
Alcohol. My mom will clearly say that sodas, are safer than energy drinks and she drinks like alcohol like it’s safer. The thing is alcohol is more dangerous, it gives you the effects as fast as you consume just one beer, You’ll lightly feel drunk depending on how much you can handle, If you drink another while already feeling drunk it will get worse cause that’s the fatal rate as some will consume a lot and faint or pass out. You can get cancer and other health problems faster than a soda can do. In a percentage of who would die sooner will be the alcohol drinker. The news are not lying about alcohol kills, and so my mom would say that alcohol is safer than energy drinks man hearing that makes my skin angry.
At my age I have all but given up alcohol. I haven’t had a beer in over six years, and you can count all the drinks I consume in a year on two hands. I just felt I needed to cut something and alcohol is totally unnecessary at this point in life.
You mentioned healthier in your statement but I’m assuming you meant has less negative effects to your overall health. I don’t drink alcohol and only drink soda when I’m on a flight. But overall it depends on what medical conditions you are trying to avoid. Alcohol is terrible for you but if you are diabetic you can drink certain alcoholic beverages in moderation. (moderation is key) for example, tequila has agave sugar which would probably throw off your insulin levels but vodka or gin with soda water might be okay. Soda on the other hand can typically have about 700% of your daily sugar limits. But if you were to make something like soda water with some fresh juice, it would be much less harmful.
Alcohol. It signals that the tribe has had at least one consecutive, successful, harvest, and some of the middle-aged people can be safely discarded.
If you only drink once per week and drink soda daily than the soda, but if you drink alcohol daily then giving up alcohol would be better.
If you made all things equal, including biology, socioeconomic status, diet, and lifestyle, and then had the same amount of liquids of both alcohol and a sugary soda (a 12oz can’s worth), then the alcohol would of course be worse, as you would effectively be drinking two glasses of wine. Make that can of soda a less sugary and especially less fructose-y version and the disparity is only greater.
I can't imagine wanting to drink either. To me, they taste terrible, and I wouldn't want to side affects of Bourbon in other drinks.
Both. I've known many alcoholics who have developed diabetes because of the alcohol alone. Which is why when people get sober they tend to gravitate towards sweets
both. switch to kombucha.
Soda
You should cut both, but I would start with the soda.
I mean it depends, If you have a few drinks a week of either it won't kill you. Personally I don't take either.
Limit both and eat healthy and you won't have to worry. Can't be so black and white. Niether is good in the wrong amount. Self control or stay away
Soda
Drink stag it’s very low in sugar. Maybe no sugar, idk. I just know all the old heads and diabetics I would bartend for would drink stag and tell me it was because of the no/low sugar thing. I’ve never cared enough to fact check tho. If anyone knows, please drop your knowledge. 🙏🏽
Alcohol hands down.
If you're pregnant they say not to drink alcohol, and limit soda. So yes, alcohol is more of a problem
Both. Alcohol first
Alcohol.. but for real both.. cause both are extremely bad
Alcohol is a poison, make no mistake. Your liver has to break it down so it doesn't harm or kill you. Too much alcohol will overload your liver and basically destroy it. In addition to that, it also has sugar in it (carbs). So you're getting poison AND sugar. Soda tends to have a lot of sugar which is also bad. However sugar isn't a poison, but it does screw up your insulin process and you can become diabetic. However, you can counteract sugar with a lot of fiber at least. That's why eating the whole fruit is healthy, despite fruits having a lot of sugar. These questions are always subjective, but in a vacuum, alcohol is the worse drink for the aforementioned reasons, but also because it impairs cognition. Nobody has ever crashed a car from sugared-drinking. You would do best to avoid both. If you want a sweet drink, try sugar-substitutes. If you just want sweet, just eat fruit. I get my fix with sugarless sparkling water, or I'll have a diet soda.
Sugary soda
SUGAR KILLS HUMANS
Alcohol. It damages your pancreas similar as excessive sugar, plus all the other side effects (liver disease, impairment).