I recognized a disturbing trend a few years ago. The teens coming to my house for parties were bringing in cases of Mountain Dew for their contribution to the “snack pot luck” along with their typical MSG chips and high fructose corn syrup cookies. Was Coke and 7-Up losing favor?

As The Real Food Revivalist, I welcome those from all “dietary faiths” into my home, even those bearing the Grand Daddy of soda swill, Mountain Dew. Ever so sneakily, I kick the cases of Dew-trouble into a corner, and try to fill the cooler with bottled water and stevia drinks while luring a few unsuspecting kids over to the vegetable tray or the organic beef hot dog station (Oh, mom!).

1) Dental Health ConcernsWhat’s My Beef With Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew was invented in Tennessee and later sold to Pepsi-Cola in 1964.

Central Appalachia is an area known for horrendous dental issues. This region owes its fame to Mountain Dew primarily, according to dentists. A condition known as Mountain Dew Mouth is rampant in this part of the country. Parents are putting the Dew in baby bottles for their young’uns and teenagers have pulled their own teeth with pliers because of tooth pain.

“It’s a stereotype rooted in a terrible fact. Central Appalachia is No. 1 in the nation in toothlessness.”

It isn’t just a problem of poverty-stricken rural America.

Even a daily Coke habit will begin to erode enamel away:

Don’t click this LINK if your stomach hurts from looking at these teeth.

Battery acid (pH=1), Coke/Pepsi (pH = 2.5), Mountain Dew (pH =3).

2) Infertility?

Even the can that the soda comes in is messing with our hormones because it is lined with BPA, otherwise the acid would react with the metal can.

BPA in plastic and can linings has never been safety tested. It is a toxin that is causing obesity, infertility, reproductive cancers, altering pancreas beta cells and is associated with cardiovascular disease and thyroid dysfunction.

BPA mimics estrogen and is associated with increased miscarriage, and Polycystic ovary.

3) Targeted Marketing – False Energy

“Game Fuel”

I don’t have boys so I won’t pretend to understand the world of gamers, but I read stuff, and it isn’t just boys. The average player is 37. Millions of people are involved in gaming communities and spending an obscene amount of time pursuing their pleasure. Mountain Dew is marketing to gamers with “Game Fuel” and changing packaging to coincide with the release of key games like Call of Duty.

In these Massively Multiplayer Online games, thousands of players from around the world compete. During these epic battles, a soda every hour is not uncommon. A gamer chugging a 20-ounce bottle of soda every hour will finish 3.5 liters in six hours.

“They’re just sitting for 12 hours, just pounding sodas,” Smawley said.

“Go Go Juice”

Toddlers & Tiara moms choose Mountain Dew (“go go juice”)

to give their baby pageant contestants that extra special “energy” to wiiiiin!

At a young age she was drinking a mix of Red Bull and Mountain Dew.

4) Blood Sugar Issues, Diabetes, Obesity

Can you really prop yourself up with a few cans of Mountain Dew, dumping a cup of sugar into your blood and think it is not going to lead to diabetes or heart disease, much less a giggly belly?

We all have been given one life to live.

5 – 8) Skin Lesions, Nerve Disorders, Muscle Problems, Memory Loss

Is a little Mountain Dew binge ok once in awhile?

Sure if you don’t mind taking a break for some medical attention to tend to your nasty skin lesions, nerve disorders and lack of muscle coordination.

Oh, and the Dew also causes memory loss, so … wait, what was I saying…?

One man’s daily habit of drinking 2 or more liters of bromine-containing soda led to his deterioration to the point of no longer being able to walk and requiring dialysis.

Its called bromine poisoning.

A nasty ingredient called brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is lurking in some soft drinks, baked goods and pasta.

It is found in bleached white flour, Mountain Dew, Fanta Orange, Sunkist Pineapple, Squirt, Fresca Original Citrus, some Gatorade, some Powerade and other citrus-flavored drinks.

A 63 year old man developed disgusting ulcers on his hands because he favored Ruby Red Squirt with Brominated Vegetable Oil.

9) Thyroid Burn Out

Bromine wrecks your thyroid by competing with iodine needed to make thyroid hormones.

Of course, you can always drink more Mountain Dew if you begin to feel fatigue from a burned out thyroid. What a vicious cycle! Is it time to get off this energy roller coaster and try a soda-free life!?

10) Dissolves a Mouse

Pepsi lawyers said there is enough acid in Mountain Dew to turn a mouse to goo. This was their defense after a Wisconsin man claimed to find a mouse in his can of Dew. (Impossible! The acid in the Dew would have turned a mouse into goo! I rest my case! – – Top Attorney for Pepsi)

11) BVO in Mountain Dew is Also in Flame Retardants.

BVO, also found in flame retardants, is banned in Europe and Japan, but not in the good ‘ol USA. (Yes, American Beverage Association,water is also a flame retardant)! The difference is, my body requires water and I am happy to drink water, not flame retardant.

Why is BVO used?

The Beverage Institute claims, “BVO is used to “prevent the citrus flavoring oils from floating to the surface in beverages.”

It gives the appearance of being juice, but it is really a laboratory creation resulting from spiking soybean oil or corn oil with bromine.

12) GMO Ingredients

The soybean and corn oil used to make BVO are almost certainly from genetically modified plants. High Fructose Corn Syrup is also made from GMO corn.

Mountain Dew contains more caffeine and more genetically modified high fructose corn syrup than any other soda.

13 – 14) Preservatives, Dye

GMO soy and corn, BVO, acid, sodium benzoate (preservative that reacts with Dew’s vitamin C to create carcinogens), yellow dye (made from coal tar) and BPA make it one of the most toxic things you can consume.

Go ahead and write to Pepsi with your concerns, but here’s what they will say,

“This (BVO) is a safe ingredient approved by the FDA, which is used in some citrus-based beverages,” said Christopher Gindlesperger of the American Beverage Association, which represents PepsiCo, maker of Mountain Dew. “Importantly, consumers can rest assured that our products are safe and our industry adheres to all government regulations.“

Yes, now you can rest assured that Mountain Dew is safe (as long as it remains on the shelf at the store).

Follow the money.

With $40 billion in annual revenues, the non-alcoholic beverage market will continue to cash in on addicted Americans.

Some of you may remember Willy the Hillbilly of the first Mountain Dew commercials.

The 1966 slogan, “It’ll tickle yore innards” should be resurrected, with a slight change.

Maybe a better slogan would be,

“It’ll pickle your innards.”

Looking for alternatives to soda and sports drinks:

You can also make your own sports drink

12 oz purified water

fresh lemon juice

a bit of Redmond’s Real Salt

sweeten with raw honey

Editors note: Click here to Find a Local Farmer