My Stupid Question of the Day: Diet Coke or Orange Juice?

TheTrimTim

OK, please forgive me for what I think it a very stupid question, but one I'm struggling with.

When I go out for lunch or dinner, I am often faced with a dilemma when ordering a drink. Assuming water is a no-no, I would generally like to drink either a Diet Coke or Orange Juice.

On the face of it, Orange Juice seems more healthy but it has many more calories and lots more sugar than a Diet Coke. For example, 330ml of supermarket Orange Juice might have around 141 calories, 27g of carbs (with 27g being sugar) and perhaps 2g of protein. On the other hand, we have low calories Diet Coke, which for 330 ml is 1 calorie and 0g of carbs (and 0g of sugar).

So which is better for me?

Taking that one step further, assuming I have fulfilled my calorific intake for a day, does the Diet Coke become the better option? I can't see how Diet Coke is a better option in any circumstances, but I just want to be sure.

Thanks.



(Edit: I was suggesting that water was a no-no just because I want something different when I'm out. Water all day and all night makes TheTrimTim a dull boy).

VitaBailey

Why is water a no-no?

crazy_ninja

Take the juice....never use anything called "diet"...its junk!

Juice is pretty fine and healthy. If you dont like that, try apple juice with water

SPBROOKS68

Always choose water or unsweetened tea.

LittleMissDover

Healthier = Orange juice

Lower cals = Diet Coke

Depends on what you want really. I'd personally go for the diet coke as I'm not bothered about sweeteners like some as I rarely drink it and I don't like drinking my calories, I'd rather eat them!

hottottie11

In the context of an otherwise balanced diet (assuming your diet is balanced), it doesn't matter.

Drink what you enjoy.

jcamer12

neither! choose water with a lemon or lime; with or w/out ice. But no diet and no juice...chew your fruit...

xratedkisses

neither... with orange juice it's filled with so much sugar its not even funny.. right after your hungry..your getting three times the sugar you would if you were to just to eat a fruit.. and with a diet drink it has the same about of sugar in it not to mention the carbonation it has that makes you hungry right after because it makes your stomach stretch out almost like a balloon.. so your best bet would be water... it will make you feel full.. and its healthy for you (sorry for the sp)

confettibetti

I always get water, and when I feel like splurging I get a diet coke... Orange juice may not be the healthier choice though unless they are actually squeezing them fresh in the kitchen, which I doubt. ;-)

nuttygirlc

I would go with the diet coke-its okay to have that as a treat once in a while! I used to drink diet Dr. Pepper every single day which is surely not good for you, but I say once a week is fine! OJ is loaded with sugar and is actually terrible, especially at a restaurant where they are definately using "from concentrate". If you are craving OJ, it's better to squeeze yourself a small, fresh glass at home.

Bentley2718

First, water is *not* a no-no. Assuming you don't want to drink water, unsweetened ice tea is probably a good option. Some people hate artificial sweeteners, but I'd still argue that diet coke is better for you than OJ, which is basically concentrated sugar with little else (fruit contains fiber, which reduces the speed at which the sugar enters your blood stream and also has other benefits, I'm not anti-fruit, but juice is a terrible thing to do to fruit).

AlotOfSweatAndPain

Trop50 orange juice has less sugar...go for it

Natashaa1991

if it's breakfast-orange juice. if it's lunch/dinner-diet coke :P

Amandajean2591

..

neverstray

I don't drink either one, so I'd have nothing. Orange is way too much sugar. That's like eating 16 candy bars in 5 seconds. Diet coke is just gross. So, if water isn't an option, I'll have nothing.

Amandajean2591

Take the juice....never use anything called "diet"...its junk!

Juice is pretty fine and healthy. If you dont like that, try apple juice with water

Unless you are a type one diabetic... then the "diet" stuff isn't "junk"....

invisibubble

Diet soda never stopped my progress, but it does incite hunger and/or sugar cravings in quite a lot of people.
I dislike drinking sugar or my fruit, so I prefer either to make my own smoothie or have a piece of fruit. BUT that's me, it depends how you feel, nobody can answer this really for you but you.

Bentley2718

neither... with orange juice it's filled with so much sugar its not even funny.. right after your hungry..your getting three times the sugar you would if you were to just to eat a fruit.. and with a diet drink it has the same about of sugar in it not to mention the carbonation it has that makes you hungry right after because it makes your stomach stretch out almost like a balloon.. so your best bet would be water... it will make you feel full.. and its healthy for you (sorry for the sp)

Wow, I don't know where to start, but I'll try anyway.
(1) Diet soda does *not* have sugar in it. At. All. Diet soda has artificial sweeteners in it, which some people argue are terrible for you, but there is evidence that in moderation they're probably not the worst thing ever. Either way, they are distinct from sugar.
(2) I would love to see some evidence that carbonation increases hunger by *any* mechanism, let alone by stretching your stomach out like a balloon.
(3) While some people swear by water as "making you feel full" the evidence for this is at best mixed. Yes, it provides volume in your stomach, but that doesn't mean it makes you feel satisfied, there is more to satiety than a full stomach.
(4) I'd also like to point out the logical issue, in which the commentor argues that carbonation stretching out your stomach will make you hungry, but water doing something similar will make you feel full.

MrsTattie

If I am going out for lunch or dinner I have a glass of wine. Simple!

AlexandraLynch

I miss being able to drink orange juice without getting a headache and feeling nauseous.

I usually have water when we go out, because it's cheaper, but as I write this I have just got out of bed and am sipping one of my two cans of Diet Coke a day.

I'm early enough in my weight loss that if not eating clean keeps me under my total calories and makes me psychologically okay with this, then I'm fine with it.

neverstray

neither... with orange juice it's filled with so much sugar its not even funny.. right after your hungry..your getting three times the sugar you would if you were to just to eat a fruit.. and with a diet drink it has the same about of sugar in it not to mention the carbonation it has that makes you hungry right after because it makes your stomach stretch out almost like a balloon.. so your best bet would be water... it will make you feel full.. and its healthy for you (sorry for the sp)

Wow, I don't know where to start, but I'll try anyway.
(1) Diet soda does *not* have sugar in it. At. All. Diet soda has artificial sweeteners in it, which some people argue are terrible for you, but there is evidence that in moderation they're probably not the worst thing ever. Either way, they are distinct from sugar.
(2) I would love to see some evidence that carbonation increases hunger by *any* mechanism, let alone by stretching your stomach out like a balloon.
(3) While some people swear by water as "making you feel full" the evidence for this is at best mixed. Yes, it provides volume in your stomach, but that doesn't mean it makes you feel satisfied, there is more to satiety than a full stomach.
(4) I'd also like to point out the logical issue, in which the commentor argues that carbonation stretching out your stomach will make you hungry, but water doing something similar will make you feel full.

Who cares. It's semantics. No one can argue that fact that diet coke is gross.

nabak147112

i would go with whichever you are wanting more. i still drink 2-3 cans of mt dew a day and its not hurting me with my goals. nothing wrong with treating yourself every now and then. but then i would also get a glass of water

HauteP1nk

Beer! Always choose beer....

On that note, I would go with Orange juice if I had to pick between the two...you could always water down the orange juice?

Tony_Brewski

I feel this pain too brother. Honestly I order water. Depending on where we are at I may even order coffee or a tea. I try to avoid soda's and juices all together for that very same reason, sugar and carbs. Diet soda may seem ok on the surface but the fake sugar they use in it is very bad for you. I'd stick with tea, coffee, or water my friend. There's nothing wrong with a glass of H2O at the dinner table when you're out and about, wine wouldn't be bad either or a light beer. Beer actually burns off faster than juices do because its made from our lovely friends in the vegi tree.

rubyautumn4

Why is water not an option? I always ask for water when I'm out and that's my main drink. I will often also get an herbal tea or a glass of wine but I'll still drink the water.

Lleldiranne

IMO, it's going to depend on what else you've had that day. If you haven't had much fruit or juice, definitely go with the OJ. It has vitamin C and, if there's pulp, some fiber. But you're right, it does have calories, all sugar (although it's natural fruit sugar), and juice is not nearly as good for you as the whole fruit. So if you've had plenty of fruit, or are high on your sugar/carbs for the day, a diet Coke might be the better option - it's zero calories. However, it has its own collection of not-so-good-for-you stuff, so not a great daily faire option.

Of course, if you're diabetic, the juice is going to be a sugar coma in a cup … avoid it then.

My brother likes to take me to a certain restaurant where, to me, the water is nasty and the taste is even in their soda (I think they use a softener, ugh). Since I normally carry a water bottle with me everywhere I go, when he wants to go there I make sure my bottle is filled at home, then politely tell the server no, thank you, nothing to drink for me. That's probably your best option.

Lleldiranne

neither... with orange juice it's filled with so much sugar its not even funny.. right after your hungry..your getting three times the sugar you would if you were to just to eat a fruit.. and with a diet drink it has the same about of sugar in it not to mention the carbonation it has that makes you hungry right after because it makes your stomach stretch out almost like a balloon.. so your best bet would be water... it will make you feel full.. and its healthy for you (sorry for the sp)

Wow, I don't know where to start, but I'll try anyway.
(1) Diet soda does *not* have sugar in it. At. All. Diet soda has artificial sweeteners in it, which some people argue are terrible for you, but there is evidence that in moderation they're probably not the worst thing ever. Either way, they are distinct from sugar.
(2) I would love to see some evidence that carbonation increases hunger by *any* mechanism, let alone by stretching your stomach out like a balloon.
(3) While some people swear by water as "making you feel full" the evidence for this is at best mixed. Yes, it provides volume in your stomach, but that doesn't mean it makes you feel satisfied, there is more to satiety than a full stomach.
(4) I'd also like to point out the logical issue, in which the commentor argues that carbonation stretching out your stomach will make you hungry, but water doing something similar will make you feel full.

Who cares. It's semantics. No one can argue that fact that diet coke is gross.

Plenty of people can. It's a matter of opinion. Even the "danger" of artificial sweeteners is still under debate, both here and in the professional community.

bcattoes

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to this question. If you've used your allotted calories, I'd suggest the Diet Coke. If you have calories to spare then I'd suggest the orange juice because at least it has nutrients and is natural.

But I wouldn't suggest drinking much of either on a regular basis.

DrMAvDPhD

There is little to no evidence that Diet Coke is actually "bad for you" in moderation. Juice, however, will have a lot of sugar and calories. A small glass of juice is fine, even good for the vitamins it provides, but if you are going to drink 2 or more large glasses I say go with the Diet Coke, unless you have 400 calories to waste.

SanteMulberry

Most restaurants will offer grapefruit juice or tomato juice and they are better options to either "diet" drinks (aspartame kills brain cells) and o.j. (too much sugar). Grapefruit juice or tomato juice will not raise your blood sugar precipitously as will o.j. High blood sugar and thus high insulin shoves calories right into your fat cells. High insulin levels not only pack on the pounds but eventually lead to Type II diabetes. Oddly enough, scientists have observed similar insulin spikes in subjects drinking "diet" drinks when compared to control subjects drinking sugary drinks. The healthiest option, of course, is a good mineral water (like Perrier) that is bottled in glass, with a twist of organic lemon or lime, but only very high end restaurants will offer that option in addition to other organic fare served in tiny portions. It would be nice if all restaurants catered more to the health conscious. Most restaurants use the cheapest possible ingredients and a lot of what they serve is very bad for your health.

bcattoes

Most restaurants will offer grapefruit juice or tomato juice and they are better options to either "diet" drinks (aspartame kills brain cells) and o.j. (too much sugar). Grapefruit juice or tomato juice will not raise your blood sugar precipitously as will o.j. High blood sugar and thus high insulin shoves calories right into your fat cells. High insulin levels not only pack on the pounds but eventually lead to Type II diabetes. Oddly enough, scientists have observed similar insulin spikes in subjects drinking "diet" drinks when compared to control subjects drinking sugary drinks. The healthiest option, of course, is a good mineral water (like Perrier) that is bottled in glass, with a twist of organic lemon or lime, but only very high end restaurants will offer that option in addition to other organic fare served in tiny portions. It would be nice if all restaurants catered more to the health conscious. Most restaurants use the cheapest possible ingredients and a lot of what they serve is very bad for your health.

Most of this is just nonsense not backed up by science.