What Is The Deal With Diet Coke?

G

Guest

Guest
Well I am sort of addicted to Diet Coke. I usually drink it most days. I am trying to switch to iced tea, but I am still working on that.

Anyway...I have read and heard so much about diet sodas. Are they bad for you or are they fine in moderation? I have read conflicting reviews so that is why I ask. It says it has zero calories, yet I know it has artifical sweetners and that will turn to fat. So I dont know what to think anymore.

Any thoughts?
 
I drink an absolutly insane amount of diet soda..I've lost close to 40 pounds. Personally? I think it's fine. Research says alot of different things. Your best answer is moderation as in everything.
 
SNAP!

I was going to ask the same question you just asked. I like diet coke but have read before that you should eliminate all soft drinks from your diet as even diet versions are bad for you.

Its very warm here at the moment and a diet coke over ice with a straw in it is just the ticket... Ill continue to treat myself to that indulgence.
 
There have been some studies that show that if you drink diet sodas your body may be confused and think that sweet things don't have as many calories - so it can lead to increased hunger.

Personally, I didn't have that experience - but it's probably true for some people. I've made the switch to ice tea/water although I still have a diet soda now and again. But ironically I made the switch after my weight loss and more as a 'just in case' than because I had a strong reason to do so.

So probably in an ideal world you could be .01% healthier with no sodas, but in an ideal world you'd be working out all the time and all kinds of things that don't happen in the real world ;) There are a lot of things that are way more significant to your weight loss than whether or not you drink diet soda!
 
The sweeteners have been studied lot and it is 'suggested' that they might lead to longterm health problems if too much is consumed.

It isn't good for your teeth. Its not great for your stomach. Its full of stimulants and additives and caffeine. It really isn't very good for you. But on the same note I bloody love it lol and would drink it all day if I could!!!

It makes me feel lethargic if I drink too much of it, so I don't drink it much now. I have read that the sweetness starts a chemical response in your body. It prepares to break down lots of sugars, and gets confused when there is nothing there, and hunger results. Thats not set in stone I don't think but it seems a popular theory.

You will perform much much better with exercise if you stick to water, and your fat loss will be better if you drink water instead of diet coke.
 
Jeanette401 said:
There have been some studies that show that if you drink diet sodas your body may be confused and think that sweet things don't have as many calories - so it can lead to increased hunger.

Personally, I didn't have that experience - but it's probably true for some people. I've made the switch to ice tea/water although I still have a diet soda now and again. But ironically I made the switch after my weight loss and more as a 'just in case' than because I had a strong reason to do so.

So probably in an ideal world you could be .01% healthier with no sodas, but in an ideal world you'd be working out all the time and all kinds of things that don't happen in the real world ;) There are a lot of things that are way more significant to your weight loss than whether or not you drink diet soda!
Click to expand...

Tend to agree here. Basically, what I read is that the artifical sweeteners have the same stimulus effect that regular sugar does on the liver, which induces very similar spiked insulin responses, which leads to increased hunger.

Personally, I went cold turkey on diet soda in december. Haven't had one since. Just kept a gallon of water in the fridge, and fruit nearby to scratch that sugar itch. To be honest, it was harder than quitting smoking, but once a month or so went by I really didn't crave it much anymore. From Dec 17th until today (almost 6 months!) I have dropped a ton of weight, like 60 pounds. I can't attribute all the loss to just cutting soda (and cutting hunger cravings), but I can't also say it didn't help.

TL;DR

If you can stand it, drop the soda. While it may not have calories, water is usually going to do you better.
 
I quit drinking soda too back in October. I have no scientific proof really but I personally felt like crap when I drank it and it tore up my stomach. I loved it though and had tried to stop so many other times...not sure why this was different. I drink alot of tea now though...with artificial sweetener so....yea, lol.
 
If you're concerned about it, it's not that hard to give it up, at least it wasn't for me. I used to drink a lot of the sugar sweetened stuff. I don't like the aftertaste of the artificial sweeteners, so I switched to water, black coffee, tea, skim milk, buttermilk, and vegetable juice. I don't miss the pop much.
 
I, as well, am HUGE Diet Coke addict. I drink it all day, everyday. It is the only thing I drink. I have to have it. I have heard that it is bad for your health. I don't think I could give it up if I had to, but after reading this, I am somewhat concerned that this could be a problem...
 
A lot of diet sodas contain aspartame, which is a non-FDA approved artifical sweetner. In a lot of people it causes effects. I cant drink it because it gives me migraines and causes other problems. I can't even touch the stuff without wondering how anyone in their right mind could drink it. So I stay far far away from aspartame because it DOES hurt my body so badly.

To add insult to injury. There are people who are more prone to the effects of aspartame. And aspartame can cause aspartame poisoning which mimics disorders such as vertigo and MS. I have run into plenty of people who drink diet sodas, eat diet foods and tell me "I've never had a problem" and they may never have a problem, but there are people who do. I know I am more apt to get aspartame poisoning. (And a woman at my work just went through it, from drinking a lot of diet sodas all her life. it finally built up enough. she was sick and in the hospital for a good 4 to 5 months.)

That is my number one problem with diet sodas. I would rather drink a full sugared soda less often if I really want one then to drink something that has a fake ingredient in it that could hurt me more so then just gaining a few pounds.
 
I'm interested in this thread because I can't make it without my single, precious can of Diet Dr. Pepper once a day.

After reading through all the good stuff here, the overall answer I'm seeing is "Do what's right for you", with these three things to add into the equation:

1. If you know you have bad reactions to artificial sweetners, stay the heck away from the stuff.
2. If you feel concerned that diet sodas MIGHT be bad for you, but you kind of like them, do more research and decide for yourself.
3. If you love diet soda and the health stuff people bring up about the sweetners used doesn't bug you, go ahead and enjoy.

I'm definitely in the last camp. If I had to just drink water with a little lemon (or whatever) all the time, I'd curl up and die. LOL!
 
i'm very addicted to diet pepsi... it's my lifeline!! the only thing i notice is that when i drink diet pepsi, i make bad food choices. when i drink water, i eat better. i mean, i can't have a salad and drink a diet pepsi!! or i can't eat chips and drink water! so for me... the pop is going to have to go if i want to lose this weight. sniff, sniff...
 
MustangSwtie69 said:
A lot of diet sodas contain aspartame, which is a non-FDA approved artifical sweetner. In a lot of people it causes effects. I cant drink it because it gives me migraines and causes other problems. I can't even touch the stuff without wondering how anyone in their right mind could drink it. So I stay far far away from aspartame because it DOES hurt my body so badly.

To add insult to injury. There are people who are more prone to the effects of aspartame. And aspartame can cause aspartame poisoning which mimics disorders such as vertigo and MS. I have run into plenty of people who drink diet sodas, eat diet foods and tell me "I've never had a problem" and they may never have a problem, but there are people who do. I know I am more apt to get aspartame poisoning. (And a woman at my work just went through it, from drinking a lot of diet sodas all her life. it finally built up enough. she was sick and in the hospital for a good 4 to 5 months.)

That is my number one problem with diet sodas. I would rather drink a full sugared soda less often if I really want one then to drink something that has a fake ingredient in it that could hurt me more so then just gaining a few pounds.
Click to expand...

You know, the year is 2010 and people still can't get off their lazy buts to check some facts...

When you start your post with "Aspartame is a non-FDA approved sweetner" your entire post loses credibility.

2 seconds on Google would bring you to the FDA website will show that it is approved and listed.


Further more in Canada a quick look at the health Canada website states the following:


Your so called "facts" about the Aspartame poisoning and MS are also debunked on the above Health Canada Website and by the MS society.

Both the FDA and Health Canada have set limits on Aspartame intake at 40mg/kg of body weight. So for a 68kg (150 pound) person that equates to over 2700mg of aspartame, or a little less than 21 cans/day. for a 113kg person (250lbs) its more than 34 cans/day. These numbers are a result of endless SCIENTIFIC testing, they just aren't made up for the fun of it.
Which is FDA officials describe aspartame as "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved"


Posts like this drive me crazy, People with no scientific background "hear" something and then start posting it around the web. Misinformation is king in this age I guess.
 
Thanks gasman. I was just about to post the same thing.

I wish people would take 5 mins to research things before posting them as though they were fact. Just for the record:

1981 - aspartame approved for use in dry goods
1983 - the FDA further approved aspartame for use in carbonated beverages
1993 - approved for use in other beverages, baked goods, and confections
1996 - the FDA removed all restrictions from aspartame allowing it to be used in all foods

1980s - Several European Union countries approved aspartame
1994 - EU-wide approval
2002 - the European Commission Scientific Committee on Food reviewed subsequent safety studies and reaffirmed the approval
2006 - the European Food Safety Authority reported in 2006 that the previously established Acceptable Daily Intake was appropriate, after reviewing yet another set of studies

All of this information is easily accessible on the web.

Having said all of that, I don't think that FDA approval is the be-all and end-all of what foods you should eat. Our government is too easily influenced by outside sources when making these decisions. I think the bottom line is that you have to do your research, determine how YOU feel after consuming aspartame, and make the decision for yourself and your family.
 
Last edited:
KaraCooks said:
Thanks gasman. I was just about to post the same thing.

I wish people would take 5 mins to research things before posting them as though they were fact.
Click to expand...

My pleasure, It urks me when stuff like this is passed around, this one especially, my wife and I discuss this all the time, she is a registered dietitian (and also has a Master Degree in Nutrition and Food Science) and this one is a sore spot for her.

I guess it's more fun if something is evil and the corporations are out to get us. It makes better stories than "Aspartame safe, even in stupid quantities"
 
The problem with diet coke- and other sweetened drinks (but particularly cola drinks as they have added caffiene whih can also be addictive) is the sweeteners.

Sweeteners are a fake sugar, they are sugar without the calories. They are still quite new in the history of food and how our bodies adapt.

When we eat/drink sweetners, our body is programmed to think we are consuming sugar. Our stomachs start to prepare acid, our brains await the sugar rush and we can also feel sated (appetite is suppressed).
Then, 20 mins later, our brains are still waiting and wondering "where is the sugar??" its likely then you want some more diet coke or some sugar- something sweet or some form of refined carbohydrates (as its very easy for your body to obtain the sugars in the refined carbs). And its then the danger comes. Either your drinking more diet coke and boosting your caffiene intake alongside (and so anxiety levels go up, cortisol levels go up---another looong story and not a good one, and your wanting to eat things you normally wouldn't have needed.)

If your happy with your diet coke/pepsi max/any sweetened drink then stick with it, there are far worse crimes to commit! But bear in mind, the more cans you drink, the louder and harder to ignore the sugar/refned carbs cravings will be. Try to eat something alongside your can, something with protein and a small amount of healthy fats in to help dilute the sweetners. Try to be on the ball as your body is likely to tell you your hungry when infact your not. Its a tricky balancing act.
 
I drink more diet soda than Jericho and have lost over 100 pounds. So maybe it's good for losing weight?

but don't drink more than 3 liters a day or you can become temporarily paralyzed and that would not be fun at all
 
summer123 said:
When we eat/drink sweetners, our body is programmed to think we are consuming sugar. Our stomachs start to prepare acid, our brains await the sugar rush and we can also feel sated (appetite is suppressed).
Then, 20 mins later, our brains are still waiting and wondering "where is the sugar??" its likely then you want some more diet coke or some sugar- something sweet or some form of refined carbohydrates (as its very easy for your body to obtain the sugars in the refined carbs). And its then the danger comes. Either your drinking more diet coke and boosting your caffiene intake alongside (and so anxiety levels go up, cortisol levels go up---another looong story and not a good one, and your wanting to eat things you normally wouldn't have needed.)

If your happy with your diet coke/pepsi max/any sweetened drink then stick with it, there are far worse crimes to commit! But bear in mind, the more cans you drink, the louder and harder to ignore the sugar/refned carbs cravings will be. Try to eat something alongside your can, something with protein and a small amount of healthy fats in to help dilute the sweetners. Try to be on the ball as your body is likely to tell you your hungry when infact your not. Its a tricky balancing act.
Click to expand...

There is caffeine-free diet soda. So that issue can be avoided.

I find that rather than boosting my craving for refined carbs, drinking sugar-free sodas makes me feel like I'm getting a high-carb treat. I eat a very high-protein diet and the taste of the diet soda is a welcome change!

I think that diet soda is something that is a useful tool for some folks, but not for others. People seem to have very different reactions that are due to many variables.
 
I drink diet coke - but not very often. Perhaps once a week at the most. And I only drink it if I'm out - I NEVER have any in the house.

I agree that the key is moderation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top