drinking lots of water over diet soda

Pickle107

I read a lot that you should be drinking lots of water daily, say 2 litres plus. I admit to a diet fizzy juice addiction. While there are debatable cons to drinking diet soda which I'm aware of, what are the benefits of drinking an equal amount of plain water?

I'm guessing just drinking plenty of liquids fills you up, helping you feel full? However, are there any other benefits plain tap water (I'm in Scotland so it's quite nice and soft) gives over fizzy juice or tea (which has calories in the milk, if you take it)?

I've read about it 'flushing out toxins' but that's sounds a bit like dodgy science. Is it?

ccrdragon

Pickle107 wrote: »

I read a lot that you should be drinking lots of water daily, say 2 litres plus. I admit to a diet fizzy juice addiction. While there are debatable cons to drinking diet soda which I'm aware of, what are the benefits of drinking an equal amount of plain water?

I'm guessing just drinking plenty of liquids fills you up, helping you feel full? However, are there any other benefits plain tap water (I'm in Scotland so it's quite nice and soft) gives over fizzy juice or tea (which has calories in the milk, if you take it)?

I've read about it 'flushing out toxins' but that's sounds a bit like dodgy science. Is it?

There is nothing wrong with drinking diet soda/fizzy juice - both are something like 98% water, so they help to hydrate you. As to the 2L of water a day - not necessary. Just watch the color of your urine - as long as it is light yellow to clear, you are well hydrated.

The 'flushing out toxins' nonsense is absolutely dodgy science.

missysippy930

One isn’t better, or worse, (except water has zero calories) than the other. Hydration comes from foods as well as liquids. ccrdragon is correct about urine color as a means of determining proper hydration.

AnnPT77

Water or diet soda will help our body get rid of waste products (not precisely 'toxins'), because we can't urinate or defecate without liquid in our bodies, that's all.

Some people find that diet soda increases their appetite more than plain water, but not everyone does. If it doesn't make calorie management harder for you personally, it's fine to drink diet soda.

Like ccrdragon said, just drink/eat enough fluids to keep your urine pale or clear, not dark. There's no magic exact amount that applies to everyone from a 250 pound bricklayer/triathlete in a hot/dry climate to a petite waif-like poet who reclines on her couch all day in air-conditioned rooms.

HeidiCooksSupper

My dental hygienist noticed immediately when I switched from Diet Coke to fizzy water (unsweetened seltzers). Now, when I try a diet soda it tastes disgustingly chemical to me and I was a several-diet-coke-a-day junkie. My gums are healthier and my teeth are less stained. We finally broke down and got a SodaStream because we got tired of dealing with all the bottles of purchased seltzer -- and yes, even though their CO2 refills are overpriced we'll still save money over the bottled stuff.

I was surprised to find that plain seltzer from our tap water tastes pretty good. I also use a squit of ReaLeamon or ReaLime (juice, it comes in little plastic squirt bottles) if I want flavor. I tried the stuff that came with the SodaStream for flavor and didn't care for it but others seem to like it.

I'm definitely a fizzy water junkie and am just not that thrilled with still water so this works for me. Hubby and I keep the SodaStream machine humming.

Shortgirlrunning

You just need to drink enough liquids to keep you hydrated - is your pee is pale yellow you’re good. You don’t need to drink excessive amounts of water and you don’t have to cut out diet soda or other low/zero calorie drinks to lose weight.

And you’re definitely not flushing out any toxins by drinking tons of water. That is pseudoscience nonsense.

Diatonic12

@HeidiCooksSupper Me, too. My family tells me I'm hooked on naturally essenced sparkling waters. Actually, they say I'm addicted and I say, Oooo, just shut the hail UP and leave me alone. The teeth and gums thing at the dentist, ayup. Heidi, I always have one going with my morning coffee. I swill espressos and fruity flavored sparkling waters at the same time. I'm double-fisted drinker. I like to stretch out all my kombucha drinks with a sparkling water, makes them go twice as far and it's very good.

mullanphylane

I suppose one should consider what is in the drink before consuming.

ReenieHJ

mullanphylane wrote: »

I suppose one should consider what is in the drink before consuming.

Yeh, that was my concern when I gave up Diet Coke. I inhaled that stuff morning, noon, and night. When I started going to my new dentist, one of his questions was 'do you drink soda'? He told me, 'you've got to give it up; the phosphorus is bad on the teeth'. Took me a couple tries but give it up I did. When dh moved back in a year ago, he brought with him his Diet Coke habit. ATM, he has about 10 6-packs in the basement stocked up. I have fought my old habit hard just to pop a soda and start it all over again. Now, if I could cut out added sugar.............

Plain old water keeps our body's systems working fine without the added chemicals and cost. I was definitely hooked on the bubbles but now it's 2 cups of coffee and the rest of the day I have water. I've tried keeping to the recommended 8 glasses a day but just don't get that much. I figure my foods provide the rest.

Pickle107

Do you know, I'm feeling very reassured about the diet soda drinking having heard all this. But I'm going to try and cut back- make myself drink 1 water for 1 soda. It's reminded me about tooth staining. Touch wood, my dentist hasn't mentioned anything else in all these years. The main case against the fizzy stuff is the price. I guess I average at least £1-£1.50 a day worth. That's an eye-watering amount over a year for a bad habit...