DeEp DaRk FuDgE

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme
• 1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk(about 2/3 cup)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Line 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil. Butter foil; set aside.

2. Combine sugar, marshmallow creme, evaporated milk and butter in heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, to a full boil. Boil, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir just until chips are melted; pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Cut into squares. Store tightly covered in a cool, dry place. About 2-1/4 pounds fudge.

ChOcOlAtE DiPpEd SnAcKs

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening(do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)
• Cookies, dried apricots, miniature pretzels or potato chips

Directions:

1. Cover tray with wax paper.

2. Place chocolate chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool slightly. Dip 2/3 of each snack or fruit into chocolate mixture. Shake gently to remove excess chocolate. Place on prepared tray. Refrigerate, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until coating is firm. Store in airtight container in cool, dry place. About 1/2 cup coating.

ChOcOlAtE DiPpEd StRaWbErRiEs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (can substitute all semi-sweet or all milk chocolate chips according to your own tastes) 1 tbs. shortening (do not use butter, margarine or oil) Fresh Strawberries, rinsed and patted dry (about 2 pts.)

Cover tray with wax paper. Place chocolate chips and shortening in medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave at high (100%) for 1 minute. Stir. If necessary, microwave additional 30 seconds or until chips are melted and mixture becomes smooth when stirred vigorously. DO NOT over heat.

Holding by the top, dip bottom two-thirds of each strawberry into melted mixture. Shake gently to remove excess. Place on prepared tray.

Cover and refrigerate until coating is firm, about 1 hour.

For best results, use within 24 hours.

Makes about 3 dozen coated strawberries.

DeEp DaRk ChOcOlAtE SoUfFlE

This one dirties a lot of dishes, but it's worth it! Makes approximately 6 servings

1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup Hershey's European Style Cocoa 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened 1 cup milk 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 eggs, separated Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 6-cup soufflé dish and coat with 1 tablespoon sugar.

In medium bowl, combine cocoa and flour. Add butter and blend well. Set aside.

In medium saucepan, heat milk until very hot. Reduce heat and add cocoa mixture, beating with wire whisk until smooth and thick.

Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla. Cool slightly. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Cool to room temperature.

In large mixer bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff.

Stir small amount of beaten whites into chocolate mixture. Fold chocolate mixture into remaining whites. Carefully pour into prepared dish.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes until puffed. Serve immediately with ice cream.

TiPs On CoOkInG WiTh ChOcOlAtE

MELTING CHOCOLATE



Chocolate scorches easily, so always melt it over hot - not boiling - water. It is best to use a double boiler, but you can improvise by using a c or bowl in a small saucepan over very gentle heat. The water must be kept below simmering to prevent steam from curling up and hitting the chocolate. If steam gets into the melted chocolate it will immediately thicken the mixture to a stiff mass. If this does happen, however, you can rescue the chocolate by softening it again. To do this, add 1-2 tb of vegetable shortening (never use butter as it contains moisture which will cause the chocolate stiffen even more!) to the chocolate and stir vigorously. You can also melt chocolate directly over very low heat in a heavy gauge saucepan, but you must watch the mixture carefully.



HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CURLS

Use a vegetable peeler with a long narrow blade and a chunk or bar of chocolate. Warm chocolate and blade slightly. Be sure your peeler is absolutely dry. Draw the peeler along the smooth surface of the chocolate.



HOW TO GRATE CHOCOLATE


Be sure that the block of chocolate is cool and firm. Grate on hand grater, cleaning the grater often so that the chocolate doesn't clog the surface of the blade. You cn use a blender, but be sure to cut the chocolate into sm pieces first.



HOW TO STORE CHOCOLATE


Chocolate should be stored in a cool, dry place at a temperature of about 60F. If the chocolate becomes too warm, the cocoa butter rises to the surface and forms a dusty gray film known as "bloom." This "bloom" is not harmful and, once the chocolate is melted, it returns to its natural rich brown color. If you do store chocolate in the refrigerator or freezer, take in out and let it stand until it returns to room temperature before you use it in a recipe. Chocolate is very sensitive to sudden changes of temperature and you will not get the best results if you do not treat it with respect.

DaRk ChOcOlAtE HaS MoRe NuTrIeNtS ThAn ThE LiGhTeR OnEs

The scientific evidence for the health benefits of the cocoa bean can be persuasive. Take the notion that chocolate fat is good fat. Chocolate contains cocoa butter which is high in saturated fat. However, some of this fat comes from stearic acid, which is converted by the liver into a heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat. This does not raise the level of LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, in your blood, and may even lower it.

Sadly, this does not mean a Mars a day will melt the bad cholesterol away. Darker, posher chocolates contain 70% cocoa butter, which provides stearic acid. Most commercial chocolate bars, however, contain only about 20% cocoa butter, along with a dollop of bad fat that can be catastrophic for your heart. Indeed, the average (54g) bar of commercial milk chocolate contains 17g of fat, of which 10g is saturated. There are clearly better routes to low cholesterol than the chocolate counter.

Another popular claim is that chocolate is bulging with antioxidants that can improve your heart health. The darker the chocolate, the more concentrated they are. This at least is somewhat accurate. Chocolate contains antioxidants known as polyphenols or flavonoids. These are the same kind of antioxidants found in your "medicinal" glass of red wine or green tea. A growing body of research, cited recently by the American Heart Association, suggests these antioxidants can lower high blood pressure, and may lower "bad" cholesterol too.

"Flavonoids do mop up the free radicals in your body and can prevent the furring of arteries," confirms Toni Steer, a nutrition scientist at Human Nutrition Research in Cambridge. "However, a richer source of antioxidants would be brightly coloured fruit and vegetables." The British Heart Foundation also believes these claims are overhyped. "There is some evidence that small quantities of dark chocolate might have short-term beneficial effects on the circulation," says Judy O'Sullivan, a cardiac nurse at the BHF. "But it is important to remember that chocolate is far more often part of the problem for heart health than the solution."

One thing scientists do know for sure is that chocolate is packed with calories. "You can't just glug down gallons of fat and sugar and expect to be healthy," says Steer. "For a start, you'll put on weight. You will then be at risk of heart disease because you are overweight."

But what about claims that chocolate is a rich source of nutrients? It's hard to open a magazine these days without finding some article claiming it is packed with vitamins, iron (great for menstruating women), and magnesium (great for PMT). Mercifully, for those of us who stockpile Green & Blacks at certain times of the month, such claims are not complete fantasy. Chocolate does contain some iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium as well as vitamin E and B vitamins. It is also a source of magnesium, deficiency of which has been linked to PMT. However, says BNF's Lisa Miles, "magnesium deficiency is rare". The levels of these vitamins in chocolate are relatively low. And your 100g bar of plain chocolate only contains about half as much iron as 100g of dried figs.

Since the average bar of chocolate packs 280 calories and a huge 31g of sugar, even the most deluded hedonist would struggle to see the Easter bunny as healthy. But perhaps the Mayans were right, and we are simply under the spell of something mind-warping, even god-like. Chocolate, after all, contains a substance called phenylethylamine, the "love drug" which triggers the feeling of falling in love. It also contains anandamide, the "bliss molecule" that plays a role in addiction. Now the fact that food-mood scientist Peter Rogers of Bristol University has established in trials that these compounds actually have no physiological effect on us is by the by. Either way, it seems, we are powerless to resist.

AlL AbOuT ChOcOlAtE

Imagine if someone set a mug in front of you that held something that looked like mud, dark brown and thick and oily. Being polite, you take a sip. It’s bitter - and spicy from the chili peppers they put in to try to make it taste better. You’d wonder why this drink was served with such ceremony- Why is it so precious?

This was the early history of chocolate. And if you drank the cup, you would find that you felt better, your mood would almost instantly lift, and you’d probably feel like heaven.

But that taste…

Then the Aztecs got a hold of it. They added vanilla bean and honey instead of the chili peppers. It was considered so precious that only royalty was allowed to drink it. Aztec legend says that a god was kicked out of the heavens for allowing mere mortals to have this precious drink.

Montezuma’s court drank over 2000 cups a day. Montezuma himself was said to drink 50 cups a day himself, and always drank a cup before visiting his harem.

Then the Spanish got a hold of it. The effects of this not so great tasting drink were so astounding, they felt that they had to keep it to themselves – and they did – for 100 years.

But then, Chocoholic Queen Anne of Austria (formerly Princess Anne of Spain), married Louis XIII of France. Up to this point, chocolate was so hard to produce, and such high demand, that only royalty could possible afford it. Slaves were used to increase production from the plantations, and as you can imagine, it was not a great working environment. Working to supply addicts can be pretty tough. Addicts get pretty testy if their drug supply is in danger. But the chocolate addiction was about to get more civilized.

Chocolate gradually spread through Italy, England, Switzerland, and Holland. Each country worked diligently to make this magic elixir taste better. The Dutch invented the process which makes the chocolate less bitter. The Swiss made the chocolate creamier and lighter. The Swiss and the U.S. found ways to mass produce it so we can all enjoy it. Whew. Finally! It only took about 1500 years.

Here’s a few more chocolate facts - Casanova drank chocolate to improve his love-making. M & Ms were invented so that soldiers could carry chocolate with them. It was issued as nutrition. Toll-House Cookies were invented by accident. The owner of the Toll-House Inn was making a dessert when she found that she had run out of Baker’s chocolate. All she had was a Nestle chocolate bar. She broke it into little pieces and mixed it into her dough. But to her dismay, the chocolate didn’t melt completely. Fortunately, everyone loved the new cookies. Nestle gave her a lifetime supply of chocolate for exclusive rights to the recipe. I wonder what that was worth?

Though the chocolate today hardly resembles the chocolate of early times, they are finding that it is still good for your heart and your mood. What a sweet addiction!

Carole thinks everyone should have chocolate everyday. It's good for your heart, and your soul!

MoRe On ChOcOlAtE

It's like a dream come true. Chocolate, it turns out is really good for you.

The most important thing to know about chocolate, is that it is rich in a group of compounds called flavonols, and these are the same kinds of compounds that are found in grapes; and one of the reasons why wine, for example is so good for your heart.

Peter Jaret, says there have been several studies on the health benefits of chocolate, one of them at the University of California.

They took twenty volunteers, and they gave them semi-sweet chocolate, and they took blood samples two hours after they ate the chocolate and they found that the volunteers' anti-oxidant levels in their blood climbed dramatically. They've also found that blood pressure goes down after people eat chocolate.

And it gets better. Even some of the bad things about chocolate aren't really so bad. Yes, chocolate can be high in calories…about two hundred twenty-five calories in a one and a half ounce bar, and chocolate is high in fat.

About fifty percent of the cocoa bean is fat, and about seventy percent of THAT fat is saturated fat. It's almost entirely a fat called stearic acid, which turns out not to have a bad effect on cholesterol. It doesn't raise your levels of bad cholesterol.

ThE NuTrIeNtS In ChOcOlAtE ExPlAiNeD

Chocolate Composition (wow..chocolateSSSSSSSS..my fav!!!!!)



The composition of cocoa and chocolate has been extensively studied. The fat in chocolate, which is primarily derived from cocoa, is comprised of two saturated fatty acids, palmitic and stearic acids, and the monounsaturated oleic acid, in addition to a small amount (less than 5%) of other fatty acids. Although consumption of saturated fats is thought to raise cholesterol, and thus raise the risk of heart disease, regular consumption of cocoa butter and chocolate has been repeatedly shown to not raise blood cholesterol. Further research has shown that this is probably due to the relatively high concentrations of stearic acid, which studies have shown to have a cholesterol-neutral effect, and oleic acid, which is known to have mild cholesterol-reducing effects. In addition to the fat and simple sugars present in chocolate, the cocoa component in chocolate is rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, copper, potassium and manganese. Indeed, chocolate is thought to be one of the largest single contributors of copper to the diet in the United States.


Phytochemicals in Chocolate

In addition to the well-known and essential macro- and micronutrients present in chocolate, there are a number of phytochemicals in cocoa and chocolate that may have important health effects in humans. Phytochemicals are naturally occurring chemical compounds present in plant foods such as cocoa, and they are attracting a great deal of interest in the nutrition and medical research c

PoP AnD CaViTiEs In A CaN

People who drink 3 or more sugary sodas daily have 62% more dental decay, fillings and tooth loss!**

The average American drinks more than 53 gallons of carbonated soft drinks each year, more than any other beverage, including milk, beer, coffee or water.^

Does Soda Pop Cause Cavities?

Mountain Dew-20 oz is the worst pop, it contains 19 tsps of sugar and 93 milligrams of caffeine.......nearly equivalent to adult dose of NoDoz.****

Pop is sweetened, acidic, often caffeinated carbonated drink. There is "regular" pop that is sweetened with different kinds of sweeteners and "diet" pop that is sweetened with artificial sweeteners. 45 gallons of pop is consumed per person/per year by the average American. Even adults are just as prone to decay even though they have fairly good enamel and well-calcified enamel.

Double trouble for teeth. It's not just sugar that's bad for teeth, but the acids included in many popular drinks are said to "eat" away enamel and make teeth more prone to . The pH of regular and diet pops ranges from 2.47-3.35. The PH in our mouth is normally about 6.2 to 7.0 slightly more acidic than water. At a PH of 5.2 to 5.5 or below the acid begins to dissolve the hard enamel of our teeth. Phosphoric and citric acids contribute to the acidity of pop. Below is a look at how some soda pops compare to water as well as to battery acid.

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The average American today drinks over 600 servings of pop a year.***

Product	Acid Low=BAD	Sugar per 12 oz
Pure Water	7.00 (neutral)	0.0
Barq's	4.61	10.7 tsp.
Diet Coke	3.39	0.0
Mountain Dew	3.22	11.0 tsp.
Gatorade	2.95	3.3 tsp
Coke Classic	2.63	9.3 tsp.
Pepsi	2.49	9.8 tsp.
Sprite	3.42	9.0
Diet 7-Up	3.67	0.0
Diet Dr. Pepper	3.41	0.0
Surge	3.02	10.0
Gatorade	2.95	3.3
Hawaiian Fruit Punch	2.82	10.2
Orange Minute Maid	2.80	11.2
Dr. Pepper	2.92	9.5
BATTERY ACID	1.00	0.0
Source: Minnesota Dental Association *	The threshold pH for enamel dissolution is 5.5.

Regular pop is potentially cavity causing due to its high sugar content. Diet pops do not contribute to cavities. However, the acid in regular and diet pop has the potential to contribute to enamel breakdown and when combined with sugar can contribute to rampant decay!

Regular pops provide between 150-180 calories per 12oz can. Current dietary recommendations for added simple sugar are 10% of total energy.

One can of regular pop per day contains the maximum recommended intake of sugar a day!

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Excessive intake of regular pop can contribute to excessive calories leading to obesity and/or decrease intake of foods that have a high nutrient value leading to deficiencies.

The actual effects of pop on oral health are a direct result of: Quantity-rapid drinking of any quantity of regular pop, particularly with meals is unlikely to affect your risk toward cavities.

Soft Drinks In Schools

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"Root beer appears to be the "safest" for health of dental enamel"***

Recommendations to reduce the affects of sugar and acid on your teeth:

	Pop should be consumed at meals to limit your teeth's exposure to sugar and acid.
	Limit regular pop to 1 can per day
	Neither regular nor diet pop should replace nutrient dense foods or beverages.
	Excessive intake of pop is detrimental to health.
	Drink pop through straws to reduce the direct contact to the teeth.
	Rinse your mouth with water after consuming pop. It is important to do this prior to brushing your teeth after you just drank a pop. Rinsing first will help to neutralize the acids. Brushing in a high acid environment will erode tooth enamel.
	Select pop cans over re-sealable bottles. This limits the consumption of the pop to one sitting rather than sipping bottles and re-sealing them over a longer period of time.
	Include bottled water and fruit juices in vending machines.
	The use and the abuse of acidic drinks may damage dentin and increase the risk for dentin hypersensitivity.

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Pop,Kids And Obesity

Diet Soda Drinkers Beware!

Drinking carbonated soft drinks regularly can contribute to the erosion of tooth enamel surfaces.

Soft drinks, which contain sticky sugars that break down into acids, adhere easily to tooth surfaces.

	These acids can soften tooth substance and promote formation of plaque, which erodes the enamel.
	Enamel breakdown leads to cavities.
	If erosion spreads beneath the enamel into the dentin, pain and sensitivity may result
	Which may result in root canal surgery.

Because saliva helps neutralize acids and wash your teeth clean, the worst time to drink soda pop, ironically, is when you are very thirsty or dehydrated due to low levels of saliva.

The larger the volume of intake, the more impact pop has on your teeth

"Diet sodas are part of the problem. Women especially like to drink them throughout the day and between meals because they have no calories, yet the higher frequency and volume is putting their teeth at risk."

Try to:

	Drink soda pop only with a full meal.
	Be sure to brush and floss soon after drinking and/or eating.
	Also, resolve to quench your thirst with water.
	If you drink pop alone or between meals, chew sugarless gum afterward to increase your saliva flow.

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Soft Drink Cancer Link The consumption of fizzy drinks isn't just bad for your teeth, research suggests a link between the rise in the consumption of carbonated drinks and the rise in oesophageal cancer The numbers of those suffering from cancer of the oesophagus has risen by 66 percent in the UK over the past 30 years, whereas in countries like China and Japan, where not as many fizzy drinks are consumed, there has been no rise. Dr John Toy, Cancer Research UK's Medical Director, is more open to the research. He said, `The increase in incidence of oesophageal cancer in recent years in alarming and somewhat puzzling. `Reflux of the acidic gastric juices from the stomach into the oesophagus is a suspected culprit. `People who are obese are more prone to this reflux and they have an increased risk of cancer. Carbonated drinks cause burping and some reflux. These drinks are also acidic and will bathe the lining of the oesophagus as they are swallowed.

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Kick Kidney Stones

Kicking a cola habit might help keep recurring kidney stones in check. Studies suggest that certain beverages may be associated with an increased risk of developing kidney stones. In one study, kidney stone sufferers who customarily consumed a great deal of cola were much less likely to experience a recurrence when they cut their cola consumption in half. RealAge Benefit: Actively patrolling your health can make your RealAge as much as 12 years younger 9/03

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News Updates

Acidic Beverages Can Erode Exposed Root Surfaces, New Study Claims

Soda, apple juice and other acidic drinks can erode exposed root surfaces, according to research presented at the 2006 AmericanAssociation of Dental Research meeting in Orlando.

The new laboratory study, conducted by researchers from theUniversity of Iowa, evaluated the erosive potential of five acidic beverages on enamel and root surfaces of extracted tooth samples.For this evaluation, the extracted teeth were coated with fingernailpolish, and small "windows" (1 x 4 millimeters) of enamel or rootsurface were left exposed for microscopic analysis. The preparedtooth samples were submerged for 25 hours in one of five popular
beverages—Gatorade®, Red Bull®, Coke®, Diet Coke® or apple juice—and then sectioned into thin slices to measure the erosion depth.

Although the study did not replicate real-life exposure to softdrinks (due to the length of time of exposure), it did reporterosion to the root surfaces of the extracted tooth samples.Previous studies have found that acidic beverages can soften dentalhard tissues (enamel), and similar dental erosion (based on leveland extent of acidic exposure) would be expected for the thinner,more soluble root surfaces.

Dental erosion may be caused by intrinsic and extrinsic factors(e.g., environment, diet, medications), and the erosive process isnot solely dependent on soft-drink consumption. While there is a growing body of evidence linking acidic food and drinks to dental erosion, biological modifying factors, such as low salivary flow, bulimia, acid reflux disease and other gastrointestinal conditions, can also affect tooth erosion. Saliva plays a protective role by diluting and neutralizing potentially erosive agents, especially the phosphoric and citric acids that contribute to the acidity of soda. In this way, saliva may serve as a natural defense to reduce exposure to the acids that can demineralize enamel and root surfaces.

Dentists are encouraged to monitor patients for observable tooth erosion and to educate parents, caregivers and children about the potential risks of prolonged acidic exposure to the dentition. Proper oral hygiene instruction should be offered to all patients for the promotion of good oral health. At-risk patients (e.g., individuals with bulimia, binge-eating disorders and related conditions) may require referral to physicians or appropriate health
professionals for assessment, treatment and counseling.

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Sodas in Schools: A Sticky Situation

First, the health problems associated with soft drinks, sports beverages, and juice drinks extend far beyond the elementary school years. Obesity isn’t the only concern. Osteoporosis and tooth decay are also related to nutrient-poor food and beverage choices, so preventive strategies must extend throughout childhood and adolescence...to read more see:

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Influence of drinking patterns of carbonated beverages on dental erosion

As a hard tissue dental disease, dental erosion has a multifactorial etiology. The majority of dental erosion that originates from extrinsic sources is the result of dietary intake, particularly acidic beverages. Several preventive means have been proposed to minimize the damage to the dentition, including a reduction in the consumption of causative beverages and the adoption of a specific method of drinking, utilizing a straw instead of a cup.

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New Study Indicates That Popular Sports Beverages Cause More Irreversible Damage to Teeth Than Soda

While sports and energy drinks help athletes re-hydrate after a long workout, if consumed on a regular basis they can damage teeth. These beverages may cause irreversible damage to dental enamel, potentially resulting in severe tooth decay.

This study revealed that the enamel damage caused by non-cola and sports beverages was three to 11 times greater than cola-based drinks, with energy drinks and bottled lemonades causing the most harm to dental enamel.

The study continuously exposed enamel from cavity-free molars and premolars to a variety of popular sports beverages, including energy drinks, fitness water and sports drinks, as well as non-cola beverages such as lemonade and ice tea for a period of 14 days (336 hours). The exposure time was comparable to approximately 13 years of normal beverage consumption.

The study findings revealed that there was significant enamel damage associated with all beverages tested. Results, listed from greatest to least damage to dental enamel, include the following: lemonade, energy drinks, sports drinks, fitness water, ice tea and cola. Most cola-based drinks may contain one or more acids, commonly phosphoric and citric acids; however, sports beverages contain other additives and organic acids that can advance dental erosion. These organic acids are potentially very erosive to dental enamel because of their ability to breakdown calcium, which is needed to strengthen teeth and prevent gum disease.

We encourage you to try altering or limiting the intake of soda and sports drinks and choosing water or low fat milk instead, to preserve tooth enamel and ultimately protect teeth from decay.

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Sports drinks

A high percentage of people consume soft drinks that contain sugar or artificial sweeteners, flavorings, and various additives. The popularity of sports (energy) drinks is growing and this pilot study compares enamel dissolution in these and a variety of other beverages. Enamel blocks (approximately 7.0 x 5.0 x 2.5 mm) were
sectioned from sound extracted human premolars and molars, measured, weighed, and immersed in the selected beverages for a total of 14 days. The pH of all beverages was measured. The enamel sections were weighed at regular intervals throughout the immersion period with the solutions being changed daily; all studies were performed induplicate. The data were subjected to one-way ANOVA with post hoc Scheffe testing.

Enamel dissolution occurred in all the tested beverages, with far greater attack occurring in flavored and energy (sports) drinks than previously noted for water and cola drinks. No correlation was found between enamel dissolution and beverage pH. Non-cola drinks, commercial lemonades, and energy/sports drinks showed the most aggressive dissolution effect on dental enamel. Reduced residence times of beverages in the mouth by salivary clearance or rinsing would appear to be beneficial.

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Sports Beverages Cause More Irreversible Damage to Teeth Than Soda

New Study Indicates That Popular Sports Beverages Cause More Irreversible Damage to Teeth Than Soda
While sports and energy drinks help athletes re-hydrate after a long workout, if consumed on a regular
basis they can damage teeth. These beverages may cause irreversible damage to dental enamel, potentially resulting in severe tooth decay according to a study reported in the January/February issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry.

This study revealed that the enamel damage caused by non-cola and sports beverages was three to 11 times greater than cola-based drinks, with energy drinks and bottled lemonades causing the most
harm to dental enamel. A previous study in the July/August issue of General Dentistry demonstrated that non-cola and canned iced teas can more aggressively harm dental enamel than cola.

The study continuously exposed enamel from cavity-free molars and premolars to a variety of popular sports beverages, including energy drinks, fitness water and sports drinks, as well as non-cola beverages such as lemonade and ice tea for a period of 14 days (336 hours). The exposure time was comparable to approximately 13 years of normal beverage consumption.

The study findings revealed that there was significant enamel damage associated with all beverages tested. Results, listed from greatest to least damage to dental enamel, include the following: lemonade, energy drinks, sports drinks, fitness water, ice tea and cola. Most cola-based drinks may contain one or more acids, commonly phosphoric and citric acids; however, sports beverages contain other additives and organic acids that can advance dental erosion. These organic acids are potentially very erosive to dental enamel because of their ability to breakdown calcium, which is needed to strengthen teeth and
prevent gum disease. It is recommend altering or limiting the intake of soda and sports drinks and choosing water or low fat milk instead, to preserve tooth enamel and ultimately protect teeth from decay.

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Effects of soft drinks and tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste on the wear

A study of the combined effects of soft drinks and tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste on the wear of dentine.
The aim of this study was to measure loss of dentine produced by soft drinks alone and combined with tooth brushing with and without toothpastes. Groups of flat human dentine specimens were exposed for 10 min and then 30 min to orange juice (OJ), carbonated cola (CC) or modified blackcurrant (MB) drinks alone or after the exposures brushed with a fluoride toothpaste for 10 s. Further groups were exposed to OJ as before but brushed with water or non-fluoride toothpaste or placed in slurries of fluoride paste. OJ and CC produced similar erosion and significantly more than MB. Compared with drinks alone, dentine loss was reduced by fluoride toothpaste brushing but increased by water and non-fluoride toothpaste brushing. Fluoride toothpaste slurry had no significant effect on soft drink erosion. It is concluded that fluoride toothpaste could provide protection, albeit
small, against erosion. The data again support the concept of brushing before meals.

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Impact of modified acidic soft drinks on enamel erosion

From each of 144 bovine incisors one enamel sample was prepared. Labial surfaces of the samples were ground flat, polished and covered with adhesive tape, leaving an exposed area. The samples were distributed among four groups for treatment with A: Coca-Cola, B: Sprite; C: Sprite light, D: orange juice. Either 1.0 mmol l1 calcium (Ca) or a combination (comb.) of 0.5 mmol l1 calcium plus 0.5 mmol l1 phosphate plus 0.031 mmol l1 fluoride was added to
the beverages. Samples of each group were subdivided into three subgroups (-original; -Ca and -comb.) for treatment with original and modified drinks. Surface loss of the specimens was determined using profilometry after test procedure.In all subgroups, loss of enamel was observed. The enamel loss recorded for the samples rinsed with original Sprite and original orange juice was significantly higher compared with all
other solutions Modification of the test soft drinks with low concentrations of calcium or a combination of calcium, phosphate and fluoride may exert a significant protective potential with respect to dental erosion.

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Dark soda better for teeth

11/10/04-Dark soda better for teeth (AGD News) According to J. Anthony von Fraunhofer, MSc, PhD, of the University of Maryland Baltimore Dental School, light colored soda and canned ice teas are worse for the teeth than its darker colored competitors. According to his study, non-cola soft drinks caused two to five times
the damage to tooth enamel as darker drinks. Dr. von Fraunhofer believes the cause is the citric acid content in the beverages that can leave heavy drinkers at greater risk for cavities and decay. The average person in the U.S. drinks about 16 ounces of soft drinks daily, according to Dr. von Fraunhofer. The study appeared in the
July/August issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry.

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Soda Attack

Sugar and acidity can be lethal to teeth!

Sweetened drinks harm the protective enamel around teeth. Over time, exposing dental enamel to carbonated beverages weakens and permanently destroys enamel. This new study found that non-colas and canned iced tea were especially harmful. They contain flavor additives, such as malic, tartaric and other organic acids which are more aggressive at eroding teeth.

Root beer, contains the least amount of flavor additives was found to the the "safest soft drink to safeguard dental enamel".

In 1977 12-19 year olds consumed 16 oz of soda a day
1996 12-19 year olds consumed 28 oz a day

In 1970 22.2 gallons of cola per person per year consumed by Americans.
In 1996 44 gallons of cola per person per year consumed by Americans.
In 1999 56 gallons of cola per person per year consumed by Americans.

Soda consumed at meal times is less injurious than when consumed alone and continuous sipping is more harmful than the whole drink taken at one time. Drinking soda thorough a straw may help reduce the amount of soda that comes into direct contact with your teeth. Also rinse your mouth out with water after drinking and use toothpaste that contains fluoride.

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Soft drink and bones ----------------------------------- Carbonated soft drink intake is linked with lower bone mineral density in adolescent girls, . There was found a significant inverse relationship between total carbonated soft drink intake and bone density for girls only. This association was confined to non-cola and diet drinks.

The link between consumption of soft drinks - particularly sweetened soft drinks - and dental caries is well established 1.

Nutritionists have also raised concerns that excess soft drink intake could displace milk and contribute to calcium deficiency, and that the `empty calorie’ sugar in soft drinks is a factor in the rapidly worsening problem of overweight and obesity in our children 2.

Other potential problems related to specific constituents of soft drinks include the calcium leaching effect of phosphoric acid 3 and the impact of excess caffeine in cola drinks (e.g. in possibly contributing to raised blood pressure) 4 .

A recent paper has proposed that high fructose corn syrup (used to sweeten most soft drinks) has specific metabolic consequences that favored obesity 5, whilst other evidence shows soft drinks can cause sharp insulin responses 6.

One thing of which there is no doubt is that soft drink intake amongst children is increasing. Recent US estimates, for example, are that consumption doubled over the last two decades and now adds 188 kcal/day to the energy intake of children who drink them 7, 8.

Whatever the current status of research on the precise health effects of soft drink consumption, we are in the midst of an obesity epidemic amongst children. It is hard to reasonably deny the need to take steps in schools to make healthy, nutrient-dense foods more available and `empty calories’, including both high fat snacks and sugary soft drinks, less easily available 17.

Soda Facts

Help patients understand these alarming soda facts!

	Soda is the primary source of sugar in the American diet.
	A 12-oz. can of regular soda contains 40 grams of sugar, which provides about 160 calories but little nutritional value.
	Larger servings, e.g. 64 oz. “Big Cup” adds calories and more damage
	An estimated 20% of 1-and 2-year olds consume about a cup a day of soft drinks.
	Teens drink three times more soda than 20 years ago, often replacing milk.
	Diet sodas actually have more acid in them than regular soda, leading to enamel erosion.
	“Sports drinks” are no safer when it comes to tooth erosion.