Drinking soda to Help diet!

AdelaDi

Thank you for taking the time to send the links.

Eight subjects, four study days, appetite ratings at the buffet after drinking the sweet/sweetened drink? There should be a *very* strong correlation between sweeteners and appetite for it to show up during this kind of study. If it was that bad, people could also tell and they wouldn't be drinking diet soda at all....if after one can of Coke you feel the urge to eat an entire pizza, you'd stop with the sodas if you want to lose weight. (Or stop with the pizzas) The point was that the effects are more subtle, and, consequently, harder to determine. The classic scenario is when people think they should be losing weight and they're not.

If you read the article I sent you, the study on the rats, you can see that there, they've monitored the rats for a month, and then measured the weight gain for those on sugar or on sweeteners. Surprisingly, on the same caloric intake, those who had sweeteners had gained more weight.

It's something that to me seems worth taking into account.

geebusuk

eating some low cal fruits or veggies to help fill you up

But they're "full of chemicals" - a lot more than diet soda.

My body doesn't seem to have a problem with artificial sweetners, so I'm happy to drink 'diet' drinks.
I find the fizzyness actually fills me up more than a still drink and I like the taste.

acawle00

Green tea, I liked the flavored kind and do decaf for late at night!

FretheMJsmokingcannibal

I prefer tea. Only time I drink pop is when I'm throwing my guts up and when I get heart burn I drink a baking soda solution

BrownEyedGrrl

Gotta put in my two cents again. Anyone who drinks soda (diet soda too) on a daily basis maybe be losing weight but obviously are not interested in being healthy! Osteoporosis is a huge concern for any regular soda drinkers. In fact, it has been said that the fastest growing group of people with osteoporosis in this country is teenagers…because of the huge number of sodas they consume. Considering the growing rate of osteoporosis, especially among women, if you wanna stay healthy and active as you age, I would put down the soda and pick up some water!

geebusuk

Gotta put in my two cents again. Anyone who drinks soda (diet soda too) on a daily basis maybe be losing weight but obviously are not interested in being healthy! Osteoporosis is a huge concern for any regular soda drinkers. In fact, it has been said that the fastest growing group of people with osteoporosis in this country is teenagers…because of the huge number of sodas they consume. Considering the growing rate of osteoporosis, especially among women, if you wanna stay healthy and active as you age, I would put down the soda and pick up some water!

Correlation or Causation?

Fizzy drinks instead of milk

Experts aren't sure why fizzy drinks are linked to osteoporosis. It may be simply that the soft drinks are replacing healthier drinks in your diet. If you're drinking a cola with dinner, you're probably not drinking the glass of milk or orange juice that nutritionists recommend.

So, if you just remember to drink a glass of milk for every can of diet cola, you'll be fine? Not necessarily.
Fizzy drinks and osteoporosis: The cola connection

New research indicates there may be more to the fizzy drinks and osteoporosis connection than simply replacing something that’s good for you with something that’s not.

Researchers at Tufts University in the US, studying several thousand men and women, found that women who regularly drank cola-based drinks - three or more a day - had almost four percent lower bone mineral density in the hip, even though researchers controlled for calcium and vitamin D intake. But women who drank non-cola soft drinks didn't appear to have lower bone density.
Fizzy drinks and osteoporosis: Possible culprits

Phosphoric acid, a major component in most fizzy drinks, may be to blame, according to experts.

Phosphorus itself is an important bone mineral. But if you're getting a disproportionate amount of phosphorus compared to the amount of calcium you're getting, that could lead to bone loss.

Another possible culprit is caffeine, which experts have long known can interfere with calcium absorption. In the Tufts study, both caffeinated and non-caffeinated colas were associated with lower bone density. But the caffeinated drinks appeared to do more damage.
Smart steps for diet cola addicts

Whether the apparent fizzy drink and osteoporosis link is due to effects of the fizzy drink itself or simply because you get less of other, healthier beverages, it's clear that you need to be extra vigilant about your bone health if you're a fizzy drink fan.

A few steps you can take to boost your bone health:

If you can't give fizzy drinks up entirely, eliminate one or two cans a day (depending on how much you drink) or switch to a non-cola drink such as lemonade. Better still, for every fizzy drink you skip, have a glass of milk or orange juice instead. Not only will you be cutting back on any harmful effect from the fizzy drink itself, you'll be adding calcium
Have a breakfast cereal fortified with calcium and pour milk on top
Add milk instead of water when you make things like pancakes, waffles, and cocoa
Add non-fat powdered dry milk to all kinds of recipes such as puddings, biscuits, breads, soups, gravy, and casseroles. One tablespoon adds 52 mg of calcium. You can add three tablespoons per cup of milk in puddings, cocoa and custard; four tablespoons per cup of hot cereal (before cooking); and two tablespoons per cup of flour in cakes, biscuits and breads
Take a calcium and vitamin D supplement if you aren't getting enough calcium (1,000 to 1,300mg, depending on your age) in your diet
Get plenty of weight-bearing and resistance exercise

http://www.webmd.boots.com/osteoporosis/guide/fizzy-drinks-osteoporosis

I'm a man and when I was drinking fizzy drinks the bulk of them would not be cola-based.

Can I suggest that anyone that doesn't look at all the facts before making diet choices is not interested in being healthy :P.

02tods

Losing weight is one thing, but becoming healthier is quite another. I used to drink a lot of soda in my younger years. Not anymore. Today I prefer herbal teas, water, milk, and some orange pekoe tea. Has anyone ever added a few cherries to water to boost the flavor and increase sweetness naturally? It works for me and is a change of pace.

CADreaming09

Thanks so much for all of the replies.

I have yet to add soda (diet or regular) to my diet and I have decided that I want to try Sparkling Ice or Chai Tea with rice milk.

I have always been aware of the dangers of soda and diet soda, but as I said before, it gets and keeps me full. But I am definitely going to try the alternatives first!

CADreaming09

Bought Sparkling Ice and my fiance and I LOVE it!!!

sin485

if you want a 0 calorie drink id go with water. that usually makes me feel full and its free fizzy drinks always make me feel bloated but thats just me

obeserat

Losing weight is one thing, but becoming healthier is quite another. I used to drink a lot of soda in my younger years. Not anymore. Today I prefer herbal teas, water, milk, and some orange pekoe tea. Has anyone ever added a few cherries to water to boost the flavor and increase sweetness naturally? It works for me and is a change of pace.

I drink a lot of soda , I have lost weight, I have a cholesterol level below 4 , I have 120/80 blood pressure , all my blood work is normal , in what way am I unhealthy ?

Alicia7519

Except for the occasional Coke, I have quit drinking soda. I prefer to drink water or LaCroix sparkling water. There is no way I can drink diet soft drinks. I hate how they taste.