Diet Soda: is it bad for you?

[dannibear]

from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn't likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals currently used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there's no credible evidence that these ingredients cause cancer. Some types of diet soda are even fortified with vitamins and minerals. But diet soda isn't a health drink or a silver bullet for weight loss. Although switching from regular soda to diet soda may save you calories, some studies suggest that drinking more than one soda a day — regular or diet — increases your risk of obesity and related health problems such as type 2 diabetes.
Healthier choices abound. Start your day with a small glass of 100 percent fruit juice. Drink skim milk with meals. Sip water throughout the day. For variety, try sparkling water or add a squirt of lemon or cranberry juice to your water. Save diet soda for an occasional treat.

 

[Dreamer]

That is a very good post, thank you! A lot of scare tactics are being used, but drinking and eating healthy are always best. I still do enjoy a diet soda...I'd say maybe twice a week. But I don't need to be scared to death about it!

 

[spirit1st]

I dumped a whole case the other day! I looked up on the net, one of the things it had in it! And saw it caused 92 different bad things to our body!
I was very shocked!
I would check what your drinking?

 

[dannibear]

I dumped a whole case the other day! I looked up on the net, one of the things it had in it! And saw it caused 92 different bad things to our body!
I was very shocked!
I would check what your drinking?

Very interesting. I dont drink much soda myself anymore.
I have started drinking more water. Could you possibly
post a link in this thread to the site you got the information from?
It would be a great informative read. thanks

 

[spirit1st]

Of course, I do not know this is perfect truth? But, it enough that I refused to drink it!



aspertame

Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:00 AM PST
How bad are Diet Sodas

Embalming fluid)! It has 92 known side effects including brain lesions. I would avoid it all costs Very bad! Diet soda contains aspartame which is a chemical the body breaksdown into furmaldehyde 92 KNOWN side effects. They're not rumors or heresay. They are very real and very dangerous

Read more: Side Effects Of Diet Soda Conversations

Side Effects Of Diet Soda Conversations

hope this helps?

 

[dannibear]

Of course, I do not know this is perfect truth? But, it enough that I refused to drink it!



aspertame

Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:00 AM PST
How bad are Diet Sodas

Embalming fluid)! It has 92 known side effects including brain lesions. I would avoid it all costs Very bad! Diet soda contains aspartame which is a chemical the body breaksdown into furmaldehyde 92 KNOWN side effects. They're not rumors or heresay. They are very real and very dangerous

Read more: Side Effects Of Diet Soda Conversations

Side Effects Of Diet Soda Conversations

hope this helps?

I clicked on them but all I saw was a handful of users debating it's
risks and not actually an article...

 

[Coconut]

This is an eye-opener....unless one squints his eyes shut and refuses to see...:shade:

Anyone who consumes a litre or more of Diet Coke or some other aspartame- containing beverage per day is probably already near the limit for chronic methanol poisoning (6) and will be suffering muscle pain, headaches, migraines, sleep problems, dizziness and/or seizures, amongst other health problems.

Dying For A Diet Coke?


(I am not endorsing this website, just sharing this particular letter)

 

[Coconut]

If the above letter is not convincing enough, here is a link with more than enough info...

Detailed scientific and general documentation regarding the toxicity of nutrasweet, Equal, diet coke, diet pepsi, and other aspartame containing items. Web page includes real life reports of acute and chronic toxicity due to long-term ingestion.

Aspartame (Nutrasweet) Toxicity Information Center

 

[Coconut]

from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn't likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals currently used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there's no credible evidence that these ingredients cause cancer. Some types of diet soda are even fortified with vitamins and minerals.

And btw...Katherine Zeratsky needs debunked over the head for writing such serious BUNK!

Re "credible evidence" - Some people would argue the ocean is dry while swimming in it!

 

[dannibear]

Awesome, thanks for the links, I shall check them out, Ill quote some bits to put in the thread =]

 

[rizen1]

Any sort of diet, low calorie, low fat, low sugar foods are never 100% good.

Why?

When you reduce or remove one ingredient, to substitute you have to increase another ingredient or add a couple more ingredients to improve taste and quality.

If it's not natural ( FDA allows companies to put natural on their products even if 90% of the other ingredients are artificial or synthetic ) ..so if it is not Organic and it contains ingredients long as your arm, or can not pronounce you should not buy it.

Soda is soda....diet is just an adjective....

I always read labels, thats the key to eating healthy. I was out didn't have breakfast and was forced to buy subway sandwich for lunch. The meal came with chips, I picked up 6 different bags of chips, (doritios, lays and cape cod brand) The Lays original had 3 ingredients, potatoes, salt and cotton seed oil ( questionable choice of oil )... the list of ingredients on the other bags was like an essay.

These manufactures use ingredients for taste because it's a competition. Not because it's good for us, regular soda increases cavities diet sodas help with tooth decay ( Acid ). Empty calories, no nutrition or important supplements.

I agree with most of what the doctor is saying, but if you were to visit her pantry you won't find any type of sodas. You can't say make healthy choices, then cheat yourselves with a treat. A nice cool treat, mango slices, strawberries ( that you froze ) blended with a cup of orange juice. Or drop 2 blocks of ice, 1/2 cup of any juice in a blender and take it to go.

To be healthy we must make 100% health choices daily, especially if we don't do regular colon cleansing. If you can't afford organic, read labels buy local produce, BUY fruits and veggies in season, in bulk and freeze them

 

[dannibear]

1. Aspartame (nutrasweet) breaks down into methanol (wood alcohol).
2. Methanol quickly converts to formadehyde in the body.
3. Formaldehyde causes gradual and eventually severe damage to the neurological system, immune system and causes permanent genetic damage at extremely low doses.
4. Methanol from alcoholic beverages and from fruit and juices does not convert to formaldehyde and cause damage because there are protective chemicals in these traditionally ingested beverages.
5. The most recent independent research in Europe demonstrates that ingestion of small amounts of aspartame leads to the accumulation of significant levels of formaldehyde (bound to protein) in organs (liver, kidneys, brain) and tissues.
6. Excitotoxic amino acids such as the one which is immediately released from aspartame likely increases the damage caused by the formaldehyde.

Interesting bit from the link provided by coconut (thanks coconut!)
I feel this sums up most of the things that happen in the body when
drinking diet soda.

Aspartame caused large brain tumors in life-long animal experiments at a dose that could be considered within the "Acceptable Daily Intake" limit after adjusting for differences in metabolism of aspartame's breakdown products between humans and rodents

Perhaps it does after all? This would be so much easier to research
and make a choice if there werent articles on why is DOESNT cause
cancer, and why it DOES. Both parties give some evidence which makes
getting people to stop drinking diet soda harder.

The following is a selection of other hazards from long-term use of
aspartame. Once these effects are seen clinically, the internal
damage has often been done. Removing aspartame from the diet may
clear up some of the symptoms but the damage from the breakdown
products such as methanol may be permanent.

Seizures and convulsions, arthritic and joint pain, chronic fatigue,
depression, memory loss, vision damage and loss, tingling in the
extremities, slurring of speech, irritability, severe anxiety
attacks, menstrual problems, blood sugar control problems, symptoms
similar to multiple sclerosis, worsening of fibromyalgia, parkinson's
tremors, etc., etc.

Well....nothing really to say to that besides 'that doesnt sound very good'. lol
</pre>

 

[rizs]

hi

Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn't likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals currently used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there's no credible evidence that these ingredients cause cancer. Some types of diet soda are even fortified with vitamins and minerals. But diet soda isn't a health drink or a silver bullet for weight loss. Although switching from regular soda to diet soda may save you calories, some studies suggest that drinking more than one soda a day — regular or diet — increases your risk of obesity and related health problems such as type 2 diabetes.
Healthier choices abound. Start your day with a small glass of 100 percent fruit juice. Drink skim milk with meals. Sip water throughout the day. For variety, try sparkling water or add a squirt of lemon or cranberry juice to your water. Save diet soda for an occasional treat.

 

[Giggles4God]

I know for a FACT...that aspartame gives me headaches/migraines! So, if I want soda I try to find it sweetened with Splenda...but it is better yet when it is sweetened with stevia. Stevia is all natural. The other two are processed sweeteners I believe and those who make the use chemicals. The chemicals are the problem. That's why there's all those different side effects.

And the FDA let aspartame slide...:-S

 

[Templedweller]

TheAspartame is wretched and if onwe drinks too much daily they can start feeling its affects :coocoo:

 

[JHM]

Re cans of diet pop see post on "Please have a beer recall". Re artificial sweeteners, my take is this : GOD designed sugar, (Which is what the brain runs on), man designed "artificial sweeteners"; and "DDT", and "CFCs", and "PCBs" etc. Problem being, GOD knows everything, including what is good for us, MAN only knows what we have so far discovered, and all too frequently there are things which we don't know about any man made compound, which are in some way or another detrimental.

 

[Giggles4God]

Anything that is processed isn't good for your body. White sugar is so processed now that the body can't really use it. I'm not sure, but I think the best form of sugar is evaporated cane juice. You might want to do some research on that though.

 

[coachforChrist]

Dear Danni,

My uncle has been reading this book by a retired veterinarian.

The vet found after 20 years of research, that animals NEVER get sick, unless they don't get ALL their nutrients, in their daily food.

And he said, that is true of us humans as well.

Overall, the modern diet of fast food, does not give us a lot us a truly BALANCED diet.

What is a truly balanced diet you may ask?
A diet that helps our blood to maintain a correct akaline-acid balance.

All sugars whether from glucose, fructose (fruit sugar), sucrose (common table sugar)

We MUST have fresh or fresh frozen foods (FULL OF NATURAL LIFE GIVING NUTRIENTS) from all the food groups,
or slowly little by little, our bodies build up acids, that if not properly balanced

8 glasses of water a day

4 fresh or fresh frozen GREEN leafy vegetables a day,
such as green spinach, green beans, green peas, green avacado

4 fresh fruits a day, such as banana, apple, grapefruit, orange

8 oz lean beef, lean chicken, lean fish, lean pork

Limit yourself to 1 serving whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat cereal like fiber one

Limit yourself to 1 soda or 1 glass of sweetened tea a day, or 1 4 oz serving of potato chips or other junk food (better if you eat none)
as too much sugar in your blood, results in too much acid in your blood, which results in the body overworking the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin to regulate and metabolize the sugar

Eating a balanced healthy diet like the one mentioned above, will keep you your appetite full and you will not be as likely to crave the bad foods if you are full of the good foods

 

[LeanaJo]

All sodas aren't that good for you, if you drink it everyday and all day long. That's not good.

Save the soda when you go out to eat with friends, at picnics, and going on long road trips. In other words, drink soda sparingly/rare occasions.