Is Diet Coke bad for you?

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Replies

  • SydneyMay29
    SydneyMay29 Posts: 2
    My mum always bangs on about how it's bad for my bones. As well as the fact it's got aspartame in it, which is supposedly poisonous in large doses. So just don't go OTT in how much you drink
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I heard it messes with your insulin/ blood sugars or something, I can't remember the details so take this with a pinch of aspartame, but your body thinks something sweet has landed so produces insulin but then there is no sugar so your body gets all out of whack and it results in weight gain.

    No idea if that's true. Feel free to correct me.

    not true.

    Insulin inhibits fat oxidisation yes. But that is an acute response.

    If you have a 24hr (or longer) net energy deficit then you lose some weight.

    I do not believe, diet drinks increase appetite. All the studies I seen on that have been correlational. It actually sounds like an excuse to me.
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    I have not drank coke in years or any other processed drinks. It was over 10 years ago I even stopped gatoraid as I read it was bad for you. I was water, coffee, tea only (for the most part cream in coffee but small amounts etc). I was on a raw food diet for about 6months a few years back as well. I was a granola type of girl you could say. Even though I smoked cigarette I was all natural all healthy (right I know whatever smoking tops it all). I quit the smoking habit but picked up some odd eating habits. I love love love diet coke now but am wondering if it's that bad?
    Opinions welcomed as this is kinda hard to get true facts one study says it's fine the next it's toxic.



    Rather than researching diet coke, it may help to research the ingredients. There are many reliable sites (american journal of medicine, for one ) and then decide if you want to put it in your body.

    Joanne Moniz
    The Skinny on Obesity
  • mhasita
    mhasita Posts: 93 Member
    I don't know if is bad for you, nothing is really proven.

    But what I know is that water is better... so that's what I drink.

    I still drink sodas once or twice a month if I feel like it.
  • agrafina
    agrafina Posts: 128 Member
    It isn't bad for you. I quit drinking it because I was diagnosed with insulin resistance so I cut out most sweet things. I only cut it out so I wouldn't be exposed to something really sweet that continued to make me want really sweet things. If drinking it though helps you with sticking to your diet then drink it.

    There is zero evidence in humans that aspartame is bad for you. Drink away if you like.
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    It's great for cleaning toilets!
    www.collective-evolution.com/2013/09/22/what-happens-to-our-body-after-drinking-coca-cola/
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I heard it messes with your insulin/ blood sugars or something, I can't remember the details so take this with a pinch of aspartame, but your body thinks something sweet has landed so produces insulin but then there is no sugar so your body gets all out of whack and it results in weight gain.

    No idea if that's true. Feel free to correct me.

    not true.

    Insulin inhibits fat oxidisation yes. But that is an acute response.

    If you have a 24hr (or longer) net energy deficit then you lose some weight.

    I do not believe, diet drinks increase appetite. All the studies I seen on that have been correlational. It actually sounds like an excuse to me.

    I believe I've seen some research (I'd have to revisit this) in which hunger levels increase and in most they don't. Using some sort of process where individuals rate hunger on a scale. The interesting piece was that even in the few instances where hunger increased, total energy intake did not increase.

    EDIT: One example - http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/53/4/872.full.pdf?origin=publication_detail
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,284 Member
    It's great for cleaning toilets!
    www.collective-evolution.com/2013/09/22/what-happens-to-our-body-after-drinking-coca-cola/

    So is water!!

    should I stop drinking water?
  • jwf069
    jwf069 Posts: 1
    Yes it is really bad...I'm trying to give it up! It increases your chance of kidney stones.
  • lorrennon
    lorrennon Posts: 43
    Anything that tastes THAT nasty must be good for you. Why else would anyone drink it?!? Give me the real thing.
    :laugh:
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Yes it is really bad...I'm trying to give it up! It increases your chance of kidney stones.

    Source?
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    I mean, a simple google search is going to tell you all the negative facts about diet coke (and any soda for that matter!) Researching it will only make you realize what a nasty beverage it is.

    A simple google search will tell you negative "facts" about almost any food or drink. The internet doesn't always tell the whole truth...

    Allow me to rephrase: soda is okay in moderation. But okay doesn't make it a good thing. It has zero health benefits.

    It provides satisfaction and may improve diet adherence in some people. This is a benefit.

    Personally, speaking for myself only, it has REALLY improved diet adherence.

    me too . otherwise I eat all the real sugar.
  • Thezestiest
    Thezestiest Posts: 37 Member
    Personally, I try to limit my intake of anything with Aspartame in it because I'm not convinced it's safe. I prefer the taste of Splenda to any artificial sweetener, and use it to make sweet tea (Half sugar, half splenda) and also in my coffee - but not much else. I drink diet soda only occasionally, but for the most part I like to allow myself to have a real soda once in awhile, as a treat.

    I prefer to eat natural as much as I can, and so that eliminates anything with high fructose corn syrup (so, most non-diet sodas), msg, artificial sweeteners, etc...but there are always times when I don't follow my own rules completely.

    I will echo the majority and say that honestly it's probably not going to kill you to drink diet soda in moderation. Moderation would be one can a day or less, in my opinion.
  • xplosion80
    xplosion80 Posts: 51 Member
    Drink only Water. Cold through out the day.
    Warm in the morning and night.
  • _EndGame_
    _EndGame_ Posts: 770 Member
    Aspartame.

    Not good.
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
    Pharmacist here.

    Ignore what anyone says about aspartame. There has never been ANY definitive studies that show aspartame (or any artificial sweetener) leads to DNA/Cell damage, which is the ONLY way you get cancer. There have been studies that have lasted decades long, and no real study has shown anything related to increased cancer rates.

    Between Diet and Regular soda, both are horrible for your teeth. If you are going to drink them, make sure to do so with a straw, lessens some of the decay on the teeth. The acid in both can trigger some acid reflux issues for both, and they can have high salt content, which isnt great for those who are on salt restricted diets.

    In terms of calorie counting: No, diet coke is not bad for you. It has ~0 calories, and caffine can somewhat improve visceral fat loss. Make sure to only drink it in moderation, due to the issues with dental and stomach problems.

    That being said, water is always the healthiest choice, always. If you need something to pep you up, or a little treat, then choose diet over regular soda any day. The sugar that is in regular soda is UNBELIEVABLE, and will take a big dent out of your daily calories.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    It's great for cleaning toilets!
    www.collective-evolution.com/2013/09/22/what-happens-to-our-body-after-drinking-coca-cola/

    So is water!!

    should I stop drinking water?

    Vinegar is an all around household cleaner, a pretty effective one. I suggest everyone stops using it in their salads.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
    I mean, a simple google search is going to tell you all the negative facts about diet coke (and any soda for that matter!) Researching it will only make you realize what a nasty beverage it is.

    A simple google search will tell you negative "facts" about almost any food or drink. The internet doesn't always tell the whole truth...

    Allow me to rephrase: soda is okay in moderation. But okay doesn't make it a good thing. It has zero health benefits.

    Diet Coke is my morning coffee. Nearly every day during my weight loss, the desire for a Diet Coke to go with my breakfast motivated me to walk a mile or two to and from one of the corner stores - getting me off my butt and onto my feet. From this, I reaped cardiovascular and neuromuscular benefits as well as weight loss.

    No, I wouldn't have walked there for water, nor even orange juice or coffee. It was the soda that did it. Yummy, yummy, sweet and fizzy, caffeinated diet soda.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,284 Member
    Drink only Water. Cold through out the day.
    Warm in the morning and night.

    Is there really anyone who ONLY drinks water?
    No coffee, tea, soda, juice, milk - nothing but water long term say, for at least a month?

    Just wondering.
  • powerpigeon
    powerpigeon Posts: 46
    Some studies have suggested that the chemicals are a problem, but you're right in that there isn't anything really conclusive (in part because it's so hard to have a study without bias!).
    For some people, the sweetness makes their body expect sugar, which they obviously don't get from the diet coke. They get wicked sugar cravings and end up shovelling down all kinds of sugary junk instead of a full sugar soda. Personally, I don't like how I feel on soda; I feel bloated and gross when I drink much more than the odd can.
    That said, if you're having the odd soda, and you feel fine, go for it. It's not the best way to hydrate yourself, but if you enjoy it, you're probably ok.
  • joan23_us
    joan23_us Posts: 263 Member
    diet soda is bad for you but coke zero is ok, white rice can make you fat but brown rice is good for fatloss as it has fiber in them, chicken breast is better than chicken thigh because the latter is higher in fat by 7 grams per 100 gram serving which will definitely coz you to gain more fat... NOT SRS... BUMPED FOR MORE FUNNY COMMENTS ;)

    to the OP, hit your macros as close as possible everyday, exercise consistently... the rest enjoy life as you should ;)
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    I heard it messes with your insulin/ blood sugars or something, I can't remember the details so take this with a pinch of aspartame, but your body thinks something sweet has landed so produces insulin but then there is no sugar so your body gets all out of whack and it results in weight gain.

    No idea if that's true. Feel free to correct me.

    RIght. Artificial sweeteners MIGHT trigger an insulin response:
    http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/261179.php
  • Thezestiest
    Thezestiest Posts: 37 Member
    Drink only Water. Cold through out the day.
    Warm in the morning and night.

    Is there really anyone who ONLY drinks water?
    No coffee, tea, soda, juice, milk - nothing but water long term say, for at least a month?

    Just wondering.

    No way - coffee is amazing! Coffee and tea have health benefits (as long as you don't add a bunch of sugar).

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