This may be the dumbest question ever, but...

As long as you think they are food and belong in your diet, then don't ask, cuz you'll do what you want anyway. Anyone who would say be careful and give you any info to back up their opinion will just get flamed by the "eat anything and everything cuz the food manufacturers and government would never lie to us" crowd. Do your own research, make up your own mind. Pay attention to your own body. Do you care about health or just weight loss? (Speaking from experience, focusing on health will result in effortless weight loss.)

Obviously I care about my body & my health or I wouldn't be taking the steps to lose weight & get in shape. I stopped drinking soda, eating fast food, etc. I wouldn't ask if I didn't care.

You're doing all the good things.

Crystal Light will not kill you.

Drink it.
Enjoy it.

This. Unless you know, you don't want to or you are hardly eating at which point protein/fat would be more important then sweets etc. But the brain does need sugar to function (but does not need it in crystal light form of course lol.

As a stepping stone AWAY from soda, they're probably a move in the right direction for weight loss.

However, with your long-term health and longevity in mind, please consider quitting. Daily consumption of these kinds of chemicals has a cumulative, detrimental effect on your organs. They may not GIVE YOU CANCER RIGHT THIS INSTANT, but why would you make a daily habit of ingesting industrial chemicals?

Besides, just because the FDA says it's safe to eat, doesn't mean that it is or that you should.

Dear lord. I was waiting for the cancer pushers to come in. So many things wrong with the things mixed in-between the partial truths. And like I said nobody trusts the FDA lol.

I still say, in good confidence, after researching this topic, that you will not get cancer from it, since I can not think of a reason for it to, nor has it ever been proven it has given any sensible human being eating a healthy diet cancer. Just be sensible about it. I know a person who eats ridiculously well with all whole foods and she got cancer. Why does everyone throw you gonna get cancer around?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1055751-sweetners-in-vitamins-msg-soy-fat-etc-are-killing-us-all
^my take on all this. May be worth the read.

I would say they are fine as long as you that's not all you are drinking. They have lots of chemicals that aren't the best for your body.
Have you tried infusing your water with fruit? It is really yummy and a lot better for you.

This.. My co-worker does it. Uses everything from Lemon, Lime, Strawberries, mint, etc. And she drinks it every day.

As long as you think they are food and belong in your diet, then don't ask, cuz you'll do what you want anyway. Anyone who would say be careful and give you any info to back up their opinion will just get flamed by the "eat anything and everything cuz the food manufacturers and government would never lie to us" crowd. Do your own research, make up your own mind. Pay attention to your own body. Do you care about health or just weight loss? (Speaking from experience, focusing on health will result in effortless weight loss.)

Wait. Aren't you the same person that also said the bi-polar can be cured with a diet? :huh: and confused that bi-polar cannot be cured and sometimes meds are imperative for treatment?


And OP: go for it with the crystal light or whatever flavoring for water.

I drink Mio now. I used to be a big fan of Crystal Light but they gave me terrible headaches every now and then.

This would be the only reason not to drink it, in my opinion. I drink it every day, at least once.

Some of these packets are so sweet that I'll just use half a packet.

As a stepping stone AWAY from soda, they're probably a move in the right direction for weight loss.

However, with your long-term health and longevity in mind, please consider quitting. Daily consumption of these kinds of chemicals has a cumulative, detrimental effect on your organs. They may not GIVE YOU CANCER RIGHT THIS INSTANT, but why would you make a daily habit of ingesting industrial chemicals?

Besides, just because the FDA says it's safe to eat, doesn't mean that it is or that you should.

You're more likely to get cancer from hereditary reasons then what you eat/drink.

Quit the fear mongering.

^^^ This. And if we're gonna be fearful of eating chemicals, don't eat meat, full of hormones. Don't eat processed foods, too many chemicals I can't prounounce. Don't eat anything that isn't grown organically, due to pesticides. And for goodness sake, don't ever eat in a restaurant. Gawd only knows what the staff is doing to that food back there before you get it.

I say all this with tongue in cheek. Really, I think moderation is the key to all we do. My lack of ability to eat in moderation is more likely to kill me than the Crystal Light, the Diet Pepsi, or the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese I eat.

End of rant.

I don't really know if I need to contribute to this thread, as it seems to be kind of a hot topic, but Crystal Light is not good for you on a daily basis. While I am no dietician, I read. I read that aspartame has been linked in long term studies with Alzheimer's disease, among many other ailments that seem to all be linked: depression, sleep problems, fatigue, headaches....the list is long.

If that isn't enough to deter you from drinking aspartame-laden drinks so often, consider that it also linked with weight gain. Yep. The zero-calorie sweet goodness is slowing your progress down. Numerous studies suggest that your body, while taking in something super sweet expects some actual carbohydrates, thus creating something of a craving for more food, more sugar, more carbs. You might end up reaching for more Crystal Light, which in turn creates a little bit of a dependency or addiction.

Maybe instead of Crystal Light you could put in a slice of lemon, or maybe try carbonated water with *essence* of lemon or lime or orange. Nestle Purelife maybe?

I've heard iced tea and cyrstal light can cause kidney stones if youre prone to them and drink them excessively, though I just googled it and had issues finding actual sciencey proof. Could always just add fruit or mint to water to give it flavor Probably cheaper!

I don't really know if I need to contribute to this thread, as it seems to be kind of a hot topic, but Crystal Light is not good for you on a daily basis. While I am no dietician, I read. I read that aspartame has been linked in long term studies with Alzheimer's disease, among many other ailments that seem to all be linked: depression, sleep problems, fatigue, headaches....the list is long.

If that isn't enough to deter you from drinking aspartame-laden drinks so often, consider that it also linked with weight gain. Yep. The zero-calorie sweet goodness is slowing your progress down. Numerous studies suggest that your body, while taking in something super sweet expects some actual carbohydrates, thus creating something of a craving for more food, more sugar, more carbs. You might end up reaching for more Crystal Light, which in turn creates a little bit of a dependency or addiction.

Maybe instead of Crystal Light you could put in a slice of lemon, or maybe try carbonated water with *essence* of lemon or lime or orange. Nestle Purelife maybe?

I love reading those studies. I don't think I've read one that makes sense or isn't full of loop holes. I had a giggle when a friend told me " I love the commonly quoted aspartame study where it messed up rats. But per body weight to get the same from Coke Zero I would have to drink 1800 cans a day, I think it was. Sure, I would certainly die, but from the water, not the Aspartame."

Quit the fear mongering.

Rude. Thanks.

Wait, how was I rude??

Quit the fear mongering.

Rude. Thanks.

Wait, how was I rude??

I think she meant the cancer pushing girl. I did a double take on that too lol

I don't really know if I need to contribute to this thread, as it seems to be kind of a hot topic, but Crystal Light is not good for you on a daily basis. While I am no dietician, I read. I read that aspartame has been linked in long term studies with Alzheimer's disease, among many other ailments that seem to all be linked: depression, sleep problems, fatigue, headaches....the list is long.

If that isn't enough to deter you from drinking aspartame-laden drinks so often, consider that it also linked with weight gain. Yep. The zero-calorie sweet goodness is slowing your progress down. Numerous studies suggest that your body, while taking in something super sweet expects some actual carbohydrates, thus creating something of a craving for more food, more sugar, more carbs. You might end up reaching for more Crystal Light, which in turn creates a little bit of a dependency or addiction.

Maybe instead of Crystal Light you could put in a slice of lemon, or maybe try carbonated water with *essence* of lemon or lime or orange. Nestle Purelife maybe?

Sources please....ones that show causation not correlation.

They're probably better for you than drinking soda. I'm allergic to aspartame and splenda, so I mostly drink unsweet ice tea these days.

I don't have them anymore. They have a bunch of stuff in them ..

Yea, I find it best to avoid consuming anything with 'stuff' in it!

(Lies, I eat plenty of food made with stuff.)

Anyway:

Some flavors of Crystal Light contain aspartame, one of the most dangerous artificial sweeteners. Side effects of aspartame include headaches, anxiety, abdominal pain, nausea, heart palpitations and irritable bowel syndrome.

So, about the same as water, which can have the same side affects.

Best to not drink any water too, because some people drank a bit too much of it once, etc!