Diet Pop

Sarauk2sf

Pah, quote didn't transfer so nevermind that post.
I have seen studies that show Aspartame to increase desire for simple carbohydrates. Will look again, but I no longer have access to EbscoHost and the like

It can in some people which causes a concern for adherence to a calorie restriction. It can also help adherence. Depends on the individual.

swimmchick87

There have been studies that show it causes people to crave "real" sugar more, or causes people to overeat because they'll eat more food thinking 'oh, I'm having a diet soda so I can have ___________."

On the first count, I honestly think it depends on the individual. You can always try not having it for awhile and see how you feel. Personally, I found that when I tried to give up diet pop I craved MORE sugar than when I was drinking it. I don't have a big sweet tooth and mostly crave salty things. I gave up diet pop and ate more dessert than I ever have in my entire life. I guess the diet pop was "sweet enough" for my taste buds. I find that while I'm drinking it 95% of the time it doesn't bother me to not have other sweets. My best friend on the other hand has a huge sweet tooth and she found that giving up diet pop helped her a lot. I tried to get her hooked into mfp but she didn't like tracking. She gave up diet pop months ago and says she doesn't crave sweets as much, her skin is clearer, and she's saving a lot of money too. To each their own!

As for the second argument, I don't think that's really valid for those of us on mfp. We're logging all of our food, so obviously we know not to overeat thinking it's okay because what we're drinking is diet, just like we know that it's not okay to have an 800 calorie dessert b/c you burned 200 calories in the gym with the the excuse "well I worked out today."

Personally, I would try giving it up for awhile and form your own opinions on rather it works for you or not. Some people feel better giving it up and some of us actually diet better with it. You never know until you try.

Donna6017

Moderation. If you enjoy it, have 1 or 2. There are arguments against aspertame, splenda and just about eveything else. I gave up diet soda about 6 months ago. For me it was the cost of it. Just getting too darn expensive.

robin68562

I just made up my mind that I wasn't going to drink it anymore. And after being off it for a little while I couldn't stand how bloated I felt whenever I would splurge and have a glass when I went out to dinner. The best way to break a habit is by replacing it with another. Try replacing pop with non-carbonated drinks like Crystal Light, and Aquafina Flavor Splash. I gave up pop a year ago and I feel so much better for it. Sometimes that's the best motivation --- AND reward. Good luck. :drinker:

bridgelene

It can make depression worse in those who have a mood disorder. -http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0006322393902518

And....since I started having some neurological symptoms, I've had more than a handful of people ask me if I use artificial sweeteners, saying that it can cause neurological issues. In my research, it seems that this had at once been a theory, but except for people (babies, primarily) with PKU this isn't really an issue, 'though some people who have a sensitivity can end up with headaches. But that's all relatively mild, what is caused by the sensitivity.

For the record, I rarely use artificial sweeteners, I'm not a big fan of the taste. Turns out the neurological symptoms were caused because my immune system deciding to attack the myelin sheaths in my nervous system......I must've made one too many jokes about the blonde brain and my body didn't catch the sarcasm and thought my brain was the enemy -- ATTACK! :laugh:

gwicks54

I like diet coke and still drink 16oz. or less per day. I used to drink lots more and I had problems with overactive bladder issues. I drank caffeine free diet coke out of the soft drink dispenser at my restuarant. We sold the business and now I drink mostly unsweet tea, coffee or water & I no longer have any problems with my bladder. I have lots of caffeine in the tea & coffee I make at home but I use splenda or sweet n low if I use a sweetener not aspartame, so my conclusion is that it was the problem. I never went to the doctor so this is just my observation. I believe all things in moderation is accepatable, if it makes your life more enjoyable and you are not having an adverse problems, then enjoy one or two a day without guilt.

veneal

Try a canned sparkling soda with a dash of lemon.

EdwarddeVere

Haha you said pop

Sarauk2sf

you seriously don't know that MSG is not a good thing to consume?


http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/diet-soda-bad-you
http://www.scq.ubc.ca/msg-more-than-meets-the-tongue/


but if you want to continue to consume pop or foods that contain any form of HFCS or MSG..go for it. its not my health that is being messed up.

The Prevention magazine link is an article, not a study.

The MSG one at least quotes sources. I am on my phone so need to check them out better from a computer but from a quick scan. the only thing the write up shows causation for, from my quick read, is if you have asthma already it may trigger an asthma attack or a headache if you have a sensitivity to it.

You have actually yet to show that my health will be messed up.

I just checked the sources cited. The only studies cited on humans that showed an adverse impact were those I noted above - a possible connection to triggering asthma in people who have asthma and a headache to those sensitive to it. However, and this is why it is important not to take these articles at face value, this is a quote from one of the research reviews cited in the article you linked:

"Because glutamate is one of the most intensely studied food ingredients in the food supply and has been found safe, the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization placed it in the safest category for food additives. European Community’s Scientific Committee for Food also confirmed the safety of this ingredient. Based on the extensive scientific data, and in view of large normal dietary intake of glutamates, the committee determined that specification of an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) level was unnecessary.

It is apparent that there is enough research conducted on glutamate and its potential health effects. So far there was no strong scientific information reporting negative effects of glutamate on human health in the general population. Studies on Chinese restaurant syndrome were plagued with problems and there were no consistent responses to glutamate were found. Despite claims that glutamate might cause headache or other symptoms, recent studies failed to produce any reproducible symptoms. Early, poorly controlled studies suggested that glutamate might induce, as well as exacerbate, asthma.

However, follow-up double-blind challenges have not replicated those results. The studies explored the possibility that glutamate can serve as a trigger for asthma exacerbations, have suffered from small size and questionable study design. In the absence of clinical data, we cannot make any conclusions about glutamate as a potential trigger for migraine headaches. Therefore, with no consistent data to suggest that glutamate causes any type of headache, much more extensive clinical research would be required to establish a link between glutamate and migraine headaches."

Many foods can cause an adverse reaction in people who are sensitive to them...shrimp and peanuts spring to mind initially - it does not mean that we should be vilifying the food out of context.

Also, if you want to avoid glutamine, you had better make sure you do not eat parmesan cheese, and even tomatoes have a decent amount in them.