Why are diet soft drinks so bad?

bcattoes

any dietition with your health in mind will tell you that the fake sugars will cause sugar cravings and binging. not to meniton, migranes, loose stool(depending on brand) and many other health issues.

Absolultey no so. Most dieticians will tell that artificial sweeteners "can" (not will) cause you to crave more sweets (either real or artificial) and that that some (aspartame, for example) are common migraine triggers. They may also mention other health problem that "could" occur. But there are millions of people who drink diet drinks and experience none of these symptoms.

kmbrooks15

I say, everything in moderation.
Life is too short not to have something you enjoy every once in a while.

^^^^THIS!^^^^

I could drive myself absolutely around-the-bend-crazy worrying constantly about every thing. We're all going to die eventually; all you can do is prolong life as much as you can. I'm trying to eat healthier and exercise, but I refuse to drive myself batty in the process! A friend of mine is a registered dietitian, and even she doesn't eat 100% healthy 100% of the time; she allows herself a soda or dessert here or there. She runs marathons and still allows herself treats at times.

NoAdditives

Yes. Technically, everything is a chemical compound. That doesn't change the fact that some can kill you and some are extremely toxic/harfmul to our health.

twinmom01

here is a great chart showing why soda is bad...

I stopped drinking all forms of soda almost 2 years ago (not to say I gave up caffine - I get that from my morning coffee)

http://www.termlifeinsurance.org/harmful-soda-full/

FearAnLoathing

Yes. Technically, everything is a chemical compound. That doesn't change the fact that some can kill you and some are extremely toxic/harfmul to our health.

Which artifical sweetners have never been proven to be

trac3

A LONG time ago, when I was working as a teen (I was 15 at the time), I got the lucky job of cleaning out the soda machines a few times......my best friend and I figured that if the stuff in soda could goop up and do that much damage to a machine, imagine what the hell it could do to your insides....:noway: We both made a pact to give up all soda ~ took up tea and coffee (back before it was oh so fashionable) and water ~ 36 years later, I still won't drink soda (neither will she)!!!!!:sick:

But I always say to each his/her own ~ I have plenty of my own vices.... Moderation is key to anything!

summalovaable

I don't think they're "so bad" in the sense that some people imply. But just because they aren't going to kill you or make you gain weight does not mean its "healthy". I love diet sodas, but I don't drink them as part of a healthy diet. I drink them because my will power sucks, and sometimes I need something sweet. Regardless of if they're 90 % or .5 % chemicals, drinking a diet soda is entirely your choice. If you're here to lose weight: go ahead and drink away. If you're here to be healthy: keep the diet drinks to a minimum. Try thinking of them as "treats" to enjoy in moderation rather than "free calories"

Bookish_Mama

I think that it boils down to the fact that the artificial sweetners used in diet drinks make you crave sweet - sugary things.

I find the opposite of this to be true. When I drink something that is artificially sweetened, it actually makes me feel nauseous if I eat or drink something sweetened with sugar afterwards.

I think that part of the reason that people believe that diet drinks are bad for you is that this

Because the average American doesn't know what moderation is.

is true.

All things in moderation, I say.

Pangea250

It’s hard to kick the habit of drinking sodas but try your best to cut back. Diet drinks are loaded with chemicals, more noticeably, dyes and sweeteners. Aspartame and Splenda used to sweeten diet foods turn to arsenic and formaldehyde while processing in your body. Scary!

Okay...yet another beautiful example of why it is dangerous to spread around "facts" that aren't really "facts." Knowing only part of the story is dangerous!!

An absurb example: don't breathe in any air that anyone else has breathed out. It contains the elements to make CARBON MONOXIDE and then you'll DIE.

Sigh.

HMonsterX

The only safe sweetener is Stevia

Hmm...really?

There are several claims of the potential stevia dangers that one should be aware of. So, is stevia safe for you? If not, what are its effects on the body? Let us find out in detail.

Dangers of Stevia

Stevia has been linked to several long term side effects which has made it a reason for controversy and doubt in the recent years. Although it has been used since centuries by the natives, there are several claimed dangers of stevia. The following are some of the claimed dangers or side effects of stevia.

* Firstly, it is said to be the biggest hindrance in the process of metabolism in the body. Regular consumption of stevia slows down or stops energy metabolism and hence, disrupt the process of conversion of food into energy.

* Secondly, one of the biggest stevia dangers is its link to cancer. When tested in a laboratory, it was found that stevia was capable of bringing mutations in cell's DNA or the genetic material. This is only a claimed side effect as this effect has not been observed in human beings till date. However, scientists and researchers have still not confirmed whether stevia can cause this
mutation in human beings or not.

* Thirdly, difficulties or problems in reproduction is also believed to be one of the stevia side effects. Long term regular consumption of stevia is claimed to affect the male reproduction system, specially leading to a decreased amount of sperm production. When tested on female animal, it was found that stevia led to decreased number of offsprings.

Safe, huh?

SiltyPigeon

Ok. Lets solve this right now!

Raise your hand if you have died as a direct result of the consumption of artificial sweeteners.

No one?

They're safe.

HMonsterX

Ok. Lets solve this right now!

Raise your hand if you have died as a direct result of the consumption of artificial sweeteners.

No one?

They're safe.

neanderthin

Another arguement based in extreme comparisons. Carbs make you fat, processed food is unhealthy, saturated fat is evil, etc. Is common sense that ellusive?

bcattoes

Ok. Lets solve this right now!

Raise your hand if you have died as a direct result of the consumption of artificial sweeteners.

No one?

They're safe.

That makes about as much sense as asking for a show of hands of anyone that has died of as a direct results of smoking (or dropping acid, or jumping off a tall building, or messing with Sasquatch) and declaring it safe when no hands are raised.

Pangea250

Ok. Lets solve this right now!

Raise your hand if you have died as a direct result of the consumption of artificial sweeteners.

No one?

They're safe.

That makes about as much sense as asking for a show of hands of anyone that has died of as a direct results of smoking (or dropping acid, or jumping off a tall building, or messing with Sasquatch) and declaring it safe when no hands are raised.

Some things just can't be explained.

SimpleStepsHealthCoach

Hello everyone,

This post seems like such a loaded thread with people arguing from one extreme to the other. I don't mean to add to it, or start any additional fires. I just want to add some insight and information vs. just hearsay.

If we take a second and go back to the original poster's question, "Why are diet soft drinks so bad?" the short answer is the ongoing debate over aspartame. There are other reasons such as dental hygiene or weight gain as found in this Time Health article (http://tinyurl.com/6hwter4), but the big one on this is aspartame.

Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. Equal, NutraSweet, and Canderel are examples of aspartame sweeteners. It was founded in 1965, approved for soda in 1983, and approved for sweet goods in 1993, and all restrictions removed in 1996.

Here is where the controversy starts:

=============================================================
The following are not my words. Copied from: http://tinyurl.com/l9v3gz
=============================================================
In aspartames’ first 16 years of existence, the FDA absolutely positively refused it’s approval, stating it is dangerous and deadly. The Food and Drug Administration did it’s job, protecting the public. It refused to put Aspartame on the market. The Public Board of Inquiry, FDA Scientists and Investigators, The National Soft Drink Association (NSDA) and many, many others made their objections of any aspartame approval clearly known.

Searle needed to try another maneuver, a political one, to get the approval they wanted so G. D. Searle hired Donald Rumsfeld in March 1977 as their CEO in this political effort. A former Member of Congress and Secretary of Defense in the Ford Administration, Rumsfeld soon hired several of his Washington cronies as top management.

In a January 1981 sales meeting Rumsfeld stated that he would push for aspartames‘ approval using his political clout in Washington, rather than proper scientific means, to ensure aspartame’s approval.

When Ronald Reagan, was sworn in as President of the United States, Reagan’s transition team, which included Donald Rumsfeld, CEO of Searle, hand picked Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes Jr. to be the new FDA Commissioner in January 1981.

Dr. Arthur Hayes, Jr., ignoring the warnings and recommendations of his own internal FDA team, his own FDA scientists, overruled the Public Board of Inquiry. In one of his first official acts as the new FDA Commissioner, Arthur Hayes, Jr. approved NutraSweet (Aspartame) for dry products. Dr. Hayes then resigned two years later in 1983 and took a job with Burson-Marsteller, Searle’s public relations firm, as a senior scientific consultant. Burson-Marsteller also happened to represent several of NutraSeet’s major users.
=============================================================
End copy of article.
A copy of the original FDA negative reports of Aspartame can be found: http://tinyurl.com/bwqeupm
=============================================================

For those who side on not trusting in FDA's scientific investigations; aspartame is associated with cancer, hair loss, asthma, seizures, weight gain, and even death. There are a total of 92 accounted negative side effects of aspartame found by third-party scientist and research labs.

For more information about aspartame, there are sites dedicated to the artificial sweetener such as: http://dorway.com/, http://msgtruth.org/, http://www.sweetpoison.com/, and countless others. Movie watchers can check out The Beautiful Truth (http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/beautiful-truth/), & Sweet Misery (http://products.mercola.com/sweet-misery-DVD/).

With all this said, the ingredient is controversial - that means it's highly debatable and you will always find two sides of each story. The best thing you can do is to perform your own research and come to your own conclusion if you feel it's something you want to consume or not.

My thought of it all is this is, aspartame would not be the first product introduced and deemed safe and was later found not be to be good for us. For me, I have no "need" to consume any product with it as an ingredient - so I just simply stay away from it and keep an ear out for what happens in the future. I guess I play the "better safe than sorry" role when it comes to these things. But that's my opinion and by no means I try to force this onto anyone else.

Hope this helps answer the original question,
y.

SiltyPigeon

Ok. Lets solve this right now!

Raise your hand if you have died as a direct result of the consumption of artificial sweeteners.

No one?

They're safe.

That makes about as much sense as asking for a show of hands of anyone that has died of as a direct results of smoking (or dropping acid, or jumping off a tall building, or messing with Sasquatch) and declaring it safe when no hands are raised.

No *kitten*, Sherlock.

Unknown

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Unknown

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bmqbonnie

There's some evidence that it's damaging to your health, but a lot of studies that suggest X is bad for you uses a ridiculous amount of X. One diet soda every other day is not going to do a lot of harm. 5 a day, yeah, maybe. Probably. I drink it sometimes but have cut back since brain tumors and other neurological problems run in my family and I just don't want to risk it.

Someone mentioned that awful book Skinny B****, just have to say there is a TON of misinformation and bro(chick?)science in that book just from the perspective of someone that studied animal physiology. The twits that wrote that book are ex models (or one of them is, can't remember), not doctors or nutritionists or anything of the sort. I couldn't believe I wasted 10 bucks or whatever it was on that piece of crap.

Of course water is better for you than diet soda. Will a diet soda here and there kill you? No. Will switching 100% to water cause a substantial loss? Probably not, but it would be pretty good for you.