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tea/coffe/diet pop vs water debate

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  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    I cannot ever accept the people who say they NEVER drink water and only diet pop. I drink diet pop but not in the amounts some people here do :D

    I just cannot wrap my head around all the crap in it and what stuff we don't know about right now. For me my MO is more chemicals might be bad so dont over do it.

    I can see this topic usually sparks a lot of debate, and rude responses on these forums.

    I work with a guy who hasn't drunk water in years or decades.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited January 2018
    abbefaria4 wrote: »
    As far as I can tell, scientific opinion is overwhelmingly against diet soda. Consider the below link that discusses the current state of research to date. Is there a single major scientist who is confident that diet soda does not cause weight gain?

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/09/08/the-awful-truth-about-diet-soda-and-weight-gain-according-to-science/#4dbd4f7462f8

    Also, you mentioned the reason people drinking diet soda gain more weight is because they use it to justify eating more. Do you have any evidence to back that up. Consider Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal's explanation of the more likely reason why people eat more on diet soda. I'm quoting chapter three of her book The Willpower Instinct. It's discussing why people have a hard time staying on diets. "This is a little known effect of diet soda that contributes to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. The sweet taste tricks the body into taking up glucose from the bloodstream in anticipation of a sugar spike. You're left with less energy and less self-control, while your body and brain wonder what happened to the sugar rush you were promised. This may be why recent studies show diet soda is associated with weight gain, not weight loss."

    Kelly's point isn't that people irrationally eat more because of "magical thinking", it's that diet soda has an actual metabolic effect which makes them hungrier.

    Yeah, I looked at those linked studies. The "non-increased food intake" wasn't actually measured. They filled out a questionnaire about what they usually eat, like in 90% of long-term studies like this. Same with their energy expenditure. That's probably the least reliable way of getting numbers like that. Not to mention the ones who drank diet soda may have already been gaining weight and have been using diet soda in the hopes of stopping it without eating less, something you can't know if you only take a measure of weight at the beginning of your study and one at the end.

    Oh, also the two studies both used the same data and looked for the same things, so they were kinda redundant to begin with.

    And we know that self-reports are so inaccurate you can just chuck them in the garbage and not feel guilty. Plenty of metabolic chamber studies have shown that people are horrible at self-reports and are usually under reporting consumption by half. People also tend to over report exercise by double. This originally led earlier researchers, who relied on self reports, to conclude that obese people were no different in eating and exercising habits than those of normal weight, but this has been proven to be incorrect due to the self-reporting bias. Researchers that still employ these methods of self-report are intentionally employing deceptive tactics for research money and to make a name for themselves IMO. I often suspect these researchers will eventually write books based on these flawed findings because that happens a lot in the diet industry.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    One of those studies was basically a look back over years at people who more consumed soda (diet or non) and people who did not, and found that people who consumed soda of either type were more likely to have gained.

    That kind of study doesn't allow for an accurate calorie comparison.

    There are MANY reasons why people who consume more soda might, on average, gain weight more as they age than people who don't. Big reason: health conscious people are more likely to not consume soda or to consume less soda and to have other habits that help avoid weight gain (basically people who try to live healthfully do a bunch of things, including eating vegetables, exercise). Another possible reason: people who consume soda have more of a sweet tooth on average (NOT because of the soda) and so don't consume as many sweets which would in some cases make it easier to control calories.

    Most people don't watch calories, so big longterm studies like this don't tell us that consuming diet soda makes it harder to lose. (I can take or leave soda, my vice is coffee when it comes to beverages, but since I like diet soda and have never had difficulty drinking water, if I happen to feel like a diet coke I have one. I don't keep it at home, though, because it's a hassle to carry and I normally walk to and from the grocery store.)
  • 3bambi3 wrote: »
    abbefaria4 wrote: »
    As far as I can tell, scientific opinion is overwhelmingly against diet soda. Consider the below link that discusses the current state of research to date. Is there a single major scientist who is confident that diet soda does not cause weight gain?

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/09/08/the-awful-truth-about-diet-soda-and-weight-gain-according-to-science/#4dbd4f7462f8

    Also, you mentioned the reason people drinking diet soda gain more weight is because they use it to justify eating more. Do you have any evidence to back that up. Consider Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal's explanation of the more likely reason why people eat more on diet soda. I'm quoting chapter three of her book The Willpower Instinct. It's discussing why people have a hard time staying on diets. "This is a little known effect of diet soda that contributes to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. The sweet taste tricks the body into taking up glucose from the bloodstream in anticipation of a sugar spike. You're left with less energy and less self-control, while your body and brain wonder what happened to the sugar rush you were promised. This may be why recent studies show diet soda is associated with weight gain, not weight loss."

    Kelly's point isn't that people irrationally eat more because of "magical thinking", it's that diet soda has an actual metabolic effect which makes them hungrier.

    If it weren't for diet soda, I wouldn't have survived this long on my diet. Is it as healthy as water? No! there's sodium and artificial sweeteners in it. But it is very low- no calories. A bottle of coke zero has about 4 calories from the artificial sweetener but they're allowed to mark the calories as zero because anything under than 5 counts as insignificant to the FDA.

    There have been studies done that show artificial sweeteners cause a chemical reaction in the body that may trigger hunger/ sugar cravings like the one above. But for me, diet soda is a lifesaver because if I'm at the movies and everyone near me is eating popcorn and drinking sprite, at least I have something that isn't water to drink. I've lost over 90lbs drinking a few bottles a day. It doesn't contribute calories. Also, for every article you've pulled, I can pull another one stating the exact opposite.

    Soda has the same amount of sodium as water, just an FYI.

    There is about 18MG of sodium in 12 ounces of water. 40MG in 12 ounces of diet coke...
  • JillianRumrill
    JillianRumrill Posts: 335 Member
    edited January 2018
    I'm on a diuretic (prescription, not street drugs), should I even be drinking tea?
    I won't even look at a coffee. Although I do miss my caramel macchiatos, but too many calories anyways.

    Also, LOL diuretics as street drugs. yeah, sure, that's what the kids are all hopped up on nowadays.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    I'm on a diuretic (prescription, not street drugs), should I even be drinking tea?
    I won't even look at a coffee. Although I do miss my caramel macchiatos, but too many calories anyways.

    Also, LOL diuretics as street drugs. yeah, sure, that's what the kids are all hopped up on nowadays.

    This is a medical question. Your drug information should answer this and if not you should talk to your pharmacist and they can give you the proper answer.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    abbefaria4 wrote: »
    As far as I can tell, scientific opinion is overwhelmingly against diet soda. Consider the below link that discusses the current state of research to date. Is there a single major scientist who is confident that diet soda does not cause weight gain?

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/09/08/the-awful-truth-about-diet-soda-and-weight-gain-according-to-science/#4dbd4f7462f8

    Also, you mentioned the reason people drinking diet soda gain more weight is because they use it to justify eating more. Do you have any evidence to back that up. Consider Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal's explanation of the more likely reason why people eat more on diet soda. I'm quoting chapter three of her book The Willpower Instinct. It's discussing why people have a hard time staying on diets. "This is a little known effect of diet soda that contributes to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. The sweet taste tricks the body into taking up glucose from the bloodstream in anticipation of a sugar spike. You're left with less energy and less self-control, while your body and brain wonder what happened to the sugar rush you were promised. This may be why recent studies show diet soda is associated with weight gain, not weight loss."

    Kelly's point isn't that people irrationally eat more because of "magical thinking", it's that diet soda has an actual metabolic effect which makes them hungrier.

    If it weren't for diet soda, I wouldn't have survived this long on my diet. Is it as healthy as water? No! there's sodium and artificial sweeteners in it. But it is very low- no calories. A bottle of coke zero has about 4 calories from the artificial sweetener but they're allowed to mark the calories as zero because anything under than 5 counts as insignificant to the FDA.

    There have been studies done that show artificial sweeteners cause a chemical reaction in the body that may trigger hunger/ sugar cravings like the one above. But for me, diet soda is a lifesaver because if I'm at the movies and everyone near me is eating popcorn and drinking sprite, at least I have something that isn't water to drink. I've lost over 90lbs drinking a few bottles a day. It doesn't contribute calories. Also, for every article you've pulled, I can pull another one stating the exact opposite.

    Soda has the same amount of sodium as water, just an FYI.

    There is about 18MG of sodium in 12 ounces of water. 40MG in 12 ounces of diet coke...

    ...are you really concerned about 20mg of sodium? They are basically the same. Milk has a higher sodium count than soda. What I'm trying to say is, stating soda is 'not as healthy as water because sodium' isn't really true.

    It's critical to put this into the correct context that daily sodium should be between 1500 and 2300 mg meaning that we're quibbling about 1% of that daily intake.

    Exactly...
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited January 2018
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    abbefaria4 wrote: »
    As far as I can tell, scientific opinion is overwhelmingly against diet soda. Consider the below link that discusses the current state of research to date. Is there a single major scientist who is confident that diet soda does not cause weight gain?

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/09/08/the-awful-truth-about-diet-soda-and-weight-gain-according-to-science/#4dbd4f7462f8

    Also, you mentioned the reason people drinking diet soda gain more weight is because they use it to justify eating more. Do you have any evidence to back that up. Consider Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal's explanation of the more likely reason why people eat more on diet soda. I'm quoting chapter three of her book The Willpower Instinct. It's discussing why people have a hard time staying on diets. "This is a little known effect of diet soda that contributes to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. The sweet taste tricks the body into taking up glucose from the bloodstream in anticipation of a sugar spike. You're left with less energy and less self-control, while your body and brain wonder what happened to the sugar rush you were promised. This may be why recent studies show diet soda is associated with weight gain, not weight loss."

    Kelly's point isn't that people irrationally eat more because of "magical thinking", it's that diet soda has an actual metabolic effect which makes them hungrier.

    If it weren't for diet soda, I wouldn't have survived this long on my diet. Is it as healthy as water? No! there's sodium and artificial sweeteners in it. But it is very low- no calories. A bottle of coke zero has about 4 calories from the artificial sweetener but they're allowed to mark the calories as zero because anything under than 5 counts as insignificant to the FDA.

    There have been studies done that show artificial sweeteners cause a chemical reaction in the body that may trigger hunger/ sugar cravings like the one above. But for me, diet soda is a lifesaver because if I'm at the movies and everyone near me is eating popcorn and drinking sprite, at least I have something that isn't water to drink. I've lost over 90lbs drinking a few bottles a day. It doesn't contribute calories. Also, for every article you've pulled, I can pull another one stating the exact opposite.

    Soda has the same amount of sodium as water, just an FYI.

    There is about 18MG of sodium in 12 ounces of water. 40MG in 12 ounces of diet coke...

    ...are you really concerned about 20mg of sodium? They are basically the same. Milk has a higher sodium count than soda. What I'm trying to say is, stating soda is 'not as healthy as water because sodium' isn't really true.

    I didn't say I didn't think it was healthy? Did you completely ignore the rest of my post and read what you wanted to? I said THE REASON SODA IS CONSIDERED LESS HEALTHY THAN WATER IS BECAUSE IT HAS HIGHER SODIUM AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS.

    Clear enough for you now?

    I thought your main point was fine.

    What I think people are saying -- and I would agree -- is that people THINK soda is unhealthy largely because of misinformation. The main form of misinformation is that people buy into scare stories about artificial sweeteners or read stuff in the media that is quite misleading about the studies OR (less commonly, but it's still a thing) they incorrectly think there is a lot of sodium in soda. I think no one is really going to be worried about 20 mg of sodium (do you realize how little that is? how much salt would give you that much?), but they hear it's got a lot and don't look at the label or understand the numbers.

    I realize you were not saying it was unhealthy, but that particular reason people give for soda being terrible is just wrong.

    I do think drinking crazy amounts of diet soda (which perhaps could happen if someone only drinks it) isn't ideal, but mostly I don't think we are talking about that -- and I agree with what you said about it being helpful sometimes, especially in situations like the movie theater (I always drink diet coke at movies too).
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    abbefaria4 wrote: »
    Sorry about the broscience comment. Having a bad day. I realize you probably know more about me on this stuff. I guess I just don't know what to make of it all the research. Your right. That was a good study. The studies I cited seem good too. I don't know what to say If multiple studies point in different directions.

    The links you provided were to articles, not studies. Articles are prone to misinterpret and/or exaggerate the results of studies as the authors typically don’t understand the science behind them and most often have motivation to make things seem more drastic than they are because sensationalism sells.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    abbefaria4 wrote: »
    As far as I can tell, scientific opinion is overwhelmingly against diet soda. Consider the below link that discusses the current state of research to date. Is there a single major scientist who is confident that diet soda does not cause weight gain?

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/09/08/the-awful-truth-about-diet-soda-and-weight-gain-according-to-science/#4dbd4f7462f8

    Also, you mentioned the reason people drinking diet soda gain more weight is because they use it to justify eating more. Do you have any evidence to back that up. Consider Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal's explanation of the more likely reason why people eat more on diet soda. I'm quoting chapter three of her book The Willpower Instinct. It's discussing why people have a hard time staying on diets. "This is a little known effect of diet soda that contributes to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. The sweet taste tricks the body into taking up glucose from the bloodstream in anticipation of a sugar spike. You're left with less energy and less self-control, while your body and brain wonder what happened to the sugar rush you were promised. This may be why recent studies show diet soda is associated with weight gain, not weight loss."

    Kelly's point isn't that people irrationally eat more because of "magical thinking", it's that diet soda has an actual metabolic effect which makes them hungrier.

    If it weren't for diet soda, I wouldn't have survived this long on my diet. Is it as healthy as water? No! there's sodium and artificial sweeteners in it. But it is very low- no calories. A bottle of coke zero has about 4 calories from the artificial sweetener but they're allowed to mark the calories as zero because anything under than 5 counts as insignificant to the FDA.

    There have been studies done that show artificial sweeteners cause a chemical reaction in the body that may trigger hunger/ sugar cravings like the one above. But for me, diet soda is a lifesaver because if I'm at the movies and everyone near me is eating popcorn and drinking sprite, at least I have something that isn't water to drink. I've lost over 90lbs drinking a few bottles a day. It doesn't contribute calories. Also, for every article you've pulled, I can pull another one stating the exact opposite.

    Soda has the same amount of sodium as water, just an FYI.

    There is about 18MG of sodium in 12 ounces of water. 40MG in 12 ounces of diet coke...

    Depends on your water source.
    Bottled? By what company and what collection source?
    Tap? What city?
    Well? Which well from which part of the yard?

    Oh, just wait for the "raw" water scam too. I wonder when the first person will die or fall gravely ill from parasites and various other pathogens from that hot mess.
  • PikaJoyJoy
    PikaJoyJoy Posts: 280 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    abbefaria4 wrote: »
    As far as I can tell, scientific opinion is overwhelmingly against diet soda. Consider the below link that discusses the current state of research to date. Is there a single major scientist who is confident that diet soda does not cause weight gain?

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/09/08/the-awful-truth-about-diet-soda-and-weight-gain-according-to-science/#4dbd4f7462f8

    Also, you mentioned the reason people drinking diet soda gain more weight is because they use it to justify eating more. Do you have any evidence to back that up. Consider Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal's explanation of the more likely reason why people eat more on diet soda. I'm quoting chapter three of her book The Willpower Instinct. It's discussing why people have a hard time staying on diets. "This is a little known effect of diet soda that contributes to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. The sweet taste tricks the body into taking up glucose from the bloodstream in anticipation of a sugar spike. You're left with less energy and less self-control, while your body and brain wonder what happened to the sugar rush you were promised. This may be why recent studies show diet soda is associated with weight gain, not weight loss."

    Kelly's point isn't that people irrationally eat more because of "magical thinking", it's that diet soda has an actual metabolic effect which makes them hungrier.

    If it weren't for diet soda, I wouldn't have survived this long on my diet. Is it as healthy as water? No! there's sodium and artificial sweeteners in it. But it is very low- no calories. A bottle of coke zero has about 4 calories from the artificial sweetener but they're allowed to mark the calories as zero because anything under than 5 counts as insignificant to the FDA.

    There have been studies done that show artificial sweeteners cause a chemical reaction in the body that may trigger hunger/ sugar cravings like the one above. But for me, diet soda is a lifesaver because if I'm at the movies and everyone near me is eating popcorn and drinking sprite, at least I have something that isn't water to drink. I've lost over 90lbs drinking a few bottles a day. It doesn't contribute calories. Also, for every article you've pulled, I can pull another one stating the exact opposite.

    Soda has the same amount of sodium as water, just an FYI.

    There is about 18MG of sodium in 12 ounces of water. 40MG in 12 ounces of diet coke...

    Depends on your water source.
    Bottled? By what company and what collection source?
    Tap? What city?
    Well? Which well from which part of the yard?

    Oh, just wait for the "raw" water scam too. I wonder when the first person will die or fall gravely ill from parasites and various other pathogens from that hot mess.

    Hipsters man. And I remember when drinking tap water was edgy.

    Oh well, guess they need something to wash down those Tide Pods.

    705.gif
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    abbefaria4 wrote: »
    As far as I can tell, scientific opinion is overwhelmingly against diet soda. Consider the below link that discusses the current state of research to date. Is there a single major scientist who is confident that diet soda does not cause weight gain?

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/09/08/the-awful-truth-about-diet-soda-and-weight-gain-according-to-science/#4dbd4f7462f8

    Also, you mentioned the reason people drinking diet soda gain more weight is because they use it to justify eating more. Do you have any evidence to back that up. Consider Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal's explanation of the more likely reason why people eat more on diet soda. I'm quoting chapter three of her book The Willpower Instinct. It's discussing why people have a hard time staying on diets. "This is a little known effect of diet soda that contributes to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. The sweet taste tricks the body into taking up glucose from the bloodstream in anticipation of a sugar spike. You're left with less energy and less self-control, while your body and brain wonder what happened to the sugar rush you were promised. This may be why recent studies show diet soda is associated with weight gain, not weight loss."

    Kelly's point isn't that people irrationally eat more because of "magical thinking", it's that diet soda has an actual metabolic effect which makes them hungrier.

    If it weren't for diet soda, I wouldn't have survived this long on my diet. Is it as healthy as water? No! there's sodium and artificial sweeteners in it. But it is very low- no calories. A bottle of coke zero has about 4 calories from the artificial sweetener but they're allowed to mark the calories as zero because anything under than 5 counts as insignificant to the FDA.

    There have been studies done that show artificial sweeteners cause a chemical reaction in the body that may trigger hunger/ sugar cravings like the one above. But for me, diet soda is a lifesaver because if I'm at the movies and everyone near me is eating popcorn and drinking sprite, at least I have something that isn't water to drink. I've lost over 90lbs drinking a few bottles a day. It doesn't contribute calories. Also, for every article you've pulled, I can pull another one stating the exact opposite.

    Soda has the same amount of sodium as water, just an FYI.

    There is about 18MG of sodium in 12 ounces of water. 40MG in 12 ounces of diet coke...

    Depends on your water source.
    Bottled? By what company and what collection source?
    Tap? What city?
    Well? Which well from which part of the yard?

    Oh, just wait for the "raw" water scam too. I wonder when the first person will die or fall gravely ill from parasites and various other pathogens from that hot mess.

    Hipsters man. And I remember when drinking tap water was edgy.

    Oh well, guess they need something to wash down those Tide Pods.

    Raw water and Tide Pods could be the ultimate “cleanse”.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    abbefaria4 wrote: »
    As far as I can tell, scientific opinion is overwhelmingly against diet soda. Consider the below link that discusses the current state of research to date. Is there a single major scientist who is confident that diet soda does not cause weight gain?

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/09/08/the-awful-truth-about-diet-soda-and-weight-gain-according-to-science/#4dbd4f7462f8

    Also, you mentioned the reason people drinking diet soda gain more weight is because they use it to justify eating more. Do you have any evidence to back that up. Consider Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal's explanation of the more likely reason why people eat more on diet soda. I'm quoting chapter three of her book The Willpower Instinct. It's discussing why people have a hard time staying on diets. "This is a little known effect of diet soda that contributes to hunger, overeating, and weight gain. The sweet taste tricks the body into taking up glucose from the bloodstream in anticipation of a sugar spike. You're left with less energy and less self-control, while your body and brain wonder what happened to the sugar rush you were promised. This may be why recent studies show diet soda is associated with weight gain, not weight loss."

    Kelly's point isn't that people irrationally eat more because of "magical thinking", it's that diet soda has an actual metabolic effect which makes them hungrier.

    If it weren't for diet soda, I wouldn't have survived this long on my diet. Is it as healthy as water? No! there's sodium and artificial sweeteners in it. But it is very low- no calories. A bottle of coke zero has about 4 calories from the artificial sweetener but they're allowed to mark the calories as zero because anything under than 5 counts as insignificant to the FDA.

    There have been studies done that show artificial sweeteners cause a chemical reaction in the body that may trigger hunger/ sugar cravings like the one above. But for me, diet soda is a lifesaver because if I'm at the movies and everyone near me is eating popcorn and drinking sprite, at least I have something that isn't water to drink. I've lost over 90lbs drinking a few bottles a day. It doesn't contribute calories. Also, for every article you've pulled, I can pull another one stating the exact opposite.

    Soda has the same amount of sodium as water, just an FYI.

    There is about 18MG of sodium in 12 ounces of water. 40MG in 12 ounces of diet coke...

    Depends on your water source.
    Bottled? By what company and what collection source?
    Tap? What city?
    Well? Which well from which part of the yard?

    Oh, just wait for the "raw" water scam too. I wonder when the first person will die or fall gravely ill from parasites and various other pathogens from that hot mess.

    Hipsters man. And I remember when drinking tap water was edgy.

    Oh well, guess they need something to wash down those Tide Pods.

    Raw water and Tide Pods could be the ultimate “cleanse”.

    Well, it would be monumental but probably not enjoyable.