thoughts on diet soda

adam85491

Big thing I notice in these threads is moderation, or a lack there of.

I generally consume 1 can of diet soda at lunch every day of the work week. At home, I will go through about one 2L bottle of pop a week.

I drink at least 80 ounces of water per day.

I see some people hardly drink water or pound back six or seven cans a day...too much of anything can be bad, and if you're getting that much soda in you, you're likely chronically dehydrated.

Diet pop is totally fine, but drink some water too.

ninerbuff

Having worked in the industry, and seen what it does to concrete...I wouldn't drink it.

Enjoy.

You do know that water carved out the Grand Canyon?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

wazfest2k

I dont think diet soda or artificial sweeteners in general make a difference on body composition. But instinctively I have to say that they are certainly not healthy. I try to avoid them as much as possible for not only for health reasons, but I feel that they make me hungrier all the time. Just my opinion here but I attribute that to the body getting something sweet and expecting the calories to go along with that sweetness that never arrive.

Achrya

Having worked in the industry, and seen what it does to concrete...I wouldn't drink it.

Enjoy.

You do know that water carved out the Grand Canyon?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Water is serious business. It's been killing people since as long as there have been people.

Diet soda not so much

Sycoholic

While there has been no link between diet soda and weight loss, the findings have been confusing. They have not figured out if it's because of the associated meal being unhealthy or excessive or the diet soda. However, I've read that it 'can' cause a spike in your body's insulin as it's tricked into thinking you're eating something sweet. This is short lived however as there is nothing sweet about diet soda. In turn your body then starts craving the sugary sweet drink that you teased it with. Endorphins are your enemy at this point as they get released and your cravings build. This can lead to indulging in sugary caloric evil.

Now having said this, there is still 0 calories in diet soda. I wouldn't suggest quitting it cold turkey. Instead, save a glass of it for meals. Have one glass of diet soda with lunch and then supplement with water. You can even try adding cucumber slices, lemon wedges, or some other "natural" flavor enhancement. I mostly only drink water. Maybe once every two or three weeks I'll just crave a soda with a meal to the point that I can't resist. So I indulge myself, being careful to note it in MFP and then adjust my food the rest of the day. (I don't do diet). If you knew what diet soda can do to your body, especially your teeth you would probably stay away from it completely anyway.

fatfudgery

Having worked in the industry, and seen what it does to concrete...I wouldn't drink it.

If your stomach is lined with concrete, you have bigger problems than whether or not to drink diet soda...

On a related note, have you seen what water does to metal? You probably should stop drinking that, too.

lbm1987

Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners and artificial coloring. Caramel coloring has been found to be carcinogenic and the verdict is still out on artificial sweeteners, though it certainly can't be good for you. There is also evidence that artificial sugar actually makes you crave real sugar, which is not what you want if you're on a diet. I was a hardcore Diet Dr. Pepper addict up until June and I am proud to say that I have finally kicked that habit. About a month after I quit regularly drinking diet soda I ordered one at a restaurant, thinking it wouldn't hurt to have one just every once in a while, and it made me feel horrible. It made my throat and chest burn and I felt super bloated. I received the message loud and clear that I no longer needed or even wanted to ingest something that was made up of chemicals and made me feel terrible. Since then, I have been sleeping much better and I feel amazing to not "need" that caffeine first thing in the morning anymore. My suggestion would be to give up all soda completely and see how much better you feel and how it helps your diet. When you are craving something sweet, just have the real thing in a small amount and you will probably feel much more satisfied and able to stay on track.

jonsey_s

Having worked in the industry, and seen what it does to concrete...I wouldn't drink it.

Enjoy.

You do know that water carved out the Grand Canyon?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Actually there are 4 types of erosion. Splash, sheet, rill and gully. As powerful as water can be, it's not caused a hole to appear in a concrete floor a few weeks after a minor leak.

jonsey_s

If your stomach is lined with concrete, you have bigger problems than whether or not to drink diet soda...

On a related note, have you seen what water does to metal? You probably should stop drinking that, too.

Technically it's the oxygen/ moisture mix reacting with the iron in metal that causes rust. And it's the chloride is seawater that causes underwater erosion in metal.

jdm_taco

on my 3rd glass now

fatfudgery

Caramel coloring has been found to be carcinogenic

Nope:

http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v20je11.htm

and the verdict is still out on artificial sweeteners, though it certainly can't be good for you.

Nope:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame#Safety_and_health_effects

There is also evidence that artificial sugar actually makes you crave real sugar, which is not what you want if you're on a diet.

Nope (PDF — look specifically at pp. 21-24):

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/supporting/doc/1641.pdf

0 for 3.

fatfudgery

Technically it's the oxygen/ moisture mix reacting with the iron in metal that causes rust. And it's the chloride is seawater that causes underwater erosion in metal.

So the damage incurred by metal in contact with water is specific to metal, so water is OK to drink. And the damage incurred by concrete in contact with diet sodJUST STAY AWAY FROM THE STUFF!!!!11!1eleventyone!

Flawless logic, there.

aakaakaak

Caramel coloring has been found to be carcinogenic

Nope:

http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v20je11.htm

and the verdict is still out on artificial sweeteners, though it certainly can't be good for you.

Nope:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame#Safety_and_health_effects

There is also evidence that artificial sugar actually makes you crave real sugar, which is not what you want if you're on a diet.

Nope (PDF — look specifically at pp. 21-24):

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/supporting/doc/1641.pdf

0 for 3.

When threads like this pop up I do a quick scan for fact-based links to scientific evidence.

I wish I could upvote or like a comment on MFP. You'd have mine.

khloee1

I use to drink soda a lot...then went to Diet and I honestly don't like it. So now I drink 1 regular soda a week if that. Or just went I go to a restaurant...since they add tons of ice. That is my little treat Just remember **** Everything in moderation is key. Took me long to realize that but I finally got it.

Morn66

I used to be a diet soda addict. It was my caffeine source since I can't stand even the smell of coffee. I was usually drinking at least three one-liter bottles of diet whatever (usually Dr. Pepper) a day because the not-diet kind was far too sweet to me, as I have no sweet tooth to speak of. So I can't say it made me crave sweets. I was simply in for the caffeine. Then about a year ago I started having very noticeable irregular heartbeats, which scared the crap out of me. I thought it was the caffeine, so I quit the diet soda (and any other sources of caffeine, including non-decaf teas) cold turkey. Haven't touched a drop since, and although the withdrawal was terrible, I don't miss caffeine at all now....although as it turned out, the irregular heartbeats were caused by undiagnosed heart failure due to two bad heart valves, not by caffeine. But the caffeine certainly didn't help with that.

OP, I suspect that the "crutch" works because you've simply exchanged one highly addictive stimulant for another. If you have no health issues that preclude you from having caffeine, I don't see why you couldn't keep drinking diet soda, if you want to. TBH, my own habit makes me kind of sick looking back on it, but if you're good with your Diet Coke and your heart is clicking along as it should, I say do what makes you happy. Although I think that if you're asking, "Is it OK to drink this," you're probably already thinking that it's probably not OK. You know?

sabrafox

All the research is showing, more and more, that diet soda is TERRIBLE for you. Google the most recent studies.
I grew up on Diet Coke. LOVED it. Couldn't get enough. But once I learned that it not only tricks you into consuming more calories, but that it breaks down into all these awful things in your body, I switched to water. That is now my primary drink of choice and after almost 2 months without soda of any kind, I can honestly say I don't miss it all.

quill16

Obviously, water with some lemon is better, but you know that. I still drink diet soda, but limit it to the "clear" variety( 7-up or clear fruity ones) . The question is how much are you willing to compromise to get the weight off. Only you can be the judge. If it takes a diet soda versus "the real thing" for a while, go for it . Just keep trying to adjust it to something more pure as you go. Figure out what works for you, always striving for H2O as an ultimate.

babyluthi

*grabs popcorn*


But to answer your question, I love me my diet soda and alllll the aspartame that goes with it. It's a nice treat when I have minimal calories left but want something sweet.

Just keep in mind....I'm a paramedic, and we have yet to respond to an aspartame overdose, just saying.

Live dangerously.

LOL! Critical Care here and I have to agree!

That said, OP needs to be aware there is a lot of hidden sodium in those drinks which will make her thirstier. High sodium may cause some H2O retention.

jayjay12345654321

It will kill you. Then it will save your life. And it will kill you again.

Scientific evidence provided by Republicans, Democrats, Concierge Staff, Mechanical Engineers, that Punk in the Mustang with an obnoxious sound system, and Armchair Experts across the world has indisputably proven this fact to be a myth based on truth as shared by Johnny Liar-Liar-Pants-On-Fire Tucker.

(That aside, if you want to, drink it. Nobody has ever overdosed on a Coke Zero. It's got some sodium in there that is meant to make you a tad thirsty so you'll go grab another one from the fridge sooner than later, but big deal. Bottoms up!)

sarasmiles124

If anything, save it for a day where you have extra calories that you can consume. I do that with small amounts of chocolate if I have some room to wiggle with my food intake.