Is it worth it to quit diet soda? Have you?

Losingthedamnweight

I drink about a 6pack of some variation of diet soda a day. Coke zero. Pepsi max. Cherry zero. Vanilla coke zero. I love it. Especially when I'm eating. Doesn't get much better than a chilled glass of vanilla coke zero filled to the brim with ice.

But today it got me thinking. I really hate not drinking it. I drink other things too like straight water or flavored water and other things, but to not have diet coke at least once in the day, I really miss it. And that bugs me for some reason. Like I feel a little too dependent on diet soda ya know?

Is there any reason I should quit drinking it besides some obscure websites on the internet saying it's bad for you? Has anybody here quit drinking it and felt better? Or different at all?

zoeysasha37

I believe in all things in moderation. There's no good or bad foods, just certain foods may benefit my health more but still nothing is bad. I do enjoy a diet coke(in moderation) so no I'm not drinking six per day but if I'd like one then I have one.
I don't pay much attention to the hype around diet soda.

DanIsACyclingFool

There is nothing, repeat, NOTHING wrong with having a diet coke every day.

By all means, cut back from 6 a day, it's better for your teeth and bones if you exercise moderation, but the obscure websites are not credible resources and I think you know that just from the way you asked the question. Enjoy your vanilla coke zero on the rocks, it's a perfectly viable no-calorie drink.

TravelinGal7147

Well I understand liking it and I have certainly had my share buy now only rarely. Here is one good reason besides all of the chemicals. Seems that it can stimulate insulin release or something like that making you hungrier after and maybe even helping contribute to weight gain. For sure if you are drinking a 6 pack a day you might not want to go cold turkey but just taper down.

cabwj

I drank diet coke for many years, at least two, sometimes three, "thirstbusters" (32 oz) a day. I was having strange episodes like a petite seizure. After several doctors and several tests I overheard a weight watchers leader mention having bad reactions to diet soda. I quit it completely. I felt immensly better. "Episodes" stopped and I felt less headache-y. Sadly after years of no soda at all I somehow got started on regular coke :-(

So... I have nothing scientific to offer but I felt much better without it.

jgnatca

Nooooo, I'm not giving it up. I do change things up once in a while. Water with lime slices. Water and Mio. Soda water. Perrier. Tea.

katherine_startrek_fan

There are a bunch of reasons to cut out soda: tons of chemicals, erodes enamel on teeth and lining of throat/stomach/etc due to acidic nature, bloat, and adds unnecessary caffeine, to name a few. Additionally, there have been numerous studies that suggest correlations with obesity, blood sugar issues, and slow metabolism.

Further, my doctor says most people will lose at least ten pounds from dropping diet soda.

Personally dropping soda was one of the best things my husband and I ever did. It wasn't easy, but we feel so much better without it.

jgnatca

I call bunkum, @katherine_startrek_fan. That's all just a bunch of Internet nonsense. When I was watching sugar from my type 2 diabetes (now in remission) I can guarantee that sugar soda was far more dangerous to my health.

I'm betting that natural ginger beer has at least as many chemicals as a diet coke.

brandlefly

From personal experience I can state that since I stopped drinking diet soda I do feel quite differently. No more excessive thirst, heartburn, my fatigue has improved and I am not experiencing the high-low energy seesaw.

I think the biggest improvement is that I am not craving sweets anymore. Before I started drinking diet soda, I never ate sweets. I was craving them endlessly during the time I drank it. I did not realize the connection until after I stopped the soda. Within a week, no more sweet cravings.

Again, this is just personal experience. I cannot speak for anyone but myself.

tomatoey

Losingthedamnweight wrote: »

I drink about a 6pack of some variation of diet soda a day. Coke zero. Pepsi max. Cherry zero. Vanilla coke zero. I love it. Especially when I'm eating. Doesn't get much better than a chilled glass of vanilla coke zero filled to the brim with ice.

But today it got me thinking. I really hate not drinking it. I drink other things too like straight water or flavored water and other things, but to not have diet coke at least once in the day, I really miss it. And that bugs me for some reason. Like I feel a little too dependent on diet soda ya know?

Is there any reason I should quit drinking it besides some obscure websites on the internet saying it's bad for you? Has anybody here quit drinking it and felt better? Or different at all?

I mean if you feel like you're bothered by it, that's a good reason. Maybe cut down to 1-2 a day?

I never had this issue (H2O fan for life, find all diet drinks other than Coke Zero disgusting). But I do like something fizzy when I have a burger or pizza. Anyway I had to cut out diet stuff because it aggravates my stomach, and have found Perrier Lemon to be a great substitute. (But I only liked the fizz of pop, not so much the sweetness.)

ImitatetheSun

I thought about it exactly the way you did, OP. I loved the stuff and rationally, I couldn't think of a reason to stop, except that I thought it might be such an ingrained habit that maybe I'm not in control anymore. So In January I gave up My two 20-ounce bottles of Diet Coke, plus Splenda out of the same fear that I was dependent on it. I substituted them for Hi Caff teas from Republic of Tea and Starbucks Iced Coffee, which I drank straight or with milk. Here was the surprise: my food cravings went away. I've lost 20 pounds since giving them up - not because they alone created a calorie deficit, obviously, but because my appetite is small enough that i can actually successfully be on a diet. So now I'm on the biggest weight loss effort of my life, and that was the first step for me. Annoyingly, because the studies sounded so stupid and condescending to me when they came out, this corresponds to a September study that got in the news finding a correlation between diet soda and obesity. Here's another study that's been cited 102 times, suggesting it's a well-studied phenomenon at this point: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/

surrealchereal

Losingthedamnweight wrote: »

Is there any reason I should quit drinking it besides some obscure websites on the internet saying it's bad for you? Has anybody here quit drinking it and felt better? Or different at all?

Yes your teeth won't have much enamel left on them. Voice of experience here, I wish I'd have quit sooner than I did.

jennifer_417

I don't think it's harmful in moderation. Life is hard enough, if you enjoy it, have it!

galgenstrick

I quit diet soda, but mainly for financial reasons.

lauraspberry

I have quit soda altogether for 3 years now, it's great! It helps with maintaining weight and/or gaining muscle because I can use all my calories up for healthy and filling food but that's just me, maybe you can lessen your intake into let's say ince or twice a day? As long as you consume in moderation

Losingthedamnweight

The responses on this thread remind me why I love you guys so much.

maidentl

No reason to quit it entirely if you don't have any issues with it. That is a lot of caffeine, and I was once in your shoes, so I cut back to a couple a day just so I could sleep better at night. I have experimented with cutting it out entirely and noticed no changes. I didn't magically lose weight and I felt no different. I think if you reduce your consumption you'll lose that feeling of dependency while still getting to enjoy it.

Blomepunk

You could try adding up how much money you spend on it over the course of a week, a month and a year, at least for me that is a mayor reason to stay away from any kind of soda?

bstover217

I'm down to 1-2 20oz bottles of diet Mt dew a week from the 3-4 a day I used to drink. I feel much better and don't feel dependant on caffeine anymore.

Sued0nim

Losingthedamnweight wrote: »

I drink about a 6pack of some variation of diet soda a day. Coke zero. Pepsi max. Cherry zero. Vanilla coke zero. I love it. Especially when I'm eating. Doesn't get much better than a chilled glass of vanilla coke zero filled to the brim with ice.

But today it got me thinking. I really hate not drinking it. I drink other things too like straight water or flavored water and other things, but to not have diet coke at least once in the day, I really miss it. And that bugs me for some reason. Like I feel a little too dependent on diet soda ya know?

Is there any reason I should quit drinking it besides some obscure websites on the internet saying it's bad for you? Has anybody here quit drinking it and felt better? Or different at all?

There is absolutely NO reason to stop drinking diet soda if you like it and can afford it but maybe just drink it with meals

stevencloser

ImitatetheSun wrote: »

I thought about it exactly the way you did, OP. I loved the stuff and rationally, I couldn't think of a reason to stop, except that I thought it might be such an ingrained habit that maybe I'm not in control anymore. So In January I gave up My two 20-ounce bottles of Diet Coke, plus Splenda out of the same fear that I was dependent on it. I substituted them for Hi Caff teas from Republic of Tea and Starbucks Iced Coffee, which I drank straight or with milk. Here was the surprise: my food cravings went away. I've lost 20 pounds since giving them up - not because they alone created a calorie deficit, obviously, but because my appetite is small enough that i can actually successfully be on a diet. So now I'm on the biggest weight loss effort of my life, and that was the first step for me. Annoyingly, because the studies sounded so stupid and condescending to me when they came out, this corresponds to a September study that got in the news finding a correlation between diet soda and obesity. Here's another study that's been cited 102 times, suggesting it's a well-studied phenomenon at this point: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/

If you count your calories and don't succumb to every craving that study doesn't apply to you though.

jwat90

I was addicted to diet cokes! I gradually stopped drinking them completely. Now I really don't miss them or crave then at all. Since you still occasionally want one go ahead and have a little. If you keep fighting the urge, you will want it more. Eventually you will lose the taste for it and it won't be as great as you thought it would be anymore. Good luck!

AlciaMode

It is worth it to stop drinking soda period. It has zero benefits. Then again I never got into soda to begin with so maybe it has some magical benefit I do not know about

jennifer_417

AlciaMode wrote: »

It is worth it to stop drinking soda period. It has zero benefits. Then again I never got into soda to begin with so maybe it has some magical benefit I do not know about

It makes me happy. I consider that a pretty good benefit!

ObtainingBalance

I haven't quit anything.

I used to drink regular soda frequently, years ago when I was obese.
I gave it up for awhile to lose weight, and it helped. I don't suggest telling yourself you'll never have it again, but it'd be healthier to find an alternative daily drink - like tea or coffee.

I have diet soda occasionally, but not often. I know it has no nutritional benefits, but it's nice as a treat...I like mixing hard liquor with diet soda... I know I'm already getting a lot of calories with the alcohol so I feel like it saves some mixing with diet soda.

We all have to make choices on what works best for us and what we can live without. Good luck.

macgurlnet

Having the majority of your liquid intake come from diet soda may not be the best idea, but having 1-2 per day? Go for it.

It's not too much different than someone who has a couple cups of coffee each day.

~Lyssa

Hollywood_Porky

Diet soda is dumb. It tastes like *kitten* and reeks havoc with your insulin levels (worse than regular soda). Aspartame is disgusting. If you need liquids, drink filtered water. Does a body a lot more good than diet soda.

kjb678

I drink Diet Coke every other day or at least once a day. I watch my calorie intake and am in the process of losing weight. I don't feel like it affects anything. This is the one thing that I enjoy and look forward to. By all means, enjoy your drinks! Cheers!

nancypnurse

I have asked many doctors this question. They tell me that water is best; however, if it keeps you from eating/drinking sugar.... go for it. They state that there are many REPUTABLE, controlled studies that show the dangers of sugar. The literature is less clear with diet soda. If it makes you feel more hungry, don't drink it. If you are diabetic, and it makes your insulin needs greater, quit drinking it. Otherwise, moderation is key.

Sarasmaintaining

Nothing wrong with diet soda (or regular soda if it fits into your calorie goals).

Timorous_Beastie

I drink less than I used to, but I'm not giving it up completely. I mostly have it in the morning, then drink water the rest of the day. If I go out to eat, I get water, too, because it bothers me to pay more for one glass of soda than I would 2 two-liter bottles. I'd rather give a higher tip to the server.