Diet soda? Really that bad?

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  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    Aside from sucralose-sweetened drinks, I have no issue as a chemist, with diet soda. Sucralose is just nasty (imo) and I believe seriously understudied for safety being an organohalide. Most organohalide compounds are just not good for us, period,and there's substantial evidence that a significant portion of the population actually CAN digest sucralose. No thanks.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    You mentioned that you're only drinking it along with alcohol.

    I'd be curious if it's the alcohol causing the craving and not the diet soda.

    Impossible. When I golf we drink beer afterwards. Then I buy Doritos and Snickers and eat them. It has to be the golf. Beer is Nectar of the Gods and golf is a good walk ruined(not really but someone will say it)

  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    I am in LURVE with Coke Zero. But I use it as a treat. 8-12 oz at a serving, 2-3 servings a week.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    scolaris wrote: »
    I am in LURVE with Coke Zero. But I use it as a treat. 8-12 oz at a serving, 2-3 servings a week.

    Me too but make that 2-3 daily and interspersed with 7-up free
  • 2wise4u
    2wise4u Posts: 229 Member
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    To be a better example for my daughter, I cut out soda and diet sodas completely. I don't knock those who drink them but personally, I stick to water or unsweetened iced tea and feel good with that decision.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    2wise4u wrote: »
    To be a better example for my daughter, I cut out soda and diet sodas completely. I don't knock those who drink them but personally, I stick to water or unsweetened iced tea and feel good with that decision.

    The things I cut out to be a better example to my children do not include soda ;)
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I heard it makes your eyeballs pop and run out of your ears.

    Luckily it hasn't happened to me yet. Every sip's like a game of Russian roulette....
  • tylerxedge
    tylerxedge Posts: 16 Member
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    I can only speak from personal experience.

    Diet soda is my vice. I lost a lot of weight while drinking diet soda.

    I stopped drinking diet soda, hoping my acne would clear up, and it did not.

    I still drink diet soda on the regular.

    I LOVE coke zero.
  • ReeseG4350
    ReeseG4350 Posts: 146 Member
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    Here's the drill. Your body does not know the difference between "real" sugar and "artificial" (chemically compounded) sugar. It responds the same way regardless. "artificial" sugars will cause fluctuations in insulin as well as trigger those 'sugar cravings' so many 'sugar junkies' (of which I am one) suffer.
    The only way I have found to minimize (NOTE: Not eliminate) sugars from my diet is to switch to flavored water. Granted, there is a modicum of the artificial, chemically compounded version of sugar in every drink, but it is actually better than the sodas I used to drink. Can't remember the last time I had a soda. Don't miss them anymore.

    And, here's a sad note for you. With the proliferation of soft drinks around the globe, a study tracking the introduction of the syrupy sweet, carbonated beverages around the world found a direct correlation between the introduction of soft drinks and the increase of obesity in the society. And, it didn't seem to matter whether the consumer was drinking diet or regular sodas. The upshot of that? Don't know the full analysis but the soda-drinking itself is not the only culprit. But it does seem to trigger a domino effect of dietary habit breakdown. What is happening in the body that tends to create the lifestyle and/or habits that tend to make so many consumers of soft drinks become overweight to obese? We don't yet know. But we are still investigating.

    Now... if I can just get through this holiday sugar-fest!!!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    ktuofa wrote: »
    thank you! yeah maybe I am the only one with the sugar cravings afterwards. I used to drink it all the time and have since only drink it with alcoholic beverages. I need to find a new alcoholic drink with out the diet soda.

    You are not the only one! For those with some carb or sugar cravings, it seems diet sodas can be an issue.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    ReeseG4350 wrote: »
    Here's the drill. Your body does not know the difference between "real" sugar and "artificial" (chemically compounded) sugar. It responds the same way regardless. "artificial" sugars will cause fluctuations in insulin as well as trigger those 'sugar cravings' so many 'sugar junkies' (of which I am one) suffer.
    The only way I have found to minimize (NOTE: Not eliminate) sugars from my diet is to switch to flavored water. Granted, there is a modicum of the artificial, chemically compounded version of sugar in every drink, but it is actually better than the sodas I used to drink. Can't remember the last time I had a soda. Don't miss them anymore.

    And, here's a sad note for you. With the proliferation of soft drinks around the globe, a study tracking the introduction of the syrupy sweet, carbonated beverages around the world found a direct correlation between the introduction of soft drinks and the increase of obesity in the society. And, it didn't seem to matter whether the consumer was drinking diet or regular sodas. The upshot of that? Don't know the full analysis but the soda-drinking itself is not the only culprit. But it does seem to trigger a domino effect of dietary habit breakdown. What is happening in the body that tends to create the lifestyle and/or habits that tend to make so many consumers of soft drinks become overweight to obese? We don't yet know. But we are still investigating.

    Now... if I can just get through this holiday sugar-fest!!!

    If you are introducing a source of calories, that previously didn't exist, and there wasn't either moderation of that source or an increase in activity, I can surely see an increase in obesity. Drinking regular soda is an easy way of increasing caloric consumption while having zero impact on satiety.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited December 2015
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    ReeseG4350 wrote: »
    Here's the drill. Your body does not know the difference between "real" sugar and "artificial" (chemically compounded) sugar. It responds the same way regardless. "artificial" sugars will cause fluctuations in insulin as well as trigger those 'sugar cravings' so many 'sugar junkies' (of which I am one) suffer.
    The only way I have found to minimize (NOTE: Not eliminate) sugars from my diet is to switch to flavored water. Granted, there is a modicum of the artificial, chemically compounded version of sugar in every drink, but it is actually better than the sodas I used to drink. Can't remember the last time I had a soda. Don't miss them anymore.

    And, here's a sad note for you. With the proliferation of soft drinks around the globe, a study tracking the introduction of the syrupy sweet, carbonated beverages around the world found a direct correlation between the introduction of soft drinks and the increase of obesity in the society. And, it didn't seem to matter whether the consumer was drinking diet or regular sodas. The upshot of that? Don't know the full analysis but the soda-drinking itself is not the only culprit. But it does seem to trigger a domino effect of dietary habit breakdown. What is happening in the body that tends to create the lifestyle and/or habits that tend to make so many consumers of soft drinks become overweight to obese? We don't yet know. But we are still investigating.

    Now... if I can just get through this holiday sugar-fest!!!

    You may not realise but Protein causes fluctuations in insulin too

    I sometimes wonder whether people understand what insulin is for in the body

    Where's that chart correlating increase in sugar and decrease in obesity rates in USA in the last decade?

    Edit to say found it

    ctizwfi5ahva.jpg
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
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    There was a study reported by the National kidney foundation. Google 'nkf say no to that diet soda'. I stopped drinking them the day I read it. They might not be the best drink. In fact, I went off the deep end and stopped all added sweeteners including artificial. I feel better and have no sugar cravings.
  • pstegman888
    pstegman888 Posts: 286 Member
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    Mix regular and diet soda half & half, then gradually increase the proportion of diet. Then start adding club soda to cut the diet soda. Squeeze a lemon or lime wedge into the club soda for flavor.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
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    cbelc2 wrote: »
    There was a study reported by the National kidney foundation. Google 'nkf say no to that diet soda'. I stopped drinking them the day I read it. They might not be the best drink. In fact, I went off the deep end and stopped all added sweeteners including artificial. I feel better and have no sugar cravings.

    If a half page long article with 0 links to any sources makes you swear off all sweeteners, make sure you don't spend too much time on the internet, you'll starve to death as you can find articles demonizing every food source ever.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,215 Member
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    Coca-cola (none of that diet business) with salted peanuts. *sigh* I might miss this one thing most of all.

    Except for Diet Mt Dew, which just tastes like battery acid and orange juice strained through a little meth, all diet cokes taste like rabid monkey *kitten*.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited December 2015
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    ktuofa wrote: »
    So I have read how horrible regular soda is but how about diet soda? Every time I have one I feel like I crave sugar afterwards. Does anyone else feel the same way? I need to kick the habit of drinking it! Any suggestions?

    Soda in and of itself is not bad, it's just soda whether it is sugar or not. Obviously, sugared soda has more calories than diet soda, which has zero, but there are popular soda with less sugar and 10 calories. It's only bad for a person if said person has a medical issue to where soda exacerbates the condition, and then that would include any carbonated beverage and not just the soda (I speak from experience here.) :).

    If you like soda but crave extra food afterward, I suggest simply cutting back, or having it before your dinner or other meal.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    I love my diet 7up, Pepsi max, diet Dr pepper and diet mt dew
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    scolaris wrote: »
    I am in LURVE with Coke Zero. But I use it as a treat. 8-12 oz at a serving, 2-3 servings a week.

    Me too but make that 2-3 daily and interspersed with 7-up free

    Well you are my role model, girl crush & hero all in one @rabbitjb so I might have to step up my soda game... hahaha

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    scolaris wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    scolaris wrote: »
    I am in LURVE with Coke Zero. But I use it as a treat. 8-12 oz at a serving, 2-3 servings a week.

    Me too but make that 2-3 daily and interspersed with 7-up free

    Well you are my role model, girl crush & hero all in one @rabbitjb so I might have to step up my soda game... hahaha

    :bigsmile: