Diet soda same as Diet drinks?

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coronalime
coronalime Posts: 583 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I hear the chatter over diet sodas making people fat. I really dont comprehend why but whatever..My question is.
Do all "diet" drinks pose the same risk? Like Diet snapple, Diet lipton Tea etc...

I dont drink coffee. I dont do any calorie drinks (except beer and wine or a HEED/Gatordade on a race day or Hot day working out). I dont do powders (like crystal light, etc...)
Today is day 1 of no diet sodas..But I bought some Diet Green Lipton Tea (pre made) and I drink Decaf Black Tea and the White diet Tea from Trader Joes..is this still on the "fat" lists? If I drink that or something like that everyday is it the same as diet soda?

Replies

  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    I hear the chatter over diet sodas making people fat. I really dont comprehend why but whatever..My question is.
    Do all "diet" drinks pose the same risk? Like Diet snapple, Diet lipton Tea etc...

    I dont drink coffee. I dont do any calorie drinks (except beer and wine or a HEED/Gatordade on a race day or Hot day working out). I dont do powders (like crystal light, etc...)
    Today is day 1 of no diet sodas..But I bought some Diet Green Lipton Tea (pre made) and I drink Decaf Black Tea and the White diet Tea from Trader Joes..is this still on the "fat" lists? If I drink that or something like that everyday is it the same as diet soda?

    Most diet sodas are higher in sodium but have zero sugar/cals. From what I have read, diet soda is worse than just drinking the regular kind. There's a lot of debate over the health concerns of artificial sweeteners. I don't drink any kind of soda anymore. It took a long time to like water but now that's all I drink, besides the occasional glass of milk and my coffee.
  • modernfemme
    modernfemme Posts: 454 Member
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    I never heard that diet sodas make you fat - but the fake sugars in them have been linked to cancer.

    I do drink a diet soda every now and then... everything in moderation and all that. If you can't handle just one every now and then, might be best to totally stay clear.
  • sneezles
    sneezles Posts: 165 Member
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    I don't know for certain but if they are sweetened with anything but stevia I would say yes. It has something to do with the way chemical sweeteners affect the brain and it's ability to recognize being full...could be wrong as it's been awhile since I read about it.
  • bethanyranes
    bethanyranes Posts: 44 Member
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    It's all whether or not they make YOU fat if you drink them - I have maintained a 2-pound per week loss while still putting some work on Diet Coke and Sugar-Free Rockstars. (I'm probably going to catch hell for that one). I always drink my water for the day before I drink them, but they haven't impeded my loss. I was fueled by energy drinks in college, and I lost 80 pounds without cutting them out. See how you like them, and if they negatively affect you, don't drink them anymore.
  • LittleFootHafner
    LittleFootHafner Posts: 302
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    Most diet drinks have aspartame in then... I think the argument is that aspartame can actually cause one to be hungry...

    I started using diet pop as a "I'm hungry, so I will have one" kinda things, and found that I was drinking WAY too much of it! Therefore, I have tried to cut back. I drink ONLY water or tea now, and then allow myself a diet pop 1 or 2 times a week for a treat (usually on the weekends). I completely plan to take this to full calorie sodas once I hit the maintaining stage though...
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
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    They don't make you fat...how can something with zero/very few calories make you fat? There have been studies that show they hinder you losing weight however. And the biggest problem is really with the additives and chemicals in them, particularly the artificial sweeteners. I'm not going to go so far as to say you're better with a 150 calorie can of soda though. Everything in moderation, I do enjoy a soda from time to time, but I also drink a lot of water and limit my caffeine intake for the most part.
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
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    Sweet tasting foods trigger appetite. Fake sweet or real it does not matter.

    This is what ever fast food chain alive knows, and why they give you a gallon bucket of pop. Same with movie theaters, theme parks, etc...

    Artificial sweeteners also do produce an insulin response, which varies depending on your sensitivity.

    And for those who state categorically that zero calorie items can not make you fat, I do not understand the rationale. Fat is moved from blood to fat cells by insulin. Foods that raise insulin levels, with or without calories, MAKE YOU FAT. Check any biology book from the discovery of insulin on.
  • kwest_4_fitness
    kwest_4_fitness Posts: 819 Member
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    From what I understand, the intake of an artificially sweet drink without the caloric intake the body expects can make an individual crave actual calories. I thought it was bunk myself. Until I stopped drinking diet pop, that is. Now if I have more than one diet pop a day or more than one day a week, I actually notice an increase in hunger. I didn't link the two until my husband pointed it out. Diet Dr. Pepper seems to be the worst offender for me. Coke Zero, not so much. It's not the same for teas and coffees as your body isn't expecting a calorie kick from these beverages. So it's water for me and when I want flavor, I go for Propel Zero.
  • Tereztaylor07
    Tereztaylor07 Posts: 200
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    I drink mostly water, but I have a diet Dr Pepper every once in a while. Yes, I know it isn't the best for me. Yes, I know it's full of additives and junk. BUT I have still steadily lost weight with having a diet soda 2 to 3 times a week (not every day). So I do not worry about it. I enjoy them.
  • Ashleysh22
    Ashleysh22 Posts: 209
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    my general rule is if you want something - go for the real thing. The "diet" or "low fat" options are generally less healthy because they are less natural - even if they do have real calories in them. As for tea? tea is great for you. I would say just get the normal stuff. and try to find one that has no added sweetener in it or make your own.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    I started drinking Coke Zero again after not drinking it for 7 months. I thought about it for a while and the only reason I could figure out that I stopped drinking it as that it was a form of penance for letting myself become obese. I do not know of any other reason to not drink diet soda.

    It's of interest that I read that the sweeteners in diet soda "have been linked to cancer". Some of the other responses here struck me in a similar manner.

    Since artificial sweeteners have been acknowledged by the FDA to be safe for human consumption (I remember the ban of sweeteners in the 70's which was followed 20 years later by a complete reversal of that ban), could the folks who are making these claims be so kind as to cite proof? Graçias.

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