Diet sodas

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  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Sodas DO NOT contain a lot of sodium. 1 can of coke zero contains 30 mg of sodium. Where does the myth that soda contains a lot of sodium come from?

    My theory: people look at the label on the can and (usually) the only value that isn't 0 is sodium. People who aren't really sure about how much sodium is a "lot" look at that and assume that soda is high in sodium.
  • MarkusDarwath
    MarkusDarwath Posts: 393 Member
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    In my early twenties I drank a lot of regular Pepsi, like a gallon a day. I got fat and diabetic (not just from the soda, I also ate too much, but 1200 calories per day of liquid sugar certainly didn't help). At that point I switched to diet to avoid hammering my blood sugar. Diet soda did -not- help me lose weight. My body simply recognized the calorie drop and I ate more instead.
    Today, I still drink nearly as much diet soda. I know that amount of carbonation and phosphoric acid is not good for me. I have occasionally felt bloated, yuck, low energy symptoms that I have thought may be related to my soda intake, but I can't verify the connection for sure. Since I joined here, I've started going for the 8 glasses of plain water per day, in the hopes of dialing back my soda consumption without having to make a conscious effort of it.
    In terms of effects on weight loss, I can't say that diet soda has hindered my efforts, past or present, as I have had success... but I also can't say for sure that it didn't slow my progress either, as I never cut it out while trying to lose weight. I have twice in the past gone cold turkey on the soda when I felt the addiction to it was controlling me too much. The week long headache and constant mild nausea from caffeine withdrawal is really miserable. But of course, after breaking the physical addiction I would go back to it, thinking I could just drink it in moderation, then ended up ramping back up to where I was before.

    TL:DR... for me personally diet soda does not verifiably hinder weight loss, but it doesn't actually help either. I drink it because it doesn't raise my blood sugar.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited May 2016
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    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Sodas DO NOT contain a lot of sodium. 1 can of coke zero contains 30 mg of sodium. Where does the myth that soda contains a lot of sodium come from?

    I always wonder the same thing. To put this in context, 1 tsp of salt has 2325 mg and 1 cup of skim milk has 127 mg. In a variety of places tap water could have 30 mg or more in a similar amount as the soda.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Sodas DO NOT contain a lot of sodium. 1 can of coke zero contains 30 mg of sodium. Where does the myth that soda contains a lot of sodium come from?

    I always wonder the same thing.

    Maybe because older formulations (TaB and others) used sodium saccharine?
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    bpetrosky wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Sodas DO NOT contain a lot of sodium. 1 can of coke zero contains 30 mg of sodium. Where does the myth that soda contains a lot of sodium come from?

    I always wonder the same thing.

    Maybe because older formulations (TaB and others) used sodium saccharine?

    Is that what it was? I swear I remember older sodas being higher in sodium content. I tried the same thing, and someone posted a pic of their can. At least I was enough of a person to admit I was wrong...
  • kirstinethornburg
    kirstinethornburg Posts: 300 Member
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    I never drink carbonated anything any more I drink unsweet tea when I want something other then plain water. I am not a soda drinker. To control my craveings for sweets I use Level G suppliment from Univera. This is what works super well for me
  • Sweets1954
    Sweets1954 Posts: 506 Member
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    Personal opinion but I do not drink diet soda. I have pretty much eliminated soda from my diet and did that long before I started using MFP. I don't want the added sugar that soda contains, I prefer not to drink artificial sweetener, or eat them for that matter. I drink unsweetened ice tea and make "flavored" water by infusing fruit in a pitcher of water. I find that diet soda and other items sweetened with artificial sweeteners have a really nasty aftertaste. Everyone has to make their own choices and decision.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
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    stevencloser wrote: »
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    Steve did you even read the study?

    "Characteristics of the participants

    Although 268 self-reported aspartame sensitive individuals (AS) inquired, only 53 (21 men, 32 women) attended and gave their informed consent to take part in the study, with only 48 completing both sessions. Participants were matched by age and sex to 49 aspartame non-sensitive (NS) individuals (23 men, 26 women) (Table 1). Two participants (1 man, age 65 and 1 woman, age 70 years) from the aspartame sensitive group and one non-sensitive participant (1 man, age 41 years) dropped out due to changes in personal circumstances. One man was excluded because of a self-limiting gastro-intestinal upset during one session (revealed when unblinded to be after control). "

    Steve the fact they did have one that was "excluded" due to gastro-intestinal upset mean anything to you about the impact aspartame my have on some humans. Did they screen for low levels of folic acid, etc or just take "self reporting" info to make a validity statement on the study?

    As a doctor I see more questions than answers coming from this study and that was even before I knew politics could have been a real concern.

    Gale, did you even read what you quoted? The man who got excluded had gastro-intestinal upset after eating the CONTROL meal, the one without aspartame.

    Interesting. Wonder if the meals got switched or just smelled it in the air?
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    stevencloser wrote: »
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    Steve did you even read the study?

    "Characteristics of the participants

    Although 268 self-reported aspartame sensitive individuals (AS) inquired, only 53 (21 men, 32 women) attended and gave their informed consent to take part in the study, with only 48 completing both sessions. Participants were matched by age and sex to 49 aspartame non-sensitive (NS) individuals (23 men, 26 women) (Table 1). Two participants (1 man, age 65 and 1 woman, age 70 years) from the aspartame sensitive group and one non-sensitive participant (1 man, age 41 years) dropped out due to changes in personal circumstances. One man was excluded because of a self-limiting gastro-intestinal upset during one session (revealed when unblinded to be after control). "

    Steve the fact they did have one that was "excluded" due to gastro-intestinal upset mean anything to you about the impact aspartame my have on some humans. Did they screen for low levels of folic acid, etc or just take "self reporting" info to make a validity statement on the study?

    As a doctor I see more questions than answers coming from this study and that was even before I knew politics could have been a real concern.

    Gale, did you even read what you quoted? The man who got excluded had gastro-intestinal upset after eating the CONTROL meal, the one without aspartame.

    Interesting. Wonder if the meals got switched or just smelled it in the air?

    Like a bad fart?
  • faithsstaircase
    faithsstaircase Posts: 97 Member
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    I'm not going to bother reading everyone else's posts because it will probably spark me to say something I'll regret, so I'll just voice my OPINION.

    For ME (and only me, not speaking for ANYONE else), drinking diet soda causes me to want other sugary things, so I tend to stick with water. However, I do treat myself to one occasionally, and I have to tell you, it tastes a whole lot better when you lay off of it for awhile (like anything else).

    Do what's right and what works for you and screw everyone else. No one really knows the right answer...that's why they keep doing studies about it.
  • princetonmayberry
    princetonmayberry Posts: 39 Member
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    if you want to have a soda have a soda, as far as I learned it is the quanity at which you eat/drink that will set you back
  • DearestWinter
    DearestWinter Posts: 595 Member
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    I drink diet soda almost daily and don't find it affects weight loss. It's actually easier to regulate my calorie intake when I'm substituting a diet soda for a more caloric drink.

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