Confused about diet soda (coke, pepsi etc)

Everyone read this thread http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary before spreading anymore FUD

Or read this:

www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what.../one-more-reason-to-drop-diet-sodas

Try adding pieces of fruit to your water and chill. Strawberries, oranges, lemon, cucumber,lime or mint are all yummy.
Kombucha is natural, low calorie, fizzy and has probiotics!

Hi, I used to drink diet coke pretty often. Once I stopped, I lost weight and my skin cleared up. Now every once in a while I will have a diet Coke. I noticed the next day. my stomach was much larger and I felt tired. So, try cutting down. You will see a positive change and you will feel better. I promise you!!

Aspartame, like any sweetening agent, activates the reward pathway in the brain just as sugar does. That is why it appeals to our taste buds. We like sweet. It's a treat. It's a reward and we look forward to having more. This reward pathway, though not being activated by sugar necessarily, still serves the same purpose and reminds our palate that for something to be tasty and appealing it should be sweet. This contributes to sweets cravings. Cutting from regular to diet sodas will drop sugar, yes, and that is awesome for your pancreas (aka prevent diabetes), your teeth, your figure, and even the function of your intestines (see, Candida). However if we replace sugared drinks with sweet drinks we are still cueing our body to demand sweet foods when it comes to meal time and hunger. If you deal with sweets cravings often, making changes in your diet will cause your palate to shift (aka taste bud preferences) and your body will start responding positively to the less sugary, more nutrient dense foods. Cutting the sweet (artificially or otherwise) drinks will help the process significantly!

As for aspartame, studies have been presented that it attacks the nervous system and studies have been presented debunking that research as myths. Nervous system advocates claim that it leads to tremors, headaches, even Parkinson's syndrome. I've read claims on both sides. The only information I've encountered personally was a nurse working in a neuro doc's office who had a 12 year old with chronic migraines who always chewed artificially sweetened gum and would drink diet cokes. He read some research, told her mom to make her cut it out for a while and the migraines quit. Regardless, aspartame doesn't do anything beneficial for us, nor do sodas. Cutting back is tough, change is tough, but it beats the alternative when sodas affect the body in negative ways otherwise.

Kidneys filter blood. They've got their work cut out for them anyway, throwing a bunch of extra chemicals, minerals, colors, flavorings, etc. when all they want is a good H2O flush is asking for them to eventually get pissed and go on strike. Kidney stones, anyone? Or worse, kidney failure if other health problems compound the issue. The more water given, the easier they can do their job and rest in between (so to speak).

Sodas are acidic. Our bodies function best in an alkaline (basic) environment. Acidic environment of the body is where disease flourishes, cancer cells can multiply faster, bacteria thrives, none of that makes us feel good. What else causes an acidic environment? Sugar. Fried foods. Even meat. What makes a basic environment? All those health foods like veggies, nuts, seeds, (fish maybe?), fruits, herbs, and of course, water. I'm no nutrition fanatic (just love learning it), so I'm not saying go live in the woods and eat the plants. Unless you want to. But if we are already eating in a culture of breads, sugared desserts daily, French fries/chips/fried-everything-ever, beef and chicken galore, why pour gallons of acidic soda into our body weekly, too? This is what makes us feel like crap. Ps, stress creates an acidic environment, too. We owe ourselves some H2O.

Another reason to drink water? Caffeine has a diuretic effect - meaning it causes water loss. Aka, dehydration (gradually, certainly, but sodas don't hydrate, they dehydrate). Dehydrated tissues make organs work harder (sorry again, kidneys), and even affect muscle work. Our muscles glide across each other smoothly. When dehydrated those sliding surfaces become sticky, causing restrictions, causing little tug of wars across the joint, contributing to pain or, when active, injuries.

And of course, soda is harsh on tooth enamel and stains teeth. If nothing else, we want to keep those pearly whites looking good. Cut back a little, or ideally a lot. There are ways to spice up the water, as mentioned previously. If you're not ready to give up carbonation, flavor it with fruit. If water doesn't appeal to you, try infusing - take a big glass container/jar/water dispenser, fill it with water and add slices of strawberries or lemons, oranges, cucumbers, mint, cherries, have some fun. Plus it looks fancy and guests will be impressed with your cool refreshing water. You can use the same fruit and refill the jug with water a few times before you have to replace the fruit slices.

Diet soda and aspartame may not be THE devil, and yes there are greater evils... but let's be real. We're not exploring these message boards for ways to make our bodies fatter and more uncomfortable. Water - it does a body good. Cheers!

Absolutely agree. Go read what brain surgeon Dr Jack Kruse says that aspartame does in the brain and how it messes with your metabolism.

Or read this:

www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what.../one-more-reason-to-drop-diet-sodas

Everyone read this thread http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1308408-why-aspartame-isn-t-scary before spreading anymore FUD