Diet Soda's and Artificial Sweeteners

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Hey you guys. I just need your advice/opinions on diet sodas and artificial sweeteners. What have you noticed with these? Were those of you who occasionally use them still able to lose weight? Some ppl are so against using them and some ppl dont care but at the end of the day I still see both fat and skinny ppl drinking/using diet soda's and artificial sweeteners. I drink a cup of coffee every morning and I like to add sugar free vanilla creamer, which contains aspartame... I'd rather use that then to have the calories regualr vanilla creamer contains and when I go out to dinner occasionally, I like to have a Diet Coke, but now after reading all this gossip on the matter I don't know which choice is right... Sugar free or regular? I can tell you right now there ain't no way I could possibly drink a cup of coffee black... not for me. I guess my biggest concern is if I continue to occasionally use these sugar free products, is it going to inhibit my weight loss journey? Any advice/opion would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks all!
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Replies

  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    Sugar free products will not harm your weight loss. Diet coke and sweeteners will not harm your weight loss as they are zero calories.

    Some people experience migraines or bloating due to artificial sweeteners. That would be the only real reason not to consume those items. If you have no issues with them than drink them/use them. Nothing wrong with it.

    People will tell you they are terrible... they cause cancer... they aren't processed by your body.. they make you gain weight. I have yet to see one peer reviewed study on humans proving they are bad. There is a lot of crap posted about them out there.

    Zero calorie products will not harm your goals.
  • RobinV_Seattle
    RobinV_Seattle Posts: 191 Member
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    Weeellllll... I don't think I will ever be able to give up diet soda completely, I have cut back drastically. I just don't see the sense in putting all of the chemicals, artificial colorings and flavors, etc. into my body when I am making such an effort to eat so much better and exercise. And, since I cut down to one or two a week instead of two or three a day, I have seen much less bloating and less cravings for sweets in general.

    That being said, I am a self-admitted caffeine addict. I've switched to brewing my own iced teas - either the flavored ones or I'll infuse it with fruit or ccinnamon or vanilla beans, etc. I do still drink flavored creamer in my coffee - fat-free but not sugar-free - and I just budget that into my calories for the day.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    I drink 2 to 3 Diet Pepsi a day and have managed to lose a few pounds... I for one do not by into the fear mongering... At 560 lbs. 43 months ago there is a good chance I wouldn't even be here today so a couple diet soda's is quite aright in the grand scheme of things... Best of Luck..
  • NoahandPresleysMom
    NoahandPresleysMom Posts: 763 Member
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    Sugar free products will not harm your weight loss. Diet coke and sweeteners will not harm your weight loss as they are zero calories.

    Some people experience migraines or bloating due to artificial sweeteners. That would be the only real reason not to consume those items. If you have no issues with them than drink them/use them. Nothing wrong with it.

    People will tell you they are terrible... they cause cancer... they aren't processed by your body.. they make you gain weight. I have yet to see one peer reviewed study on humans proving they are bad. There is a lot of crap posted about them out there.

    Zero calorie products will not harm your goals.

    !!!!!!!!!! agree !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Dollymaker
    Dollymaker Posts: 65 Member
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    I drink 2 to 3 Diet Pepsi a day and have managed to lose a few pounds... I for one do not by into the fear mongering... At 560 lbs. 43 months ago there is a good chance I wouldn't even be here today so a couple diet soda's is quite aright in the grand scheme of things... Best of Luck..

    I agree! And good for you, Ed....what an accomplishment!
  • kusterer
    kusterer Posts: 90 Member
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    The main "bad thing" about diet sodas and fake sweeteners that I believe is this: eventually, I am going to have to lessen my taste and craving for sweet stuff, and diet sodas don't help me do that. So I try to avoid them, but I am not completely successful.:smile:
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
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    I cut back on diet soda, but still use splenda for about a pot of coffee a day, has not slowed me down one bit. still have about 1 can of diet soda a day but also drink loads of water. Good luck
  • brandyanne0204
    brandyanne0204 Posts: 45 Member
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    Hey you guys. I just need your advice/opinions on diet sodas and artificial sweeteners. What have you noticed with these? Were those of you who occasionally use them still able to lose weight? Some ppl are so against using them and some ppl dont care but at the end of the day I still see both fat and skinny ppl drinking/using diet soda's and artificial sweeteners. I drink a cup of coffee every morning and I like to add sugar free vanilla creamer, which contains aspartame... I'd rather use that then to have the calories regualr vanilla creamer contains and when I go out to dinner occasionally, I like to have a Diet Coke, but now after reading all this gossip on the matter I don't know which choice is right... Sugar free or regular? I can tell you right now there ain't no way I could possibly drink a cup of coffee black... not for me. I guess my biggest concern is if I continue to occasionally use these sugar free products, is it going to inhibit my weight loss journey? Any advice/opion would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks all!


    I just read this article on Yahoo about diet sodas that I think is really interesting:

    http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/study-diet-soda-increases-risk-diabetes-why-still-192600358.html
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    I have managed to lose about 36 lbs drinking diet soda (and eating sensibly and working out). If I have a craving for something sweet, diet soda helps calm that craving. It also helps me feel a little bit fuller.

    The things I keep seeing on these posts are pretty absurd and don't really worry me.

    Yes, if you don't take care of your teeth diet soda, regular soda, orange juice etc... will wear down down the enamel.

    Sodas are acidic, just like fruits, fruit juices, stomach acid, vinegar, etc...

    Yes aspartame is broken down into things that can sound scary if you want them to but milk and fruits are broken down into the same components in much larger quantities.

    I have not seen one peer reviewed research journal saying that insulin spikes as a result of drinking diet soda and people who have diabetes and have to worry about that kind of thing say that they don't.

    Point is that I have yet to see one piece of information that says that diet soda is actually bad and it is helpful to me so I continue drinking them.
  • BaileyBoo13524
    BaileyBoo13524 Posts: 593 Member
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    I used to drink up to 3-4 Diet Cokes per day and went cold turkey on the first of the year. I don't miss it and neither does my body which has just been my personal experience. I had migraines for about a week after quitting. I have seen studies that show aspartame is very bad for the human body, however, I believe there are so many other bad things out there that can kill us that if you enjoy diet cola then drink it.
  • brandyanne0204
    brandyanne0204 Posts: 45 Member
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    I have managed to lose about 36 lbs drinking diet soda (and eating sensibly and working out). If I have a craving for something sweet, diet soda helps calm that craving. It also helps me feel a little bit fuller.

    The things I keep seeing on these posts are pretty absurd and don't really worry me.

    Yes, if you don't take care of your teeth diet soda, regular soda, orange juice etc... will wear down down the enamel.

    Sodas are acidic, just like fruits, fruit juices, stomach acid, vinegar, etc...

    Yes aspartame is broken down into things that can sound scary if you want them to but milk and fruits are broken down into the same components in much larger quantities.

    I have not seen one peer reviewed research journal saying that insulin spikes as a result of drinking diet soda and people who have diabetes and have to worry about that kind of thing say that they don't.

    Point is that I have yet to see one piece of information that says that diet soda is actually bad and it is helpful to me so I continue drinking them.

    I just read this article on Yahoo about diet sodas:

    http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/study-diet-soda-increases-risk-diabetes-why-still-192600358.html
  • rluedtke
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    As mentioned, the artificial sweetener doesn't impact some people. For me, it makes me crave more sweets. There are many studies about this.

    I used to drink 1 or more diet coke a day. In 2006 I stopped, and switched to club soda. I may have the odd diet ginger ale but I find I want something sweet hours after I have it. So no more for me. It's club soda, Perrier or San Pellegrino.

    I also used to use Splenda in my coffee and slowly cut back last year, since May 2012 I no longer have it in my coffee. Just cream or milk. Now, I find the taste repulsive.

    Splenda or Stevia are better no calorie sweeteners.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    Options
    I have managed to lose about 36 lbs drinking diet soda (and eating sensibly and working out). If I have a craving for something sweet, diet soda helps calm that craving. It also helps me feel a little bit fuller.

    The things I keep seeing on these posts are pretty absurd and don't really worry me.

    Yes, if you don't take care of your teeth diet soda, regular soda, orange juice etc... will wear down down the enamel.

    Sodas are acidic, just like fruits, fruit juices, stomach acid, vinegar, etc...

    Yes aspartame is broken down into things that can sound scary if you want them to but milk and fruits are broken down into the same components in much larger quantities.

    I have not seen one peer reviewed research journal saying that insulin spikes as a result of drinking diet soda and people who have diabetes and have to worry about that kind of thing say that they don't.

    Point is that I have yet to see one piece of information that says that diet soda is actually bad and it is helpful to me so I continue drinking them.

    I just read this article on Yahoo about diet sodas:

    http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/study-diet-soda-increases-risk-diabetes-why-still-192600358.html

    I just finished reading it. I'm a skeptic at heart and the fact that it does say that it makes insulin spike is very interesting. Of course I think the diabetes thing is more a case of correlation rather than causation. And like the article says the relationship remains to be seen.
  • BaileyBoo13524
    BaileyBoo13524 Posts: 593 Member
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    As mentioned, the artificial sweetener doesn't impact some people. For me, it makes me crave more sweets. There are many studies about this.

    I used to drink 1 or more diet coke a day. In 2006 I stopped, and switched to club soda. I may have the odd diet ginger ale but I find I want something sweet hours after I have it. So no more for me. It's club soda, Perrier or San Pellegrino.

    I also used to use Splenda in my coffee and slowly cut back last year, since May 2012 I no longer have it in my coffee. Just cream or milk. Now, I find the taste repulsive.

    Splenda or Stevia are better no calorie sweeteners.

    This is wrong Splenda has aspartame in it and is terrible. Stevia and Truvia are all natural.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    As mentioned, the artificial sweetener doesn't impact some people. For me, it makes me crave more sweets. There are many studies about this.

    I used to drink 1 or more diet coke a day. In 2006 I stopped, and switched to club soda. I may have the odd diet ginger ale but I find I want something sweet hours after I have it. So no more for me. It's club soda, Perrier or San Pellegrino.

    I also used to use Splenda in my coffee and slowly cut back last year, since May 2012 I no longer have it in my coffee. Just cream or milk. Now, I find the taste repulsive.

    Splenda or Stevia are better no calorie sweeteners.
    This is wrong Splenda has aspartame in it and is terrible. Stevia and Truvia are all natural.

    Truvia is processed... and regardless, all natural doesn't mean safe or healthy. There is still no real proof that aspartame is terrible as you say.

    Sorry but Yahoo doesn't have a reputation of actually providing real information or newsworthy stuff.
  • volume77
    volume77 Posts: 670 Member
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    I LOVE DIET SODAS AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
  • Deanna_garnermommy
    Deanna_garnermommy Posts: 118 Member
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    Are you kidding me????? Its horrible for you. I can't believe these messages from people.
    Do your research. Gosh I am mortified by these responses.

    http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/5-reasons-aspartame-is-bad-for-you.html
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    Options
    As mentioned, the artificial sweetener doesn't impact some people. For me, it makes me crave more sweets. There are many studies about this.

    I used to drink 1 or more diet coke a day. In 2006 I stopped, and switched to club soda. I may have the odd diet ginger ale but I find I want something sweet hours after I have it. So no more for me. It's club soda, Perrier or San Pellegrino.

    I also used to use Splenda in my coffee and slowly cut back last year, since May 2012 I no longer have it in my coffee. Just cream or milk. Now, I find the taste repulsive.

    Splenda or Stevia are better no calorie sweeteners.

    This is wrong Splenda has aspartame in it and is terrible. Stevia and Truvia are all natural.

    It has aspartame in it? The only ingredients I could find were sucralose, dextrose, and maltodextrin.

    ETA: NO, Splenda does not have aspartame in it. I looked it up.
  • corneredbycorn
    corneredbycorn Posts: 267 Member
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    I dri two Coke Zeros a day. I would like to cut back, not because of weight issues, but for the sake of my teeth. I also don't want my daughter to pick up the soda habit and it will be a lot easier to nip that in the bud if at least one of her parents doesn't drink it.
  • corneredbycorn
    corneredbycorn Posts: 267 Member
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    I do use Truvia, daily, and I will not be stopping that any time soon.