Diet coke - does it make you put on weight

Please put down the diet soda and read this very scary!!

Aspartame Side Effects


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Set a personal example for health and wellness.

Sorry - was distracted by a wall of words.

I drink a diet coke a day. Have for years!!! I am now pregnant with my fourth child and still drink a diet coke a day. So far each one of my kids have been born healthy as can be and this one right now is just as healthy. I have lost the weight after each baby and... still drank a diet coke a day. I don't believe it makes you gain weight. I also don't believe it gives you cravings for fattier /sugary foods....

But, if I have a day where I am craving everything in my fridge... maybe I'll blame it on the diet coke:)

Crystal lite doesn't have the sodium that diet sodas have. Of course nothing is as perfect as water.

According to MFP, one serving of Crystal Lite has 20 mg of sodium, while the can of diet pop I drink every day has 35 mg.

I drink coke zero and diet energy drinks. I am low carbing it. It hasnt slowed my weight loss down at all. I am down 30lbs since May 9th. I love soda, that was my bain and coke zero is my savior.

It doesn't increase glucose or insulin so how would it do that? Also they do not cross the brain barrier so are not absorbed that way.

Please expand on your theory.

Matt you usually know your stuff, but this time you're probably wrong. I say probably b/c the area is still being researched. However, the epidemiology damning diet soda is very strong. I think we can all agree that epidemiology is far from conclusive in proving anything, but it's foolish to say something is safe in the long run when it has such strong associations with obesity and CVD. Especially when the evidence that says it's okay is all short term and not that great.

In regard to expanding on the theory, nobody knows for sure. However, we know that the sweet flavor stimulates your brain. Perhaps b/c it's accompanied by zero calories, it eventually messes with your normal hunger/satiety mechanisms and just makes you crave more sweets.

Furthermore, even if diet coke turns out not be associated with weight gain in future long term RTC's (which I doubt will happen), diet coke still has chemicals well known to cause inflammation. So why bother with it anyway?

yep 2 kinds vodka and coke, i am still weening.

It doesn't increase glucose or insulin so how would it do that? Also they do not cross the brain barrier so are not absorbed that way.

Please expand on your theory.

Matt you usually know your stuff, but this time you're probably wrong. I say probably b/c the area is still being researched. However, the epidemiology damning diet soda is very strong. I think we can all agree that epidemiology is far from conclusive in proving anything, but it's foolish to say something is safe in the long run when it has such strong associations with obesity and CVD. Especially when the evidence that says it's okay is all short term and not that great.

In regard to expanding on the theory, nobody knows for sure. However, we know that the sweet flavor stimulates your brain. Perhaps b/c it's accompanied by zero calories, it eventually messes with your normal hunger/satiety mechanisms and just makes you crave more sweets.

Furthermore, even if diet coke turns out not be associated with weight gain in future long term RTC's (which I doubt will happen), diet coke still has chemicals well known to cause inflammation. So why bother with it anyway?

thank you. that is all.

Truvia is a sugar substitute, but not an artificial sweetener, it is natural. I don't know if artificial sweeteners make you gain weight but I try to eat clean and natural food and I use truvia. I can tell you everyone I know who is addicted to soda, diet or not, is overweight. I think eating clean is the way to go.

Seriously, stop drinking so much of it. The artificial sweetners (including sugar) in excess causes your body to store fat due to the increase and decrease of your blood sugar level... low blood sugar will cause you to eat, while high blood sugar level can cause your body to store fat. I use to drink around 3 to 4 cans of Coke a day, I have replaced my Coke intake with water and maybe have a can or two a week at most. Between that and doing around a hour bike ride a day, I've went from weighing 216.6 on the 11th of July to 208.2 on the 26th.

Not only is it not good for your weight, health, but it's also not good for your teeth.


John T.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH.

NO IT DOES NOT. WHERE IS THIS INFO FROM? GIVE ME ONE STUDY THAT SHOWS THIS :bigsmile: :huh:

I'm seriously smashing my head against the desk :laugh:

It does not touch glucose or insulin levels. I've provided data showing this.

Seriously guys please give me ONE study that shows scientific data not information summized that requires further investigation.

Oh using your information on drinking cans of diet coke. I drank in 3-4 months about 20-30 bottles. I went from 269lb to 230lb. Therefore using your (il)logic that drinking diet soda/coke is better for weight loss than water.

My studies show this

I, ages ago provided a link to studies using functional MRI, did it provide the data you require - no, does it answer some questions in regard to diet drinks and the brain and how the brain deals with glucose as opposed to something that is sweet, then yes. Can you extrapolate cause and effect from the knowledge yes. Watch the programme that I mentioned, it shows that the brain knows much more about its immediate calorie requirement at a subconsious level than you do at a consious level.

And on that note, fresh off the press in regard to calorie regulation and your brain knowing better or genetic knowledge

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18985141

Andf lastly, just because there are studies or experiments it is important to note who exactly is funding the studies. I assume all the studies that you mention Matt are named benefactors? Also, any study has to answer a question.

Can i smoke cigarettes and not get cancer?

Amazing how many studies there are regarding this question.

All this talk of sweeteners and no one is talking about the elephant in the room. Acid. Phosphoric acid that is. You know, the stuff you use to clean the bluing off of guns and other industrial things. The last time I ph tested a can of Coke the ph was greater than 3.0. Folks, a car battery is 2.4! It take approx. 36 cans of ph 7.2 water to neutralize 1 can of coke! Your body produces fat to hide the acid from your vital organs. The only reason some of you are still loosing weight is because you're probably working your *kitten* off. Also, a high acid level in your body is the number 1 reason for inflammation which can be traced to countless ailments. About 3 years ago the American Cancer Society stated that acidity was one of the main common denominators associated with cancer. It was found that cancer cannot grow in an alkaline state, only in an acidic one.. I've gone totally cold turkey on the sodas and my ibuprophen use has dropped to ZERO for my arthritis. Just sayin.

I saw this on Dr. Oz and tried it, not too bad. I take a small Diet soda and poor half in a glass and fill the other half with Lemon flavored or plain seltzer water. It cuts it in half and make the soda last longer. I usually buy the 12 oz. bottles so when I start with the glass, the bottle that has 1/2 soda still in it gets the seltzer added so that it will be ready for me later. Now it is like having 2 sodas a day but in reality I am only drinking one and doubling my water intake at the same time. I really don't find it has a taste difference to me. Dr. Oz wouldn't lie!

I used to work with a dietician and asked her about artificial sweetners. She said everyone has a different reaction to it. Some people it makes them crave more sweets, some people it curbs the cravings and some people it gives them headaches (I am in that category, it also gives me fuzzy brain). There were more 'side effects', but dont remember them all lol. She also said there has been no link to cancers, alzheimers or anything else (she said so far) from them. So I guess it comes down to the individual person. With that being said the dietician would drink at least one can of diet coke a day

Dont let the food nazis scare you. If you like it drink it. There's mountains of actual scientific data that shows you would need to consume an all-but-impossible amounts of sweetner for it to harm you. Aspartane is one of the most highly studied food addatives in the world. I'd be more worried about the acidic content than the sweetner.

It didnt hamper my weight loss, maintenance or "cravings" (I havent had a craving for anything in over a year actually).

Good luck!

All this talk about diet Coke is just making me want one. I cut back as I used to drink a lot, and now I miss it.

I don't think diet sodas are horrible for you (internet reports on aspartame aside), but I my body has never felt better after drinking one. The taste may be nice, but it always feels like a drag on me to process it. That aside, I have never heard any reports that the ingredients in diet soda cause weight gain. I have only heard that some studies show that cravings increase due to the brain thinking it is getting sugar but not getting the benefit from the artificial sweetener. Personally, cravings seem more like a psychology issue. If it is a big issue for you, cut them out. If not, drink away. I worry more about my calories and getting enough whole foods in a day, than diet soda.