Tell me something bad about Diet Coke?

lovelymusiclady wrote: »

Another thing you might tell your friend:

I recently did a sugar detox. A few weeks later I had a Cokezero. It was a hot day and I thought "Sure why not".

Within a couple hours I noticed for the first time in weeks I had a massive sugar craving. I went out and bought ice cream, cookies and binged like I hadn't in months.

I learned that day that it's really true that your brain interprets artificial sugar just as it would regular sugar. I honestly felt like a drug addict going through withdrawal after that sugar rush.

The big problem that no one is talking about is sugar addiction. Even though diet soda is "calorie free", it still brings you right back to your old ways of strong sugar cravings, making eating healthy very very difficult.

Unfortunately the most affective thing we can do is cut out added sugar completely. This means cutting out soda (diet or not), juice, sweetened tea and coffee, candy, sweet treats, and even most packaged foods. Once I became aware of how much extra sugar is added to packaged foods I was shocked. The average recommended daily added sugar amount (this excludes fresh fruits which provide fiber and nutrients) is 24 grams. That's not even half a can of regular soda!

The good news is, when you put the work in to ween yourself off added sugar and artificial sweeteners, eating healthy gets MUCH easier because you just don't crave sweets anymore.

While this may be her personal experience, it definitely does not apply to everyone.

What is bad about Diet Coke? Well, it's not Diet Dr. Pepper which is way better tasting in my opinion.

CharonCharon wrote: »

Trying to help someone quit.

Has he or she asked for your help? It doesn't really sound like it from the post. If so, and if he or she is looking for an alternative, I enjoy making my own iced tea (I don't care for sweetened tea, so I make hot tea in flavors I like -- fruitier ones tend to be my preference for chilling -- and then chill them. Sometimes I mix a few to create something new.)

The person is old and is disgusted by their addiction.

This sounds like enough of a reason to quit, if true. I quit coffee once in a while (not for good), just because I don't like feeling hooked on it. The "addictive" aspect of diet coke is the same -- caffeine.

Usually it's easier to taper or maybe switch to half caffeine free and then more. (If there's another reason to quit in his or her mind it's easier when you aren't used to the caffeine.)

But does not see anything bad in drinking something millions of people drink.

The amount you mentioned is a little crazy, but in reasonable amounts neither do I.

Health reasons are wanted.

Even if they are false/made-up?

Is there a reason you won't put more than one sentence per line? Just curious.

lovelymusiclady wrote: »

I learned that day that it's really true that your brain interprets artificial sugar just as it would regular sugar. I honestly felt like a drug addict going through withdrawal after that sugar rush.

I think this is really insensitive to the truth of what real drug addicts go through.

Beyond this, you are speaking about a personal experience as if it was universal and it is not. I occasionally drink diet coke or other beverages or foods with artificial sweetener and it has never increased my appetite, causes me to crave sweets, or caused me to binge. Indeed, the evidence seems to be that creating a pattern with demonizing and binging on certain foods is what causes the "addictive" feeling.

The big problem that no one is talking about is sugar addiction. Even though diet soda is "calorie free", it still brings you right back to your old ways of strong sugar cravings, making eating healthy very very difficult.

Again, even if this is true for you (and I think "addiction" is really the wrong word), it's obviously not the case for many or most.

Unfortunately the most affective thing we can do is cut out added sugar completely. This means cutting out soda (diet or not), juice, sweetened tea and coffee, candy, sweet treats, and even most packaged foods. Once I became aware of how much extra sugar is added to packaged foods I was shocked. The average recommended daily added sugar amount (this excludes fresh fruits which provide fiber and nutrients) is 24 grams. That's not even half a can of regular soda!

Again, speaking for others instead of yourself isn't warranted. You don't know what the most EFFECTIVE thing this person OP is talking about can do, as you don't even know what his or her perceived issues are. There's no reason to talk about regular soda when so far as we know this person never even drinks regular soda.

The good news is, when you put the work in to ween yourself off added sugar and artificial sweeteners, eating healthy gets MUCH easier because you just don't crave sweets anymore.

I haven't cut out added sugar or artificial sweeteners (I eat them in moderation), and don't have an issue with craving sweets and can eat a healthy diet without any problem. Focusing on cutting out "bad foods," rather than getting in the foods that make up a healthy diet is, IMO, a common mistake that makes eating healthy harder for many, but of course that may not be the case for everyone -- I don't think it's good to speak for everyone, as if I could.

TnTWalter wrote: »

sure you can lose weight and drink diet coke but it doesn't mean it's good for you.

Who said it's good for you? It's neutral -- neither good nor bad. It also has no calories and some find they enjoy it. If you like it as well as something with calories, it's probably helpful to be able to choose the calorie free option.

I like fizzy water just as well and homemade unsweetened iced tea better, but neither is available at my office. Water is, and is what I usually drink, but sometimes I want something else. I usually go with coffee, but on occasion diet coke hits the spot (and for those in this thread being WRONG, diet coke, along with various kinds of root beers and ginger ales and cream sodas, is the ONLY tasty pop -- regular coke and diet pepsi and dr. pepper and the rest are awful).

lovelymusiclady wrote: »

Another thing you might tell your friend:

I recently did a sugar detox. A few weeks later I had a Cokezero. It was a hot day and I thought "Sure why not".

Within a couple hours I noticed for the first time in weeks I had a massive sugar craving. I went out and bought ice cream, cookies and binged like I hadn't in months.

I have the same reactions to diet soda. I crave carbs all day when I drink one. I also lost 9lbs my first week trying to lose. All I did was stop drinking DIET soda. It was keeping so much water on me. I was drinking between 52-104oz a day.

My wife was also addicted to diet coke, and was having massive headaches. A scan showed she was having brain bleeds. Doc got her off diet soda and they went away. She won't touch the stuff now.

My current doc is always lecturing me about diet sodas, and that has helped me dump them AGAIN. Even months off the stuff, I can have just one, and I'm back on the band wagon, sometimes for weeks. I swear them off now. I just can't handle them.

Two of the components of aspartame separate and convert into neurotoxins when they reach 86 degrees F (in the body). Also regular usage of art sweeteners convert the gut bacteria and much of the healthy flora dies off. The new flora is supposed to aggravate inflammation, which in turn can be root cause of many chronic diseases.

Carbonation acidifies the blood weakening the immune system, bone structure and hardening arteries.

I just swear them off, now.

I've been able to replace with water and unsweet teas from home. Taste can take time to acquire, but I actually enjoy my mixes now.

sheermomentum wrote: »

it isn't nearly as good as Coke Zero.

haha, ditto! Coke Zero is the shiznit

Great_Mazinga wrote: »

lovelymusiclady wrote: »

Another thing you might tell your friend:

I recently did a sugar detox. A few weeks later I had a Cokezero. It was a hot day and I thought "Sure why not".

Within a couple hours I noticed for the first time in weeks I had a massive sugar craving. I went out and bought ice cream, cookies and binged like I hadn't in months.

I have the same reactions to diet soda. I crave carbs all day when I drink one. I also lost 9lbs my first week trying to lose. All I did was stop drinking DIET soda. It was keeping so much water on me. I was drinking between 52-104oz a day.

My wife was also addicted to diet coke, and was having massive headaches. A scan showed she was having brain bleeds. Doc got her off diet soda and they went away. She won't touch the stuff now.

My current doc is always lecturing me about diet sodas, and that has helped me dump them AGAIN. Even months off the stuff, I can have just one, and I'm back on the band wagon, sometimes for weeks. I swear them off now. I just can't handle them.

Two of the components of aspartame separate and convert into neurotoxins when they reach 86 degrees F (in the body). Also regular usage of art sweeteners convert the gut bacteria and much of the healthy flora dies off. The new flora is supposed to aggravate inflammation, which in turn can be root cause of many chronic diseases.

Carbonation acidifies the blood weakening the immune system, bone structure and hardening arteries.

I just swear them off, now.

I've been able to replace with water and unsweet teas from home. Taste can take time to acquire, but I actually enjoy my mixes now.

Citation needed.

How about the fact the Coca Cola is a horrible company? Google it (most large companies are). Also they're behind a 'study' saying it's not what you eat that makes you fat, it's lack of exercise.

Ready2Rock206 wrote: »

Diet Dr. Pepper tastes better.

Truth!

Though I'm pretty sure battery acid would taste better than Diet Coke. It's awful.

I need to try some of that Diet A & W everyone's raving about.