Opinion on diet sodas and weight loss
Replies
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TimothyFish wrote: »I doubt that much sodium is good for you, but they won't hurt your weight loss.
There is less sodium in a can of diet soda than there is in your tap water if you use a water softener. (on average, 25-40 mg per 12 oz serving)1 -
Shameless copypasta (with a couple of small edits)from here: http://physiqonomics.com/aspartame/ (you can get the citations in the article)
Aspartame and Weight Gain
Some people will vehemently argue that aspartame causes weight gain. Firstly, this makes zero sense because, as I noted earlier – aspartame is essentially calorie-free. You’d have to consume an impossible amount of diet drinks for it to have an impact on your weight, and seeing as you’d die from water intoxication first, weight gain would probably be the least of your worries.
Secondly, research disagrees with this idea.
In a six-month long randomised clinical trial (one of many), researchers had participants replace caloric beverages with noncaloric beverages.
And, once again, participants that replaced caloric beverages with noncaloric beverages lost weight.
WHAT A SHOCKER.
So then why do people think aspartame causes weight gain?
It’s because people make false correlations. People who drink calorie-free drinks tend to fall for the Health Halo of Food effect: they assume because they’re drinking zero-calorie drinks they can eat more food. This leads them to consume a greater number of calories and gaining more weight (and fat). People then make a faulty correlation between the two: “Diet drinks cause weight gain”, instead of, “People end up eating more calories leading them to gain more weight”.
Does Aspartame ‘Spike Insulin’?
No. It doesn’t. There is zero evidence to suggest that aspartame spikes insulin levels – in both healthy and diabetic individuals. And the only studies that have found this to be the case were done on, surprise surprise, rats.
Even if it did spike insulin – it doesn’t, but if it did in some alternate reality – so what? Insulin spikes are a perfectly normal function of a perfectly normal and healthy functioning body. Even protein spikes insulin. And if you’re still subscribing to the “insulin causes fat gain” dumbkittenery – it’s time you updated your factz.8 -
I religiously consume diet drinks all year round, especially when dieting. They have no negative effect on my progress and if anything help with cravings so are beneficial to me.2
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My only concern with diet soda is the potential effects on insulin production, which research has shown can be affected simply by tasting something sweet whether it contains calories or not. But that concern basically disappears if you're consuming them along with food. The only time it would be an issue would be if you drank them alone, between meals.
Maybe it's woo, but not a risk I'm willing to take.
Its a huge myth as diet soda does not have sugar... it have non sugar sweeteners.
And even if it did affect insulin, why would it matter? Unless a period had a broken endocrine system, it would be regulated correct.
Op, i lost 50+ lbs drink 2 to 3 diet dews a day. I also drink 120 to 150 oz of water. I drink a lot.3 -
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TimothyFish wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I doubt that much sodium is good for you, but they won't hurt your weight loss.
If OP is drinking 3 diet sodas per day that's 120 mg of sodium. Why would that be a concern?
The concern is that most people already consume more sodium than is recommended. Why add 120mg in the form of something that serves no purpose?
But it has virtually the same sodium as in tap water so unless you are suggesting OP not hydrate at all I'm confused why you would continue to perpetuate this false belief that there is excessive sodium in diet sodas...6 -
I gave up all soda's altogether. Instead I drink either water or flavored carbonated water. I can't stand the taste of artificial sweeteners or how it tends to coat my mouth and teeth.0
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Yes. Unfortunately, this also blows ketoscience to smithereens - that simply avoiding carbs will lower insulin levels (assuming that high insulin contributes to obesity, when it's actually the other way around) Eating a four ounce hamburger patty raises insulin more than a cup of pasta.Does Aspartame ‘Spike Insulin’?
No. It doesn’t. There is zero evidence to suggest that aspartame spikes insulin levels – in both healthy and diabetic individuals. And the only studies that have found this to be the case were done on, surprise surprise, rats.
Even if it did spike insulin – it doesn’t, but if it did in some alternate reality – so what? Insulin spikes are a perfectly normal function of a perfectly normal and healthy functioning body. Even protein spikes insulin. And if you’re still subscribing to the “insulin causes fat gain” dumbkittenery – it’s time you updated your factz.
My 1.5 hour session swimming laps raises my blood glucose as much as 30 points. Raised glucose is followed by raised insulin in order to handle the glucose.2 -
TimothyFish wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I doubt that much sodium is good for you, but they won't hurt your weight loss.
If OP is drinking 3 diet sodas per day that's 120 mg of sodium. Why would that be a concern?
The concern is that most people already consume more sodium than is recommended. Why add 120mg in the form of something that serves no purpose?
It serves the same purpose as water (hydration) which has about the same amount of sodium. Should we abstain from drinking water since it's likely that we're already consuming too much sodium from other sources?!3 -
My only concern with diet soda is the potential effects on insulin production, which research has shown can be affected simply by tasting something sweet whether it contains calories or not. But that concern basically disappears if you're consuming them along with food. The only time it would be an issue would be if you drank them alone, between meals.
Maybe it's woo, but not a risk I'm willing to take.
Please link to said research.1 -
Heather4448 wrote: »I drink gallons of the stuff and I've lost over a hundred pounds
80 here!2 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »OP, only an excess of calories can cause weight gain. Since diet soda has no calories, it has no impact on your weight.
Diet soda could indirectly impact the OP's weight if she is one of the people that has been shown in studies to have increased hunger due to drinking soda and therefore has difficulty maintaining a calorie deficit.
Even increased hunger alone doesn't negatively impact weight so long as one controls their intake of calories.
My point is, in a calorie deficit, a zero calorie drink does not hold the power to thwart the laws of thermodynamics. The weight will be lost either way.3 -
Diet soda doesn't cause weight gain, but for some it causes sugar cravings and causes over indulging in junk type foods. If you don't have that problem then it won't hinder your weight loss. The only reason to give up diet soda is purely for other health benefits.. water is better for you. I drink a lot of water, but sometimes I just want flavor, so I'll indulge in a Diet Coke. I have noticed with myself that if I drink it, I want other sweets as well. So for me, I have to be careful and only indulge right before bed. I am lucky enough to be one of those who CANT eat past a certain time. It'll make me sick.1
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GlassAngyl wrote: »Diet soda doesn't cause weight gain, but for some it causes sugar cravings and causes over indulging in junk type foods. If you don't have that problem then it won't hinder your weight loss. The only reason to give up diet soda is purely for other health benefits.. water is better for you. I drink a lot of water, but sometimes I just want flavor, so I'll indulge in a Diet Coke. I have noticed with myself that if I drink it, I want other sweets as well. So for me, I have to be careful and only indulge right before bed. I am lucky enough to be one of those who CANT eat past a certain time. It'll make me sick.
Whether or not something causes cravings for other foods is totally individual (for me, a Coke Zero actually satisfies cravings for sweets) but aside from that, I would take issue with the bold.
Diet soda is 99% water and contain no harmful ingredients. Unless you have phenylketonuria (PKU, a disease you don't have (or you would know for sure) where you can't metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine), there's nothing in diet soda that makes it less beneficial than straight water.3 -
I have maybe 2-3 diet sodas a week. As I've gotten older, I've lost my taste for carbonated beverages except as an occasional thing (I do like a San Pellegrino once in a while). I like flavored waters these days. Regarding health effects, I'm more concerned about the acids in sodas eroding my tooth enamel than the effect of the non-sugar sweeteners on my weight. Like GlassAngyl says, if you notice drinking it has effects on your cravings, don't do it. But I suspect that's related more to one's association of the soda with eating or time of day or whatever than with any "magical" properties of the sweeteners -- like the difficulty smokers can have when they've built up an association between finishing a meal and having a cigarette. See also earlnabby's post above.2
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stevencloser wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I doubt that much sodium is good for you, but they won't hurt your weight loss.
If OP is drinking 3 diet sodas per day that's 120 mg of sodium. Why would that be a concern?
The concern is that most people already consume more sodium than is recommended. Why add 120mg in the form of something that serves no purpose?
IF YOU DRANK WATER INSTEAD IT WOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT.
Goddammit.
Cursing won't change the facts. Most drinking water has less than 20mg of sodium per liter. Diet Coke has 120mg of sodium per liter.6 -
TimothyFish wrote: »stevencloser wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I doubt that much sodium is good for you, but they won't hurt your weight loss.
If OP is drinking 3 diet sodas per day that's 120 mg of sodium. Why would that be a concern?
The concern is that most people already consume more sodium than is recommended. Why add 120mg in the form of something that serves no purpose?
IF YOU DRANK WATER INSTEAD IT WOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT.
Goddammit.
Cursing won't change the facts. Most drinking water has less than 20mg of sodium per liter. Diet Coke has 120mg of sodium per liter.
How many liters a day do you think people are drinking for that sodium to even matter in otherwise healthy people for whom sodium consumption isn't an issue?5 -
Since they contain no calories, I drink as many of them as I feel like, and I am almost 90 pounds down and dangerously close to goal. Since I don't drink coffee, I drink lots of soda in the AM before work. Diet Mt. Dew is my drug of choice, though I like zero calorie Monster energy drinks also. I have a rule that I do not like to drink my calories. The caffeine also has the added benefit of making me less hungry.1
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TimothyFish wrote: »stevencloser wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I doubt that much sodium is good for you, but they won't hurt your weight loss.
If OP is drinking 3 diet sodas per day that's 120 mg of sodium. Why would that be a concern?
The concern is that most people already consume more sodium than is recommended. Why add 120mg in the form of something that serves no purpose?
IF YOU DRANK WATER INSTEAD IT WOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT.
Goddammit.
Cursing won't change the facts. Most drinking water has less than 20mg of sodium per liter. Diet Coke has 120mg of sodium per liter.
Assuming you care about sodium.1 -
Why do you care for OPINIONS regarding diet soda and it's relationship to weight loss? Where are all these posts about their supposed danger?
I am royally sick of opinions that aren't evidence based.
Diet soda does not contribute to weight gain.6 -
My wife, among others, has been trying to get me to quit drinking diet soda for years. About a month ago, I tried to wean myself off of the beast. I bought some Polar seltzer water, and tried drinking that instead. Sometimes, I mix it half & half with apple or cranberry juice.
I don't think that it is a good thing to be accustomed to the constant "sweetness" taste when drinking a lot of diet soda. This may set up cravings for sweets, and may have an effect on other parts of my diet when I am trying to lose weight.
That said, I recently reverted back to drinking more diet soda. I alternate between Diet Pepsi and root beer. Barq's is my favorite. I still have some seltzer and apple juice in the house for a healthier change of pace.
Strawberries are a low calorie healthy choice to satisfy sweet cravings.1 -
This bod achieved while consuming copious amounts of diet soda (1-3 a day).
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It does not hinder weight loss in the slightest.1 -
BrianAWeber wrote: »I gave up all soda's altogether. Instead I drink either water or flavored carbonated water. I can't stand the taste of artificial sweeteners or how it tends to coat my mouth and teeth.
I feel the same way about sugared soda. It coats my mouth and has a taste I don't like.0 -
TimothyFish wrote: »stevencloser wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »TimothyFish wrote: »I doubt that much sodium is good for you, but they won't hurt your weight loss.
If OP is drinking 3 diet sodas per day that's 120 mg of sodium. Why would that be a concern?
The concern is that most people already consume more sodium than is recommended. Why add 120mg in the form of something that serves no purpose?
IF YOU DRANK WATER INSTEAD IT WOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT.
Goddammit.
Cursing won't change the facts. Most drinking water has less than 20mg of sodium per liter. Diet Coke has 120mg of sodium per liter.
You do realize that sodium is an essential part of life right?5 -
I mean, my wallet and tooth enamel thank me for drastically cutting back on diet pop, but as for interference with weight loss? Nah. I can drink pop and still lose weight just fine. Same with the zero cal sweeteners I put in my coffee in the morning.3
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