The Skinny on Diet Soda

April 1, 2009

soda in a glassI had a conversation at work yesterday that opened my eyes to another lifestyle change I’ve made without even realizing it. I hardly ever drink diet soft drinks any more. There was a time when I used to drink 5-7 diet cola drinks a day. I didn’t care if it was Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke, as long as I got my fix.

The realization that I’ve pretty much eliminated diet soft drinks from my meal plan got me wondering, “Am I healthier without diet sodas?” The research I found indicates that yes, I am healthier. Studies point to the fact that diet sodas contribute to several health issues:

    • “There is some evidence that the acid load of soda, regular or diet, has an adverse affect on bone health,” said Dr. David Katz, nutrition expert at the Yale School of Medicine. http://tinyurl.com/cbmz9p
    • “It [caffeine] can make their sleep patterns disturbed. It can make them restless, wired, anxious,” said Dr. Harris Stratyner, an addiction specialist at Mount Sinai Medical Center. http://tinyurl.com/cbmz9p
    • “What didn’t surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity,” Fowler tells WebMD. “What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher.” http://tinyurl.com/e4ejh
    • Researchers have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and metabolic syndrome — the collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes that include abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and elevated blood pressure. http://tinyurl.com/cluhrr

WOW! I knew that diet soda was probably not great for me but I never would have guessed it could be harming me. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying I believe the occasional diet drink is a bad thing but 5-7 a day (or more) was clearly not healthy (http://tinyurl.com/das72a).

These days I drink a lot of bottled water and I get milk from my morning venti non-fat latte from Starbuck’s. I have no way of knowing whether or not cutting out diet sodas has helped with my 30 pound weight loss but I’m convinced that I’m a lot healthier without it.

The skinny on diet soda? It’s skinny in nutrients and calories but fat in health risks.

Posted by Cheryl | Filed Under Lifestyle 

Comments

11 Responses to “The Skinny on Diet Soda”

  1. ~Rachel on April 2nd, 2009 11:27 am

    What a positive blog you have! I look forward to following. I can’t wait to try the sloppy joes!

  2. Cheryl Foiles on April 2nd, 2009 12:51 pm

    Thanks for stopping by Rachel — glad you enjoy my blog.

    You’ll LOVE the Sloppy Joes — we have them with Oriental Cole Slaw (I’ll be posting that recipe soon).

  3. Lydia Dustin on April 2nd, 2009 8:00 pm

    I drank diet soda all through out my childhood. Remember Tab? back when it was supposed to be good for fat people. I am living proof that it doesn’t work as I am a fat ass! On the bright side I now hate soda. I drink a lot of Crystal light mixed with seltzer! Yummy!

  4. Opus #6 on April 2nd, 2009 10:33 pm

    Hi Cheryl! Thank you for following my blog. I am following you back. My family has been anti-soda for years. All kinds. I only buy it when we have a big party and put some in the cooler. That’s it.

  5. Cheryl Foiles on April 3rd, 2009 12:00 am

    Hi Lydia -
    I drink Crystal light as well. It’s still not as healthy as plain water but sometimes I need a little flavor. I love the lemonade and raspberry lemonade.

  6. Cheryl Foiles on April 3rd, 2009 12:01 am

    Hi Opus #6 -

    Thanks for following my blog. I hope you find some useful information here. I’m with you on the soda — only for special occasions.

  7. Kelly's Ideas on April 4th, 2009 5:03 pm

    I am guily of drinking up to 2 liters a day..yes that’s right…I have gained a lot of weight not lost it too. Thank you for this post, I had no idea..but it makes sense! I will cut back and drink more water….

  8. Cheryl Foiles on April 4th, 2009 8:00 pm

    Kelly -

    It floored me when I did the research — I really had no idea either. I hope this one change can help you get to a healthier lifestyle. I hope you will check back in once in awhile and let me know how it’s going.

  9. Not So Anonymous Michelle on April 5th, 2009 2:19 pm

    I’ve cut down on the diet soda since reading this. I’ve heard these kinds of things before about diet soda and how your body craves the calories that it thinks it should be getting when you drink diet soda so many times it makes you eat more. Thanks for visiting my blog and reading about my 50 pound weight loss!
    http://notsoanonymousconfessions.blogspot.com/2009/03/big-5-0.html

  10. How I Lost Thirty Pounds in Thirty Days on April 29th, 2009 1:20 am

    Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!

  11. Cheryl on April 29th, 2009 6:24 pm

    Hi Joan -
    Welcome to the bunch - I’m always honored to have new followers who find value in my messages.

    I look forward to your contributions on the site.
    Cheryl

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  • One small apple has the same number of calories as one Oreo cookie (55). Replace 3 cookies a day with one apple and save 770 calories a week.
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