Diet Sodas- Apparently Not So Good

Mens Health:

WHY TODAY’S NEWS
SHOULDN’T BOTHER YOU
The link between diet soda and
disease is weak

Admit it: On these hot summer days, you’re tempted to reach for a cold, refreshing can of Coke.

Today’s news linking soda with metabolic syndrome may make you hesitate. And that’s good �?? to an extent.

The study said drinking at least one soda a day increases your risk of metabolic syndrome, which can lead to heart disease and diabetes. The shocking part: Researchers say diet pop has the same negative effect.

Our own Fitness Insider, Adam Campbell, says that aspect of the study appears weak, because people who drink a lot of soda probably don’t have great diets to begin with.

If you’re trying to lose weight, switching from regular to diet can help. Drinking one less can of soda a day �?? or choosing diet soda instead of the full-cal version �?? can help you lose 15 pounds in one year.

Also:

is this really news? is it such a big surprise to anyone that a can of sugar - or even worse, a can of artificial sweetners - could possibly be not good for you?

why do people continue to waste money conducting studies that conclude the obvious?!?!

One word: aspartame

[quote]jsbrook wrote:
I’ve never noticed any difference in controlling weight when consuming diet soda or artifical sweeteners than not. [/quote]

No shit. If diet soda is so freaking bad, then how does that explain the numerous lean people who drink the stuff?

When fat people drink diet soda, diet soda is blamed for their obesity. When skinny people drink it, people just say, “Oh, that doesn’t count.”

I read a thread once where a person said, “Can I eat sugarless gum while on the diet.” A bunch of people chimed in as if that would be the difference between success and failure.

LOL.

This debate is reminiscent of the “Is fruit bad?” debate that pops up every month.

If eating too much fruit and drinking diet soda were the only “problems” a person had (that is, the person ate lots of fruit and drank Diet Coke by the liter but otherwise ate chicken breasts all day), I’m willing to bet that the person would not be fat. No shit, right? It’s not banana-eating, diet-coke drinking people who are the problem. It’s fat fucks who have a diet soda along with their fries and cheese burgers.

I agree with CaliforniaLaw’s line of thinking; I drink diet Coke/Pepsi/Dr Pepper/Mt Dew regularly and am not fat.

On the other hand, when I went on the V-Diet I stopped drinking diet sodas and lost a bunch of fat. I always thought it was the high-protein/low-calorie shake lifestyle I endured for 28 days that did it, but it must’ve been the diet sodas I stopped drinking.

But seriously, as much as I like Diet Dr Pepper Cherry Vanilla, I’m not about to defend it as a health drink.

[quote]kroby wrote:
“Hello, McFly!”[/quote]

LOL.

To hell with science, we’ll all just make assumptions about everything, there’s no need to prove anything.

This is absurd. Although “a calorie is not a calorie” certainly has merit. ZERO calories is still ZERO calories. You can’t get fat drinking anything that contains no calories. Artificial sweeteners have been tested to death. No smoking gun there.

I don’t generally drink any soda, diet or not, but if I feel like one I’m not going to let a silly-assed study like this stop me from enjoying it.

Just more sensationalist crap to keep the gullible masses tuned in. Next week it’ll be something else.

[quote]dragonslayer wrote:
Mens Health:

WHY TODAY’S NEWS
SHOULDN’T BOTHER YOU
The link between diet soda and
disease is weak

Admit it: On these hot summer days, you’re tempted to reach for a cold, refreshing can of Coke.

Today’s news linking soda with metabolic syndrome may make you hesitate. And that’s good �?? to an extent.

The study said drinking at least one soda a day increases your risk of metabolic syndrome, which can lead to heart disease and diabetes. The shocking part: Researchers say diet pop has the same negative effect.

Our own Fitness Insider, Adam Campbell, says that aspect of the study appears weak, because people who drink a lot of soda probably don’t have great diets to begin with.

If you’re trying to lose weight, switching from regular to diet can help. Drinking one less can of soda a day �?? or choosing diet soda instead of the full-cal version �?? can help you lose 15 pounds in one year.

Also:

Men's Health - Fitness, Nutrition, Health, Sex, Style & Weight Loss Tips for Men [/quote]

Agreed.

It would be interesting to know who made up the samples in the study.

Obviously a study isn’t worth it’s ink if there is not enough control - i.e. we can’t control the subject’s life style, genetics, or what else they eat and drink.

It is just too hard to do this and come up with any meaningfull data.

Let’s just wait to hear the soft drink companies rebuttal on this :slight_smile:

[quote]Miserere wrote:
On the other hand, when I went on the V-Diet I stopped drinking diet sodas and lost a bunch of fat. I always thought it was the high-protein/low-calorie shake lifestyle I endured for 28 days that did it, but it must’ve been the diet sodas I stopped drinking.[/quote]

LMAO!

Other than Spike Shooters and the occasional Diet Sunkist, I gave up all artificially-sweetened stuff months ago. I am no leaner than before I gave them up. (Well, I am leaner; but that also coincided with a diet – something the people in the study likely did not go on.)

If only getting lean were as easy as not drinking diet soda. Again, this entire chicken-little discussion cracks me up.

Of all the shit to blame for being fat… We blame diet soda? Amazing.

Another interesting fact is that the Diet Soda’s still reak havoc on your teeth. The food acid works like a paint thinner according to my dentist.

Here’s a tip. Drink through a straw to save giving your front teeth if you must have a soda.

[quote]De sleeplijn wrote:
Another interesting fact is that the Diet Soda’s still reak havoc on your teeth. The food acid works like a paint thinner according to my dentist.

Here’s a tip. Drink through a straw to save giving your front teeth if you must have a soda.[/quote]

I’m amazed anyone in North America still has teeth… c’mon folks, let’s bring out any other anecdotal reasons why soda is going to kill us. Let’s get it over with!

[quote]vroom wrote:
I’m amazed anyone in North America still has teeth… c’mon folks, let’s bring out any other anecdotal reasons why soda is going to kill us. Let’s get it over with![/quote]

The quality of American teeth is pretty good on the whole but sodas are clearly no good for your teeth. I’d think you would find it hard to dispute they are near on the worst drink for a persons teeth.

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
jsbrook wrote:
I’ve never noticed any difference in controlling weight when consuming diet soda or artifical sweeteners than not.

No shit. If diet soda is so freaking bad, then how does that explain the numerous lean people who drink the stuff?

When fat people drink diet soda, diet soda is blamed for their obesity. When skinny people drink it, people just say, “Oh, that doesn’t count.”

I read a thread once where a person said, “Can I eat sugarless gum while on the diet.” A bunch of people chimed in as if that would be the difference between success and failure.

LOL.

This debate is reminiscent of the “Is fruit bad?” debate that pops up every month.

If eating too much fruit and drinking diet soda were the only “problems” a person had (that is, the person ate lots of fruit and drank Diet Coke by the liter but otherwise ate chicken breasts all day), I’m willing to bet that the person would not be fat. No shit, right? It’s not banana-eating, diet-coke drinking people who are the problem. It’s fat fucks who have a diet soda along with their fries and cheese burgers.[/quote]

Well said.

[quote]vroom wrote:
kroby wrote:
“Hello, McFly!”

LOL.

To hell with science, we’ll all just make assumptions about everything, there’s no need to prove anything.[/quote]

So, you needed proof that smoking cigarettes was bad for you? You need proof that drinking until you pass out was bad for you? You need proof that crack was bad for you?

No. You saw people’s health and thought “Hm, they don’t look so good. They have that cough, sallow skin and deep sunk eyes. Not to mention they look as if they live in the gutter. Those habits of their must be bad.”

I’m not suggesting that soda is in the same category - I am suggesting that empirical evidence is actionable. Quit acting the dumb ass.

[quote]kroby wrote:
I’m not suggesting that soda is in the same category - I am suggesting that empirical evidence is actionable. Quit acting the dumb ass.
[/quote]

When it comes to DIET soda, there isn’t really much by way of empirical evidence.

Now, if we were talking about regular soda, or the effects of chronic caffeine consumption (in cola), or even artificial sweeteners (various types) then I’d be more concerned. However, we are talking about diet soda being considered a causative for metabolic syndrome.

I don’t see nutritional value in soda, that’s for sure, but I’m unconvinced that diet soda itself has a causative relationship with metabolic syndrome. That’s an incredibly bold statement without any real evidence to support it.

If people quit blaming diet soda for all the ills in the world I’ll quit acting the dumbass.

I think it’s called the “cephalic phase” of digestion. But anyway, I just got done speaking with my anatomy professor about this very topic. Apparently, the body prepares for any consumption and begins insulin production based on taste - true of any food.

However, the reason why Diet Soda could be bad is simply because there are no nutrients. For those individuals trying to correct insulin sensitivity, I think Diet Sodas are at least best utilized WITH meals, or artificial sweetener usage limited to use when you’re GETTING nutrients (protein powder - you’re gonna have the insulin response anyway).

I’m not really sold either way. I don’t think if you choose to chew sugar-free gum or drink diet soda occasionally will hurt you, in just the same way the occasional cheat won’t totally limit your progress. Moderation is key.

[quote]Yo Momma wrote:
On your carb up days, drink beer. Preferably on tap.
[/quote]

Those are words to live by right there. For the last few years whenever asks me what I want to drink I say, “I’ll have water, wine or beer.” I prefer the beer though.

[quote]kroby wrote:So, you needed proof that smoking cigarettes was bad for you? You need proof that drinking until you pass out was bad for you? You need proof that crack was bad for you?

No. You saw people’s health and thought “Hm, they don’t look so good. They have that cough, sallow skin and deep sunk eyes. Not to mention they look as if they live in the gutter. Those habits of their must be bad.”[/quote]

The difference is that I’ve never seen anyone suffer negative health effects as a result of consuming diet soda.

I drink Diet Pepsi and other diet soda regularly when dieting and have never had a problem getting leaner while doing so. In fact, I’ve reached my best condition while doing so.

Please tell us which of the mysterious “chemicals” are responsible for the negative effects that you claim to exist.