Are "diet" sodas really bad

lynnstrick01

Everybody keeps telling me "if you keep chugging those sodas you'll never lose weight" I don't understand, they are the ZERO calorie sodas, ZERO sugar ZERO Calories. Is there something about the carbonation that makes it bad?

Sodas and Wine are my 2 absolute worst enemies.. I love them both, I have cut down on the wine and when I do have a glass I cut it with V8 splash so I still have my wine and not the calories

I changed from Regular sodas (COKE) to the ZERO version.. but keep hearing negatives..can someone explain this

lynnstrick01

by the way I have had 1regular COKE over the past 8 days, no diet ones and have lost 3 lbs... I don't know if it would have been same if I HAD been drinking my ZERO COKES

stevencloser

A zero calorie beverage by itself can't keep you from losing.

Pawsforme

I"m down 25 pounds since August, and I have 12-16 oz. of diet Pepsi every day (more on weekends when we eat out). I've consumed diet soft drinks for 25+ years and have never noticed that they have any effect on weight loss or gain. In case anyone is wondering, I choose diet drinks because I vastly prefer the taste. The sugar in regular soft drinks is nauseating to me.

lynnstrick01

Thanks guys, I was just wondering, because I am really trying to make LIFE LONG CHANGES here, things I know I can stick to. I have tried many times to give up my soda's and it rarely lasts for more than a month. It is just one of those cravings I cannot overcome.. ITS LIKE CRACK. I prefer the full sugar version but CAN live with the zero cal ones

MelaniaTrump

Do you ever drink water? Could you try one glass a day?

EleanorLynn1989

I've been drinking Diet soda everyday for most of my life and I can assure you that that's not what led me to being fat. It's because I eat and sit around too much. I honestly didn't even know about calories until I joined this site last summer, and now that I'm logging my food I can understand how I got so fat! I already had almost 400 calories today by drinking a glass of lemonade and 3 sticks of cheese for my blood sugar. But I ALWAYS have a Diet drink in front me and I always will until I die.

janejellyroll

JanetYellen wrote: »

Do you ever drink water? Could you try one glass a day?

I'm confused . . . OP didn't say anything about not drinking water. I like to drink diet soda. I also like to drink water. These two aren't contradictory.

20months

I drank 3-4 diet sodas/day when I was 348#. Now I am at 157# and I still drink 3-4 diet sodas/day. It neither helped or hindered my weight loss. Enjoy!

lynnstrick01

Yeah, I know water is the BEST thing to drink, I just really don't like it. Kind of like George Carlin says Fish F in it.. HEE HEE.... Really though I can force myself to drink water if I add a little lemon to it. but really get no enjoyment from it at all..

Dreysander

I don't generally drink soda because I don't like the way it makes my stomach feel, but I do have a 20oz sprite zero or diet orange once a week. I don't see anything the matter with it.

psuLemon

lynnstrick01 wrote: »

Everybody keeps telling me "if you keep chugging those sodas you'll never lose weight" I don't understand, they are the ZERO calorie sodas, ZERO sugar ZERO Calories. Is there something about the carbonation that makes it bad?

Sodas and Wine are my 2 absolute worst enemies.. I love them both, I have cut down on the wine and when I do have a glass I cut it with V8 splash so I still have my wine and not the calories

I changed from Regular sodas (COKE) to the ZERO version.. but keep hearing negatives..can someone explain this

The majority of people get information from blogs which have no scientific backing or support. The fact is, a zero calorie drink will affect your results as a multiple of it's calories.

I drink 40 to 60oz of diet dew a day and 120 to 150 oz of water. It has zero effect.

CooCooPuff

In addition to water, I drink a can or two of diet soda everyday. My only issue with the whole thing is the price of the sodas. I was able to get a bunch on sale, 5 for 10, but never had a problem maintaining or losing.

Sued0nim

psulemon wrote: »

lynnstrick01 wrote: »

Everybody keeps telling me "if you keep chugging those sodas you'll never lose weight" I don't understand, they are the ZERO calorie sodas, ZERO sugar ZERO Calories. Is there something about the carbonation that makes it bad?

Sodas and Wine are my 2 absolute worst enemies.. I love them both, I have cut down on the wine and when I do have a glass I cut it with V8 splash so I still have my wine and not the calories

I changed from Regular sodas (COKE) to the ZERO version.. but keep hearing negatives..can someone explain this

The majority of people get information from blogs which have no scientific backing or support. The fact is, a zero calorie drink will affect your results as a multiple of it's calories.

I drink 40 to 60oz of diet dew a day and 120 to 150 oz of water. It has zero effect.

Co-sign

Although I have no idea what diet dew is I drink 2 or 3 330ml cans diet 7 up or coke zero a day

MommyL2015

Diet Mt. Dew actually has 10 calories, according to the bottles I have anyway. But no, zero-calorie drinks are just that. Zero calorie.

lynnstrick01

I think my problem wasn't so much the sodas as everyone was telling me so much as other bad habits.. I was substituting sodas (either diet or non diet ones depending on which kick I was on) for food all day long, Then a Big dinner too close to bed time.

my typical day went something like this:

4:30 am to 10:30 am ...................1 whole pot of black coffee with splenda while cleaning house & doing inside chores.

10:30am to 3:00pm................drink sodas while doing outside chores.. (we have a large property with lots of work to be done, taking care of animals, raking, mowing, general property maintenence.

3:00pm to 6:00pm............Drink wine while I cook and eat dinner, clean up after dinner, shower and bed..

All I have changed in this routine is I am drinking smoothies all day after my coffee time, and making sure I eat, (a smaller amount) before 4pm. .. then finish up with more smoothie or allow myself that glass of wine before bed.. seems to be working for me.. 3 lbs in 8 days, I don't feel deprived (except for my cokes)... But I agree I need to get that water in there somewhere. I just can't eat the prescribed 3 meals a day,, I really don't like the "activity" of eating. But I am trying to get my nutrients from the smoothies

grace42d

You all are kidding - right? It is not the lack of calories that make diet soda bad for you, it is the chemicals which increase the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Google "scientific research on diet soda" and several journal articles pop up. Here is a quote from the American Diabetes Association "At least daily consumption of diet soda was associated with a 36% greater relative risk of incident metabolic syndrome and a 67% greater relative risk of incident type 2 diabetes compared with nonconsumption (HR 1.36 [95% CI 1.11–1.66] for metabolic syndrome and 1.67 [1.27–2.20] for type 2 diabetes)" (source: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/32/4/688.full)

and here is another "This is one of the largest studies on this topic, and our findings are consistent with some previous data, especially those linking diet drinks to the metabolic syndrome.” – Dr. Ankur Vyas, a Fellow in cardiovascular disease at UI Hospitals and Clinics, and the lead investigator of the study". (source: http://now.uiowa.edu/2014/03/ui-study-finds-diet-drinks-associated-heart-trouble-older-women)

If you don't know what metabolic syndrome is, I strongly encourage you to find out. It is a very scary syndrome without which there would be no MFP.

Take care of you total body health, quit diet soda today.

malibu927

Nope. I'm having a Diet Pepsi right now, only because I need the caffeine. Throughout the day it'll be water, then a Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper with dinner. Some people still believe that sweeteners are dangerous to consume, but they've been studied so much and proven to be safe.

lynnstrick01

There are conflicting opinions here, which I expected, but I think what I am learning from all of you, (no matter what side you are on) is what I really already knew, (just needed reminding).... MODERATION is the key,, I think I will allow myself that diet soda when I crave it, but i will try to make it more of a "treat" than as a way of life

Sued0nim

grace42d wrote: »

You all are kidding - right? It is not the lack of calories that make diet soda bad for you, it is the chemicals which increase the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Google "scientific research on diet soda" and several journal articles pop up. Here is a quote from the American Diabetes Association "At least daily consumption of diet soda was associated with a 36% greater relative risk of incident metabolic syndrome and a 67% greater relative risk of incident type 2 diabetes compared with nonconsumption (HR 1.36 [95% CI 1.11–1.66] for metabolic syndrome and 1.67 [1.27–2.20] for type 2 diabetes)" (source: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/32/4/688.full)

and here is another "This is one of the largest studies on this topic, and our findings are consistent with some previous data, especially those linking diet drinks to the metabolic syndrome.” – Dr. Ankur Vyas, a Fellow in cardiovascular disease at UI Hospitals and Clinics, and the lead investigator of the study". (source: http://now.uiowa.edu/2014/03/ui-study-finds-diet-drinks-associated-heart-trouble-older-women)

If you don't know what metabolic syndrome is, I strongly encourage you to find out. It is a very scary syndrome without which there would be no MFP.

Take care of you total body health, quit diet soda today.

:huh:

Correlation <> Causation

From first study

CONCLUSIONS Although these observational data cannot establish causality, consumption of diet soda at least daily was associated with significantly greater risks of select incident metabolic syndrome components and type 2 diabetes.

So no establishment of causality but causality inferred by the lay reader

sheermomentum

If you try to react to every piece of uninformed and bad diet advice that you hear or read, you're going to have a very tough time of it. Carry on, and as the Coke people say, "Enjoy."

Sued0nim

Second study

But Vyas says the association between diet drinks and cardiovascular problems raises more questions than it answers, and should stimulate further research.

“We only found an association, so we can’t say that diet drinks cause these problems,” Vyas says, adding that there may be other factors about people who drink more diet drinks that could explain the connection.


Yes to more research

No to conclusions based on correlative, self reporting data sweeps and fear mongering

grace42d

Very interesting discussion. Of course proving causality is extremely difficult because you have to rule out almost everything else that could be a cause. However, I am not willing to risk metabolic syndrome or diabetes just so I can drink a can of chemicals.

The water in third world countries also has zero calories, but I wouldn't suggest drinking it.

Isn't MFP about more than zero calories?

Sued0nim

grace42d wrote: »

Very interesting discussion. Of course proving causality is extremely difficult because you have to rule out almost everything else that could be a cause. However, I am not willing to risk metabolic syndrome or diabetes just so I can drink a can of chemicals.

The water in third world countries also has zero calories, but I wouldn't suggest drinking it.

Isn't MFP about more than zero calories?

Everything is made up of chemicals

Tofuli

I don't think they really affect weight loss directly. I think they can lead to cravings for sweet things because you're getting the sweet flavour but your body doesn't get the sugar, however if you're counting calories and making sure you're not going over anyway you're not going to put on weight from them. There is also the issue of the safety of the chemicals themselves which is debatable. Although there is no definite evidence of them being bad for you I wouldn't put it past the organisations who make them to not be 100% truthful. Plant based sweeteners like stevia are clearly better for you so it is annoying that they don't use them instead of aspartame (although its obvious why, they can't patent a plant). For me I don't want to risk having lots of chemicals in my system but if I was really craving a fizzy drink I would opt for diet over sugary. I like to make my own soft drinks using stevia when I am at home though!!

lynnstrick01

grace42d wrote: »

Very interesting discussion. Of course proving causality is extremely difficult because you have to rule out almost everything else that could be a cause. However, I am not willing to risk metabolic syndrome or diabetes just so I can drink a can of chemicals.

The water in third world countries also has zero calories, but I wouldn't suggest drinking it.

Isn't MFP about more than zero calories?

I agree, It is not all about the calories, In fact that is what was so confusing to me. I couldn't figure out WHY people kept telling me that diet sodas make you fat if there are no calories and no sugar. I thought maybe the carbonation made you retain water or something like that.. that is more what I was asking.

I do understand that there are other issues with the chemicals in diet drinks.. but as rabbitjb said, these days there are chemicals in EVERYTHING. So unless we grow our own Veg and raise our own chicken, fish, cows and pigs.. we are getting chemicals.. like it or not.

queenliz99

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1308408/why-aspartame-isnt-scary/p1

snickerscharlie

grace42d wrote: »

Very interesting discussion. Of course proving causality is extremely difficult because you have to rule out almost everything else that could be a cause. However, I am not willing to risk metabolic syndrome or diabetes just so I can drink a can of chemicals.

The water in third world countries also has zero calories, but I wouldn't suggest drinking it.

Isn't MFP about more than zero calories?

If someone wants to use a zero calorie soda to help stay within their caloric allotment for the day - based on current scientific evidence - there is no reason for them to not do so.

singingflutelady

Some anti diet soda people are crazy. I had a friend who was always on my case about drinking 1 can of diet Pepsi a day telling me I was killing myself with chemicals... Funny thing was that she smokes a pack a day. Yup in her head there are more dangerous chemicals in diet soda then cigarettes..

MelaniaTrump

Your quote:
All I have changed in this routine is I am drinking smoothies all day after my coffee time...

Smoothies can be sugar bombs. I have an aunt that makes them with ice cream. She puts chia seeds in them, therefore they are healthy.
MPF is the place for you. Sounds like calorie counting is what you need. Almost seems like you have a sweet tooth. If you don't like eating, maybe a protein low sugar shake?
Again, I have a feeling you are going to do well here.

arditarose

I'm more conceded about you cutting your wine with V8. Is this a thing?