And about that food… Some of the food is heavily processed and laden with unhealthy preservatives and other chemicals. MSG, high fructose corn syrup, trans fatty acids and genetically modified foods may be present.

Maybe eating at the buffet isn’t the thing to do. NEED A FACT ABOUT BUFFETS. AVERAGE CALORIE COUNT.

Sodas and Diabetes

Thinking about having a Coke and a smile? Not so fast. Do you know about the link between sodas and Type 2 diabetes? As little as one can a day can increase your risk of diabetes as in a 1.1 percent increase with every can.

Type 2 diabetes affects 300 million people worldwide. It is described as having elevated blood sugar levels either because of insulin resistance or a deficiency in insulin. Insulin drives glucose, the good form of sugars, from the bloodstream into the cells. Because of high sugar levels in the blood, the pancreas has to increase the circulating insulin. This results in elevated glucose levels in blood. This could potentially put you on the path for metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of symptoms associated with increased risk for strokes, type 2 diabetes, high triglyceride levels (one of the bad cholesterol lipids), heart disease, large waist, above-normal blood glucose levels, low HDL cholesterol levels (the good kind of lipid), and hypertension. All these factors line the pathway to heart disease and diabetes. All from a little can of soda.

So if you’re thinking about taking a big gulp, opt for some ice cold H20 for a refresher.

Smoothies and Shakes

Though purportedly healthy, some smoothies are made mainly with ice cream or milk with a lot of sugars. One 20-ounce shake, a “small”, contained 1,044 calories, 35 grams of fat, 120 grams of sugar. This calorie count is more than two Big Macs put together!