You probably have a few drinks a week that you think are helping your health. However, these drinks might be secretly increasing inflammation in your body. This is one of the reasons why so many people struggle with weight loss.
If you are drinking these beverages, it could be causing inflammation in other parts of your body as well.
Even when you aren’t trying to lose weight, if you have inflammation in your body, it can cause issues like joint pain and arthritis.
You probably don’t see the connection between these beverages and inflammation because they seem healthy. But below are some beverages that are actually increasing inflammation in your body:
- Cocktails
Alcohol causes oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. It also increases the production of cortisol, which is known as the stress hormone. This makes it difficult for inflammation to heal. Plus, alcohol can mess with your sleep cycle and make it difficult to get a good night’s rest, which is another important factor when it comes to fighting inflammation.
- Coffee
Too much caffeine can increase inflammation in our bodies — especially when we’re stressed out or sleep-deprived. That’s because our bodies produce more of a protein called interleukin-6 when we’re stressed or short on sleep, so drinking coffee during that time can increase inflammation even more than usual. A cup of coffee in the morning isn’t bad for us, but enjoying more than one (or two) cups per day should be avoided if you want to keep your body from becoming inflammated.
- Soda
Soda is filled with sugar and artificial sweeteners that are damaging to our body. Artificial sweeteners increase cravings for sugar and can cause weight gain as well as diabetes. But that’s not all! Consuming too much soda has been linked to heart disease, kidney disorders, and even cancer. If you’re craving something sweet, opt for fresh lemon juice or honey instead!
