For Heart Health, Skip the Soda and Have Ice Cream Instead
Discover why ice cream, in moderation, could be a better choice than soda for your heart. Learn the science, enjoy African proverbs, and get practical tips for heart-healthy living!

It’s time to settle a debate as fiery as a pot of Nigerian pepper soup and just as surprising: which is better for your heart — soda or ice cream? Now, before you clutch your chest in disbelief, let’s take a deep dive into the bubbling world of fizzy drinks and the creamy allure of ice cream. Brace yourself, because the results might just knock you off your chair like a plate of hot jollof rice at a wedding.
Soda: The Sweet Assassin
Let’s start with soda, the sweet-talking, fizzy delight that has wormed its way into almost every gathering. From Nigerian owambe parties to South African braais, soda is a staple. But behind that bubbly charm lies a sugar bomb ready to wreak havoc on your heart.
Pathophysiology: The Sugar Surge
When you drink soda, your body gets hit with a tsunami of sugar. One can of soda contains up to 10 teaspoons of sugar — more sugar than you’d find in a week’s worth of tea in a typical African home. This excess sugar gets absorbed into your bloodstream, causing your pancreas to work overtime producing insulin. Over time, this repeated sugar spike can lead to insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes, all of which are major risk factors for heart disease (Johnson et al., 2019).
The Ripple Effect: Soda and Your Heart
Studies show that regular soda consumption increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 20% (Hu et al., 2020). Excessive sugar intake leads to chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, and elevated triglycerides — a recipe for heart disaster. As the Yoruba proverb says, “Àgbáàjò sàn nìkan síà, èkú ni yóò pa eni.” (It is the accumulation of bites that kills the rat.)