Are "diet" sodas really bad
Replies
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JanetYellen wrote: »Your quote:
All I have changed in this routine is I am drinking smoothies all day after my coffee time...
Smoothies can be sugar bombs. I have an aunt that makes them with ice cream. She puts chia seeds in them, therefore they are healthy.
MPF is the place for you. Sounds like calorie counting is what you need. Almost seems like you have a sweet tooth. If you don't like eating, maybe a protein low sugar shake?
yes, a smoothie is all about what you put in them
I am careful with my smoothies, I start out with spinach or kale, then add just enough fruit to cut the bitterness, average smoothie is about 250 calories for 12 oz. I figure at least that 250 is nutrients not "empty calories" and they do say that you need Fruit in your diet as well as veg so i think (i hope) i am doing it right.
you are (kind of) right about my sweet tooth, I have never cared much for candy and cakes and sweet FOODS, I can keep a bowl of candy or a big chocolate cake in the house for the hubby and I am never even tempted by it. but I LOVE my sweets in liquid form0 -
Very interesting discussion. Of course proving causality is extremely difficult because you have to rule out almost everything else that could be a cause. However, I am not willing to risk metabolic syndrome or diabetes just so I can drink a can of chemicals.
The water in third world countries also has zero calories, but I wouldn't suggest drinking it.
Isn't MFP about more than zero calories?
Yes MFP is about fitness and health, which can be obtained by drinking diet soda. There are so many other factors that would drive metabolic syndrome or diabetes. Maining a healthy weight, exercise, and genetics are significantly more important that a few diet drinks.
And if those diet drinks help you cut calories, why not have them a part of a healthy diet?
And yes, its your personal choice to not drink it, and that is fine, but there is no evidence that links an adverse effect currently..0 -
arditarose wrote: »I'm more conceded about you cutting your wine with V8. Is this a thing?
I would think it would be worse. Most wined are probably lower in calories than v8 splash0 -
arditarose wrote: »I'm more conceded about you cutting your wine with V8. Is this a thing?
I would think it would be worse. Most wined are probably lower in calories than v8 splash
Right? I drank half a bottle last night and it was like 350-400 calories0 -
Oh, this girl is ok. The smoothies are healthy, and she might use almond milk or coconut water in them. She's okie dokie folks. And, coffee is made with water. I see another success story. MFP will help her notice the calories.0
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arditarose wrote: »I'm more conceded about you cutting your wine with V8. Is this a thing?
I would think it would be worse. Most wined are probably lower in calories than v8 splash
The wine I like is carlo rossi sangria 250 calories for 10 oz (yeah my glasses are big) VS the v8 splash 80 cal for 8 oz, so yeah cutting it with the splash helps AND its yummy.. but even at this I am limiting myself to mostly week-ends0 -
I can't with this wine and V8....
But, back to diet soda. I actually just STARTED drinking it. It's helped me get through some tough deficit times. Especially diet Dr. Pepper and diet root beer. It's fine!0 -
lynnstrick01 wrote: »Very interesting discussion. Of course proving causality is extremely difficult because you have to rule out almost everything else that could be a cause. However, I am not willing to risk metabolic syndrome or diabetes just so I can drink a can of chemicals.
The water in third world countries also has zero calories, but I wouldn't suggest drinking it.
Isn't MFP about more than zero calories?
I agree, It is not all about the calories, In fact that is what was so confusing to me. I couldn't figure out WHY people kept telling me that diet sodas make you fat if there are no calories and no sugar. I thought maybe the carbonation made you retain water or something like that.. that is more what I was asking.
I do understand that there are other issues with the chemicals in diet drinks.. but as rabbitjb said, these days there are chemicals in EVERYTHING. So unless we grow our own Veg and raise our own chicken, fish, cows and pigs.. we are getting chemicals.. like it or not.
That home grown stuff...also chemicals
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I've considered low sodium v8 with chocolate whey powder. That's about a billion times worse.
Lynn, watch your protein daily intake and fiber along with counting calories. Everyone is here for you.0 -
Diet Dr. P and Diet 7up are my favorites.arditarose wrote: »I can't with this wine and V8....
But, back to diet soda. I actually just STARTED drinking it. It's helped me get through some tough deficit times. Especially diet Dr. Pepper and diet root beer. It's fine!0 -
Second study
But Vyas says the association between diet drinks and cardiovascular problems raises more questions than it answers, and should stimulate further research.
“We only found an association, so we can’t say that diet drinks cause these problems,” Vyas says, adding that there may be other factors about people who drink more diet drinks that could explain the connection.
Yes to more research
No to conclusions based on correlative, self reporting data sweeps and fear mongering
Occam's razor:
Who is most likely to buy and consume diet drinks? Probably overweight/obese people.
What is one of the main risk factors for metabolic and heart diseases? Oh yeah, being overweight/obese.0 -
CooCooPuff wrote: »
Diet Dr. P and Diet 7up are my favorites.arditarose wrote: »I can't with this wine and V8....
But, back to diet soda. I actually just STARTED drinking it. It's helped me get through some tough deficit times. Especially diet Dr. Pepper and diet root beer. It's fine!
I don't think I've tried the Diet 7up. I will look for it.0 -
I do understand guys that some of these choices are not perfect for MAX weight loss. What I could do for more rapid loss is cut to 1000 calories, eating pre-packaged, pre-prepared meals to make sure I don't go over calorie count, force myself to drink water and exercise every day...
Been there, Done that, took off lots of weight quick,
But I know myself too well, I wont LIVE that way and the lbs will come right back and invite some buddies along with them. I told myself that this time I was going to make REALISTIC life choices that don't leave me feeling depressed and deprived.. I want to do things that I can LIVE with so that when the weight comes off I can happily continue with better habits and it will actually STAY off.
I really like the smoothies, and they keep me feeling full and satisfied all day without having to stop what I am doing and eat a MEAL. Then when it is time to eat I am not so hungry that I over eat. The fruit in them seems to help with the sugar cravings. (not as likely to go grab a coke, diet or otherwise)
and the V8 with my wine really does cut calories, but it is still a lot, so I am limiting that rather than cutting it completely. so although this is not a TRADITIONAL diet, so far it seems to be working.. Thanks for all the info and encouragement here, you guys are GREAT0 -
I'd be really curious to see what your diary looks like. You say you spend all day drinking diet soda and coffee (virtually zero calories or real nutrients), have a 250 calorie smoothie, and then a "big dinner". Unless that big dinner is 1,000+ calories worth of nutrient-rich food (no, wine + V8 doesn't count) then I'd say your big issue is you're not taking in enough. Contrary to popular belief, eating less =/= weighing less. Your body needs *some* amount of calories, otherwise you're just going to be starving yourself, and that's no way to lose weight.
Make sure you're getting enough protein. Eat complex carbs (think oatmeal, wheat bread) earlier in the day to keep yourself feeling sated and give yourself the energy needed to do all these chores you're doing. Eat tiny meals throughout the day-- don't do this "liquid diet" stuff and then scarf down all your calories right before bed. You don't burn as many calories sleeping as you do during outside chores...0 -
NekoneMeowMixx wrote: »I'd be really curious to see what your diary looks like. You say you spend all day drinking diet soda and coffee (virtually zero calories or real nutrients), have a 250 calorie smoothie, and then a "big dinner". Unless that big dinner is 1,000+ calories worth of nutrient-rich food (no, wine + V8 doesn't count) then I'd say your big issue is you're not taking in enough. Contrary to popular belief, eating less =/= weighing less. Your body needs *some* amount of calories, otherwise you're just going to be starving yourself, and that's no way to lose weight.
Make sure you're getting enough protein. Eat complex carbs (think oatmeal, wheat bread) earlier in the day to keep yourself feeling sated and give yourself the energy needed to do all these chores you're doing. Eat tiny meals throughout the day-- don't do this "liquid diet" stuff and then scarf down all your calories right before bed. You don't burn as many calories sleeping as you do during outside chores...
While it's as far from healthy as it goes, starving yourself does result in most weight loss.
And it doesn't matter when you eat.0 -
NekoneMeowMixx wrote: »I'd be really curious to see what your diary looks like. You say you spend all day drinking diet soda and coffee (virtually zero calories or real nutrients), have a 250 calorie smoothie, and then a "big dinner". Unless that big dinner is 1,000+ calories worth of nutrient-rich food (no, wine + V8 doesn't count) then I'd say your big issue is you're not taking in enough. Contrary to popular belief, eating less =/= weighing less. Your body needs *some* amount of calories, otherwise you're just going to be starving yourself, and that's no way to lose weight.
Make sure you're getting enough protein. Eat complex carbs (think oatmeal, wheat bread) earlier in the day to keep yourself feeling sated and give yourself the energy needed to do all these chores you're doing. Eat tiny meals throughout the day-- don't do this "liquid diet" stuff and then scarf down all your calories right before bed. You don't burn as many calories sleeping as you do during outside chores...
The coffee and Diet soda followed by big dinner was BEFORE I started trying to lose, I wouldn't eat all day really didn't feel hungry so as you said, no calories but also no nutrients, then at night I was STARVING so I would eat a huge meal and go to bed.
I identified this as the problem, but still don't like to sit down and eat meals during the day, I think this is a mental thing, meals are a social behavior, so if i am with your family or friends I (often over eat) but I hate to sit down and eat alone. So I added the smoothies instead of the no cal/no nutrient sodas (still have to have my coffee)... Eating earlier in the day and eating much less because smoothies are keeping me feeling fuller. I am still eating the same foods as I prepare for my husband (who can eat anything and not gain) but just much smaller quantity now that I am getting in nutrients all day long.0 -
You all are kidding - right? It is not the lack of calories that make diet soda bad for you, it is the chemicals which increase the risk of metabolic syndrome.
Google "scientific research on diet soda" and several journal articles pop up. Here is a quote from the American Diabetes Association "At least daily consumption of diet soda was associated with a 36% greater relative risk of incident metabolic syndrome and a 67% greater relative risk of incident type 2 diabetes compared with nonconsumption (HR 1.36 [95% CI 1.11–1.66] for metabolic syndrome and 1.67 [1.27–2.20] for type 2 diabetes)" (source: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/32/4/688.full)
and here is another "This is one of the largest studies on this topic, and our findings are consistent with some previous data, especially those linking diet drinks to the metabolic syndrome.” – Dr. Ankur Vyas, a Fellow in cardiovascular disease at UI Hospitals and Clinics, and the lead investigator of the study". (source: http://now.uiowa.edu/2014/03/ui-study-finds-diet-drinks-associated-heart-trouble-older-women)
If you don't know what metabolic syndrome is, I strongly encourage you to find out. It is a very scary syndrome without which there would be no MFP.
Take care of you total body health, quit diet soda today.
I was scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, waiting to see if this would be addressed.
You definitely won't gain weight from diet sodas. They have zero calories.
But those chemicals though? And don't get me wrong I don't know what side of the debate I'm on. I love an ice-cold Coke Zero. It can make all the difference in the world. I just can't help but feel that too much isn't a good thing. Part of me falls on the conspiracy side, the other part of me doubts that so many Governments all across the world would stand for it. Aspartame is the most studied food additive in the world.
But what's up with that V-8 in wine though? Is that to deter you from drinking it: like baking a cake with salt?
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so if i am with your family or friends should me MY family or friends0
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TOO Funny Joey,, as I said I like sweet wines.. if you have ever made home made sangria, it consists mostly of red wine and fruit juices.. so why not add a little more fruit juice...and it is the V8 splash --sweet and fruity not the tomato juice (that would be yuk)0
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If you're trying to cut wine calories wouldn't you put in like...sparkling water, with zero calories, over a sweet drink with almost as many calories per glass?0
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maybe a diet 7 up want something with an actual flavor, but that goes right back to the whole diet soda question... is it better to cut calories while adding a few good nutrients or go zero cal and zero nutrition with diet sodas... I guess it all depends on perspective and personal taste. The biggest thing (for me) with the wine is that I have cut down on HOW MUCH and HOW OFTEN I drink, cutting the calories a little is just a bonus I guess.0
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lynnstrick01 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »I'm more conceded about you cutting your wine with V8. Is this a thing?
I would think it would be worse. Most wined are probably lower in calories than v8 splash
The wine I like is carlo rossi sangria 250 calories for 10 oz (yeah my glasses are big) VS the v8 splash 80 cal for 8 oz, so yeah cutting it with the splash helps AND its yummy.. but even at this I am limiting myself to mostly week-ends
Maybe just pour slightly smaller glasses? <shrugs>0 -
lynnstrick01 wrote: »maybe a diet 7 up want something with an actual flavor, but that goes right back to the whole diet soda question... is it better to cut calories while adding a few good nutrients or go zero cal and zero nutrition with diet sodas... I guess it all depends on perspective and personal taste. The biggest thing (for me) with the wine is that I have cut down on HOW MUCH and HOW OFTEN I drink, cutting the calories a little is just a bonus I guess.
As long as you are getting nutrients elsewhere (which you will be, because you aren't going to limit yourself to diet soda 100%), it doesn't matter if you consume something that has 0 calories and 0 nutrients. It isn't crowding anything else out of your diet.
Now if the V8 Splash is your only source for meeting certain nutritional needs, then I wouldn't cut it. But that's unlikely to be the case. If juice drink is the only thing standing between you and not meeting your needs, you have a larger issue to address probably.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »lynnstrick01 wrote: »maybe a diet 7 up want something with an actual flavor, but that goes right back to the whole diet soda question... is it better to cut calories while adding a few good nutrients or go zero cal and zero nutrition with diet sodas... I guess it all depends on perspective and personal taste. The biggest thing (for me) with the wine is that I have cut down on HOW MUCH and HOW OFTEN I drink, cutting the calories a little is just a bonus I guess.
As long as you are getting nutrients elsewhere (which you will be, because you aren't going to limit yourself to diet soda 100%), it doesn't matter if you consume something that has 0 calories and 0 nutrients. It isn't crowding anything else out of your diet.
Now if the V8 Splash is your only source for meeting certain nutritional needs, then I wouldn't cut it. But that's unlikely to be the case. If juice drink is the only thing standing between you and not meeting your needs, you have a larger issue to address probably.
Good post.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »lynnstrick01 wrote: »maybe a diet 7 up want something with an actual flavor, but that goes right back to the whole diet soda question... is it better to cut calories while adding a few good nutrients or go zero cal and zero nutrition with diet sodas... I guess it all depends on perspective and personal taste. The biggest thing (for me) with the wine is that I have cut down on HOW MUCH and HOW OFTEN I drink, cutting the calories a little is just a bonus I guess.
As long as you are getting nutrients elsewhere (which you will be, because you aren't going to limit yourself to diet soda 100%), it doesn't matter if you consume something that has 0 calories and 0 nutrients. It isn't crowding anything else out of your diet.
Now if the V8 Splash is your only source for meeting certain nutritional needs, then I wouldn't cut it. But that's unlikely to be the case. If juice drink is the only thing standing between you and not meeting your needs, you have a larger issue to address probably.
Good post.
Why, thank you. *tips bottle of diet soda in your direction*0 -
You know, I cut out diet soda and switched to water and lost almost 10lbs in a week with no other changes to my diet. I can't say for sure that it was the diet soda, but one has to wonder! The arguement against diet soda is that the aspartame reacts in the body the same way that sugars do.
Long story short, each and everyone of us is different. What works for me isn't the right choice for the next person. Do what YOU are comfortable with and to heck with everyone else!
Best of luck!
~~Dawn0 -
CntryAngel824 wrote: »You know, I cut out diet soda and switched to water and lost almost 10lbs in a week with no other changes to my diet. I can't say for sure that it was the diet soda, but one has to wonder! The arguement against diet soda is that the aspartame reacts in the body the same way that sugars do.
Long story short, each and everyone of us is different. What works for me isn't the right choice for the next person. Do what YOU are comfortable with and to heck with everyone else!
Best of luck!
~~Dawn
So nothing else changed in your diet and you lost 10 pounds. Not buying it.0 -
Are there more healthy choices than diet soda? Absolutely. But if you know yourself like I know myself then you know that cutting out every unhealthy choice that you enjoy might make you lose weight, but it's unlikely that you will stick with it the rest of your life and it's easier to fall off the wagon when you give yourself no leeway. That's why I make room in my calories for one -regular- *gaspshockappalled* soda every day. If it's within your calorie limits and you're accurately tracking then you will lose weight even if you ate nothing but cake and burritos all day. Drinking that soda makes me feel like I'm not deprived of my caffeinated, bubbly joy in life, but since I plan for it, it also doesn't make me go over and the rest of the day I'm not eating cake and burritos, so I have no soda guilt. If you like diet, drink it. I could never recommend drinking five two liters per day or never drinking water or whatever, but if you want to have a diet coke with lunch then do it.0
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No the V8 splash is really not the issue here, it is really just a preference, I like it, It does have some good vitamins and minerals, and it does bring the calorie count down in my glass of wine (a little). In fact even before calorie counting I would make it by the pitchers everyone loved it.. Sangria, V8splash, and Coconut Rum... It was yummie0
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The problem with diet sodas isn't the calories or the "chemicals". It's the artificial sweetener, but not for the reasons you have probably been told... (They do not cause cancer)
When you consume zero calorie sweetened foods or beverages you are tricking your body. Your body wants sugar because it has a lot of quickly available energy that your ancestors might need to go hunt a deer and kill it with their bare hands. But your body also has an 'off switch' for your sweet tooth that tells you when you've had all the short release energy your body can use at a time. When you consume artificial sweeteners, your body thinks it has achieved it's goal to obtain quickly available calories, when it hasn't. Upon realizing that it didn't get the energy that it thinks it should have, it quickly puts in a order for more sugar. If you again satisfy this impulse with another diet soda, the pattern will repeat itself. After prolonged diet soda consumption, your body's sweetness regulation is all out of wack. It now believes you need to consume an ungodly amount of sweets in order to get just a tiny amount of energy from them. Now when you reach for that candy bar, the real sugar (with the calories) will be registered as a tiny fraction of what you need, and you will more than likely go in for a second or third. This is where the weight gain from diet sodas comes from.
I have experienced this first hand. About 3 years ago, I was drinking 12 diet sodas a day roughly. No big deal, that's still 0 calories right? Wrong. I remember that I couldn't trust myself around sweets, I had to keep them out of the house or I would eat all of them. I could easily eat a whole package of Oreo's in one sitting. I just thought I had a crazy intense sweet tooth. Then, about 2 years ago, I learned what diet sodas where actually doing to my body's built in regulation center, and cut them out entirely. Now, I maaaybe have 1 regular soda every month or two, and can easily have a one piece of cake, or a cookie when grandma goes through a lot of effort to make them for us, without needing to eat them all.
If you do drink diet sodas, just know that you haven't done any permanent damage to your body, but if your goal is to lose weight, you really should cut them out of your life. They will turn satisfying treats into unsatisfying binges very quickly.0
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