Confused about diet soda (coke, pepsi etc)

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  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    Had to respond to this one. My husband drank 2 2L diet soda bottles a day thinking it was low cal and he was a recovering alcoholic, so the sweet was what he was after. To be honest, everything I've researched for over 20 years says that our bodies read DIET products the same as sugar, therefore gaining weight and affecting hormones in negative ways. The chemicals will change your chemistry and you will be permanently affected by that much consumption per day. I figure I will go for the real sugar, then be forced to do not much of that to keep healthy. I get wicked headaches and gut pains from artificial so my body is telling me "not good for you". If you have joint pains, headaches, sore muscles, eye strain and can't lose weight? I would check into iced green tea you make yourself, squeeze a lemon into water or use mint, cucumber or another low cal flavor without the sugar. This is an addition to that chemical, so it won't be easy, but if you do water and a piece of fruit with the skin, you get the boost and less sugar spikes without the damage, just saying .... watch fruit juices as well, which don't have the fiber to flatten out the sugar spikes. Good luck with that and be well.

    Honestly what did you read that gave you that impression because none of that sounds remotely correct. How exactly does something non-caloric make you gain weight just because it tastes sweet? What evidence is there that aspartame affects your hormones in "negative ways". Chemicals change your chemistry? Well yeah, but what isn't "chemical" in terms of biochemistry?

    You get "wicked headaches" from "artificial"?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    Almost everyone here is missing the point. That much caffeine is bad for you no matter what you believe about aspartame. You can still do major organ damage even if you're thin.

    2 liters of coke has about as much caffeine in it as one cup of coffee.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20049372

    Brewed 8oz cup of coffee ~150mg

    12oz of Diet coke ~35mg

    Even Red Bull only has 80mg of caffeine in an 8oz serving.

    Does caffeine effect the body? Most definately. Can those effects be negative? Sure. Are you being a bit reactionary when you say you can do major organ damage from drinking some soda because of caffeine? Yes.
  • eddiesmith1
    eddiesmith1 Posts: 1,550 Member
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    Almost everyone here is missing the point. That much caffeine is bad for you no matter what you believe about aspartame. You can still do major organ damage even if you're thin.

    not much chance you are ingesting dangerous levels of caffeine with diet soda. Lethal dose of caffeine calculator tells me that as someone who weighs 187 pound i would need 187 shots of espresso (I love it not that much) or 185 cans of Pepsi Max, or 283.62 of Coke Zero or Diet Coke (100.652 Liters that is a lot of pop in a short period since your body also eliminates it, it's not a cumulative thing over days or half the world would be dead already)

    http://www.caffeineinformer.com/death-by-caffeine
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    Not sure if aspertane is "good" or "bad" ... either way, Coke Zero trumps all others IMO.

    But I mean, Id imagine drinking 2 liters of something with the same pH as hydrochloric acid may not be the best option for your health? It definetly speeds up the degration of tooth enamel, no idea if it does anything to organs... but it sure does a good job on copper pennies!

    My feeling is if you are questioning if you are "drinking too much" - you probbaly already feel like you are.... right? Switch to only 1 liter a day, save the $1.50, and by the end of the year you can buy yourself a sweet new toy! And... your insides may thank you!

    "Straight" hydrochloric acid has a PH of 0 while soda has an average PH of 2.5. Freaking battery acid (sulphuric acid) has a lower PH than hydrochloric acid and stomach acid generally has a higher PH value than soda.

    qyfj8o.jpg

    Why yes I do! Thanks for asking! I'm a chemist ;-)

    So... the pH of HCL depends on the concentration... and stomach acid is mainly hydrochloric acid... soooo there's that.

    And when you puke, stomach acid erodes the enamel off your teeth. That was my point, acid errodes teeth, and thats probs the only "rpoven" thing diet sada does thats baaaaad for you.

    I sceince, i science a lot... unfortunetly, i can't post funny GIFs here. Wheh.

    So if you can dilute hydrochloric acid as much as you like and still call it hydrochloric acid then couldn't you also say that water has the same pH as hydrochloric acid?

    The statement you made was reactionary and untrue, trying to justify it by saying if you dilute hydrochloric acid you can get it to a higher pH is just a cop out. Soda is not hydrochloric acid and to claim it as such is hyperbole and not helpful.

    I mean seriously you may not like soda but if you were offered 20 bucks to drink a can I'm pretty sure you wouldn't hesitate. How much water should I use to dilute concentrated hydrochloric acid with before you would agree to drink it for 20 dollars?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary

    I have yet to see a science-based argument against diet sodas.

    This ^^^^^

    I don't drink a lot of Diet Soda but I drink them when I like (same with Tea and coffee)
    The only caution i'd give is Soda because of it's sodium content won't have the same effect on water retention as water will (in other words it won't help rid you of water weight) The acid issue for your teeth is true whether it's sparkling water or Jolt Cola. It's blown way out of proportion though.
    Personally i'd cut back the soda and substitute some water (or milk even - it counts as water but of course has some caloric content - along with nutritional content)

    Although you are correct that the sodium content will make it less hydrating than water we should give a little context to how much sodium we are talking about.

    Soda has about 19mg of sodium in 8oz
    Tap water has about 9mg of sodium in 8oz.

    Your daily intake of sodium is likely somewhere around 2500-4000mg per day. So we are talking a 10 mg difference between water and soda here, it really isn't going to make a big difference.
  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    Some people say the artificial sweetener triggers an insulin response which results in increased appetite (aka binge eating) If you arent over eating (especially after the soda ) then its not an issue for you
  • amberj32
    amberj32 Posts: 663 Member
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    Diet Pepsi is much better than Diet Coke

    How so?

    OP, I don't think diet soda's are harmful at all - that said, 2 litres does seem a lot of it to drink every day - I would maybe cut back to 1/4 of that and try to drink more water instead.
    No need to cut it out entirely - just perhaps cut back to a more moderate level.

    Take the Pepsi challenge. You will see.

    You are sadly mistaken...... Coke is the only way to go but I only drink Diet Coke on occasion now. Pepsi and Diet Pepsi taste terrible!
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
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    I don't drink diet anything. I don't like the taste.
  • keobooks
    keobooks Posts: 92 Member
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    I think all diet sodas except Fresca taste terrible. I think the citrus in the grapefruit juice kills the aspertame flavor. Fresca is rarely available in fountains at restaurants here, so I'm always excited when I see it.

    Overall though, I'd rather have one or two sugar filled sodas a month than drink diet sodas daily. That aftertaste... bleargh.. When I DO drink sugar sodas, I pick a fancy hand tooled expensive snooty one and treat it like a dessert.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    Some people say the artificial sweetener triggers an insulin response which results in increased appetite (aka binge eating) If you arent over eating (especially after the soda ) then its not an issue for you

    Which people? I don't do things because "some people" say something I do things on the basis of evidence.
  • conqueringsquidlette
    conqueringsquidlette Posts: 383 Member
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    Your basically drinking chemicals, that aint good for you.

    You should probably stay away from dihydrogen monoxide then.

    http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html
  • Lindzpnc
    Lindzpnc Posts: 98 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary

    I have yet to see a science-based argument against diet sodas.
    bahhahahaah

    so it MUST be good for you!
  • MissMissle
    MissMissle Posts: 293 Member
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    Not sure if aspertane is "good" or "bad" ... either way, Coke Zero trumps all others IMO.

    But I mean, Id imagine drinking 2 liters of something with the same pH as hydrochloric acid may not be the best option for your health? It definetly speeds up the degration of tooth enamel, no idea if it does anything to organs... but it sure does a good job on copper pennies!

    My feeling is if you are questioning if you are "drinking too much" - you probbaly already feel like you are.... right? Switch to only 1 liter a day, save the $1.50, and by the end of the year you can buy yourself a sweet new toy! And... your insides may thank you!

    "Straight" hydrochloric acid has a PH of 0 while soda has an average PH of 2.5. Freaking battery acid (sulphuric acid) has a lower PH than hydrochloric acid and stomach acid generally has a higher PH value than soda.

    qyfj8o.jpg

    Why yes I do! Thanks for asking! I'm a chemist ;-)

    So... the pH of HCL depends on the concentration... and stomach acid is mainly hydrochloric acid... soooo there's that.

    And when you puke, stomach acid erodes the enamel off your teeth. That was my point, acid errodes teeth, and thats probs the only "rpoven" thing diet sada does thats baaaaad for you.

    I sceince, i science a lot... unfortunetly, i can't post funny GIFs here. Wheh.

    So if you can dilute hydrochloric acid as much as you like and still call it hydrochloric acid then couldn't you also say that water has the same pH as hydrochloric acid?

    The statement you made was reactionary and untrue, trying to justify it by saying if you dilute hydrochloric acid you can get it to a higher pH is just a cop out. Soda is not hydrochloric acid and to claim it as such is hyperbole and not helpful.

    I mean seriously you may not like soda but if you were offered 20 bucks to drink a can I'm pretty sure you wouldn't hesitate. How much water should I use to dilute concentrated hydrochloric acid with before you would agree to drink it for 20 dollars?

    Nothing about my original statement was untrue.... and I never claimed soda was HCL - so, I hope you are referencing someone else, otherwise, i suggest re-reading the original post! Thanks! I also said I like Coke Zero...so, obvioulsy i wouldnt need money to drink it - though I'd take money if it was offered! I never said i didn't like soda.... again.... I think you are talking to someone else here, not me, soooo Im probs gonna get attacked for responsing :-(

    And no, no matter how much you dilute HCL with water, it will never have the same pH as plain H2O, because it's HCL, not H2O, so you could obtain a VERY very close pH, it could never be the same.

    Coke, in this case, has phosphoric acid in it. The phosphoric acid, itself, isn't "diluted" with water - its a set percentage (I have no idea what) added to other ingredients. All these ingredients combined result in a mixture that yeilds a pH roughly about 2.5. You put a penny, metal, tooth enamel, anything really, in a solution of something that has a pH of 2.5, it will corrode. Depending on the item, this could take seconds, or years. An Acid is an Acid. They all do the same crap.... corrode steel. Thats how we determine pH...
  • MissMissle
    MissMissle Posts: 293 Member
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    Good luck OP - I think you already ditched on this convo though!
  • melaniedsm
    melaniedsm Posts: 55
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary

    I have yet to see a science-based argument against diet sodas.

    This

    Diet soda makes you hungrier. There has been many studies done with kindergardeners the idea being they are less conditioned than adults. They give half diet pop and half regular pop and then are left alone for X amount of time in a room with readily available food. In study after study the half given regular soda consumed less food than the half that was given diet soda. This has been repeated separating the groups completly, co-mingling w/e. The science is simple, diet pop makes you eat more and that isn't good for weight loss. I don't personally like all the processed sugar and chemicals either, but if nothing else science shows it makes you hungry.

    I kind of hate water, so what I do it juice cherries and lemon to add to my water all day. I just put it in a litle jar and bring it with me. 1/2 tablespoon per 32 oz makes it taste like koolaid, but way less calories and natural sugar vs processed/bleached. Lemon juice is very low calorie, you have to watch your cherries.
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
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    So the children who ingested calories were less hungry than the ones who didn't? That doesn't seem very conclusive. If anything that shows that normal pop is more satiating than diet. Not that diet makes you "hungrier".

    EDIT: Do you have a link to that study available? Would be interested in seeing the methodology,
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
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    If it doesn't affect me in any way, so I will keep drinking it.

    F.I.F.Y ..... other folks may have different 'mileage'

    You just made 100% absolutely no sense with what you just changed.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary

    I have yet to see a science-based argument against diet sodas.
    bahhahahaah

    so it MUST be good for you!

    Not sure I follow your logic there. No, it doesn't have to be good for you just because it isn't bad for you. Not everything is black or white, there is neutral ground here.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary

    I have yet to see a science-based argument against diet sodas.

    This

    Diet soda makes you hungrier. There has been many studies done with kindergardeners the idea being they are less conditioned than adults. They give half diet pop and half regular pop and then are left alone for X amount of time in a room with readily available food. In study after study the half given regular soda consumed less food than the half that was given diet soda. This has been repeated separating the groups completly, co-mingling w/e. The science is simple, diet pop makes you eat more and that isn't good for weight loss. I don't personally like all the processed sugar and chemicals either, but if nothing else science shows it makes you hungry.

    I kind of hate water, so what I do it juice cherries and lemon to add to my water all day. I just put it in a litle jar and bring it with me. 1/2 tablespoon per 32 oz makes it taste like koolaid, but way less calories and natural sugar vs processed/bleached. Lemon juice is very low calorie, you have to watch your cherries.

    Please cite any study you reference so other people can evaluate it and come to their own conclusions based on their methods, data and results.

    When you read this study what did you think of it?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Options
    Not sure if aspertane is "good" or "bad" ... either way, Coke Zero trumps all others IMO.

    But I mean, Id imagine drinking 2 liters of something with the same pH as hydrochloric acid may not be the best option for your health? It definetly speeds up the degration of tooth enamel, no idea if it does anything to organs... but it sure does a good job on copper pennies!

    My feeling is if you are questioning if you are "drinking too much" - you probbaly already feel like you are.... right? Switch to only 1 liter a day, save the $1.50, and by the end of the year you can buy yourself a sweet new toy! And... your insides may thank you!

    "Straight" hydrochloric acid has a PH of 0 while soda has an average PH of 2.5. Freaking battery acid (sulphuric acid) has a lower PH than hydrochloric acid and stomach acid generally has a higher PH value than soda.

    qyfj8o.jpg

    Why yes I do! Thanks for asking! I'm a chemist ;-)

    So... the pH of HCL depends on the concentration... and stomach acid is mainly hydrochloric acid... soooo there's that.

    And when you puke, stomach acid erodes the enamel off your teeth. That was my point, acid errodes teeth, and thats probs the only "rpoven" thing diet sada does thats baaaaad for you.

    I sceince, i science a lot... unfortunetly, i can't post funny GIFs here. Wheh.

    So if you can dilute hydrochloric acid as much as you like and still call it hydrochloric acid then couldn't you also say that water has the same pH as hydrochloric acid?

    The statement you made was reactionary and untrue, trying to justify it by saying if you dilute hydrochloric acid you can get it to a higher pH is just a cop out. Soda is not hydrochloric acid and to claim it as such is hyperbole and not helpful.

    I mean seriously you may not like soda but if you were offered 20 bucks to drink a can I'm pretty sure you wouldn't hesitate. How much water should I use to dilute concentrated hydrochloric acid with before you would agree to drink it for 20 dollars?

    Nothing about my original statement was untrue.... and I never claimed soda was HCL - so, I hope you are referencing someone else, otherwise, i suggest re-reading the original post! Thanks! I also said I like Coke Zero...so, obvioulsy i wouldnt need money to drink it - though I'd take money if it was offered! I never said i didn't like soda.... again.... I think you are talking to someone else here, not me, soooo Im probs gonna get attacked for responsing :-(

    And no, no matter how much you dilute HCL with water, it will never have the same pH as plain H2O, because it's HCL, not H2O, so you could obtain a VERY very close pH, it could never be the same.

    Coke, in this case, has phosphoric acid in it. The phosphoric acid, itself, isn't "diluted" with water - its a set percentage (I have no idea what) added to other ingredients. All these ingredients combined result in a mixture that yeilds a pH roughly about 2.5. You put a penny, metal, tooth enamel, anything really, in a solution of something that has a pH of 2.5, it will corrode. Depending on the item, this could take seconds, or years. An Acid is an Acid. They all do the same crap.... corrode steel. Thats how we determine pH...

    pH is just the negative log of the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution..it isn't based on how quickly steel corrodes.

    Something that is pH 2.5 has 10 to the -2.5 power H+ ions solubilized in solution, that is all pH means.


    Saying that you can never dilute hydrochloric acid to a pH of 7 is like saying that no matter how many steps you take towards a wall you will always be a step away. Technically true but in practice about as useful as wondering if a tree falls in the woods if it makes a sound. Practically speaking yes you can dilute hyrdochloric acid down to neutral pH it would just take a lot of water.


    The pH of hydrochloric acid is not 2.5 so again your original statement was hyperbole. I'm not saying that acidic solutions cannot damage your teeth but it would be easier if you just backed off your hyperbole a bit and talked straight about it like you did here.