Is Diet Coke Bad For Weight Loss
When you hear the words Diet Coke, do you immediately think of weight loss? After all, diet sodas are marketed as having no calories. But are they really helpful for losing weight? For many years, people drank regular soda in order to drink and eat more without gaining weight. But with the increasing popularity of diet soft drinks especially Diet Coke people are now afraid that they will gain weight more easily by consuming these types of drinks.
What To Drink Instead
If drinking water to stay hydrated sounds a little boring, mix it up! Try seltzer, which gives you the bubbles without any sweeteners or sugar and now comes in many fun flavors. You can also add a splash of juice to seltzer for a more flavorful drink. DIY-infused waters may also help-just add lemon, cucumber, mint, orange slices-whatever flavor you’re craving and the fruits and herbs will infuse into your water. Unsweetned teas, both hot and iced are a great choice too. And get really festive with fun ice cubes in your drinks.
It Has Been Linked To Type
Think diet soda is safe for diabetics due to the lack of sugar? Think again. The artificial sweeteners in diet soda can actually cause a spike in blood sugar and insulin levels which in turn can lead to diabetic shock for those who have already been diagnosed with diabetes.
Dont have diabetes? Youre not out of danger, either. Diet soda may greatly increase your risk of developing type-2 diabetes. As previously mentioned, diet soda can cause weight gain and a lower metabolism rate. These two elements alone can be the beginning of a recipe for diabetes in the future.
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Do Diet Sodas Really Cause Weight Gain
Although there is a lack of evidence to establish whether or not diet sodas cause weight gain, it is not a good idea to drink artificially sweetened beverages in your weight loss journey.
Despite containing fewer calories than regular soda, some studies have shown that diet soda can increase your cravings for sugar and high-calorie foods. So even though you may have given up high-sugar sodas, you may end up consuming more calories through other foods.
Effects On Weight Loss Are Conflicting
Because diet soda is usually calorie-free, it would be natural to assume it could aid weight loss. However, research suggests the association may not be so straightforward.
Several observational studies have found that using artificial sweeteners and drinking high amounts of diet soda is associated with an increased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome (
19 ).
One study had overweight participants drink 24 ounces of diet soda or water per day for 1 year. At the end of the study, the diet soda group had experienced an average weight loss of 13.7 pounds , compared with 5.5 pounds in the water group .
However, to add to the confusion, theres evidence of bias in the scientific literature. Studies funded by the artificial sweetener industry have been found to have more favorable outcomes than non-industry studies, which may undermine the validity of their results .
Overall, more high quality research is needed to determine the true effects of diet soda on weight loss.
Summary
Observational studies link diet soda with obesity. However, its not clear whether diet soda is a cause of this. Experimental studies show positive effects on weight loss, but these might be influenced by industry funding.
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Aspartame And Leukemia: What Does Science Say
Aspartame has been linked to causing cancer, increasing weight, and many other health issues. However, science doesnt support this to be the case in humans.
In 2006 the US National Cancer Institute conducted a study of nearly half a million people, comparing those who consumed drinks containing aspartame with those who did not and found aspartame did not increase the risk of leukemia, lymphoma, or brain cancer.
The Research Part : The Rat Studies
When Purdue researchers Susan Swithers, PhD, and Terry Davidson, PhD, published their first studies in rats designed to test their theory that artificial sweeteners alter the bodyâs ability to regulate calorie intake, they were not prepared for the press attention their research received.
âFrankly, we were stunned,â Swithers tells WebMD. âIt really was a small study.â
In the first study, two groups of rats were fed sweet, flavored, cola-like liquids. For one group, the liquid was always sweetened with sugar so there was a consistent relationship between the sweet taste and calories. In the second group, the sugar-sweetened liquids were alternated with liquids sweetened with the artificial sweetener saccharin, so that the relationship between the sweet taste and calories was inconsistent.
After 10 days, the rats were given a sweet, high-calorie chocolate pudding. Those exposed to the caloric and non-caloric sweet beverages ate more of the pudding.
In another study, rats were fed high-calorie chocolate pudding or chocolate milk with their regular food. At the end of the month, the chocolate milk group had gained significantly more weight.
The first experiment suggested that by breaking the connection between sweet taste and calories, artificial sweeteners interfere with the bodyâs natural ability to judge calorie content, Swithers says. The second, that the body is less able to recognize energy delivered in liquid form.
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Likely Has Little Direct Effects On Weight Loss
Baking soda is touted to have alkalizing effects on the body, which are commonly believed to promote weight loss or prevent weight gain. However, this theory has been debunked time and time again.
Thats because your body uses tightly regulated processes to control its pH levels, and what you eat or drink has little influence on them .
Another theory suggests that adding baking soda to your bathwater will help you lose weight by replenishing your levels of magnesium and sulfate two nutrients touted to boost your metabolism and eliminate toxins. Yet, this theory is not backed up by science either.
However, baking soda might soothe an upset stomach, as it has the ability to neutralize stomach acid .
This chemical reaction creates carbon dioxide, which is a gas that can cause you to burp. While this may give you a feeling of a lighter stomach, it has no direct influence on your total body fat.
Health Benefits Of Diet Soda
Drinking diet soda does not provide any direct health benefits. However, it may offer some people a way to reduce their consumption of sugary beverages.
People who wean themselves off sweetened sodas by drinking diet sodas can significantly reduce their sugar intake. They can then begin to transition to more healthful drinks, such as sparkling water.
Some analysts, especially those with ties to the soda industry, insist that there is no compelling evidence directly linking soda to poor health. Others insist that diet soda remains a healthful alternative to traditional soda, despite the evidence to the contrary.
The authors of a 2016 analysis noted that 26 studies found no link between soda consumption and worse health outcomes. However, those studies had received funding from companies in the soda industry.
This fact, the authors of the study argue, suggests that the soda industry is manipulating contemporary scientific processes to create controversy and advance their business interests at the expense of the publics health.
To cut down on diet soda, a person needs to understand why they drink soda and then find a viable alternative.
For some people, soda offers a quick caffeine jolt. Switching to coffee or tea may be a good alternative as both of these drinks provide several health benefits. The best choice is unsweetened coffee or tea. Milk can offer some sweetness without the extra sugar.
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Diet Soda Can Throw Your Metabolism Out Of Whack
The weight difference between diet soda drinkers vs. abstainers may be more complex than eating more. The chemicals that are used to sweeten diet soda are not natural substances to the body and arent put to good use. Once inside the body, they can cause inflammation and place pressure on the bodys detoxification system. As a result, they may increase the risk of metabolic disorders such as metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and diabetes, Whittel says.
May Have Minor Indirect Effects On Weight Loss
Baking soda may have an indirect weight-loss-promoting effect, mainly due to the liquid you choose to mix it with.
One popular option is to mix baking soda with apple cider vinegar, a liquid that older research shows may help you feel less hungry. However, recent studies supporting apple cider vinegars weight loss effects are limited (
9 ).
Its important to note that these possible weight-loss-promoting effects have little to do with baking powder and more to do with other liquids. Adding baking soda to the mix appears to offer few additional benefits.
SUMMARY
Theres little to no scientific suggesting that baking soda can help you lose body fat. Mixing baking soda with water, lemon water, or apple cider vinegar may indirectly help you lose weight, but baking soda appears to have little to do with this.
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Does Diet Coke Give You A Belly
First of all, it seems a bit silly to ask a question like Does Diet Coke give you a belly?. The question implies that drinking diet coke will cause a person to have a beer belly. The answer to this question is a definitive no. Unless a person consumes a lot of diet coke, there is no reason to expect that they will have an over-sized belly. Diet drinks are generally bad for you, but I wouldnt say they alone will give you a stomach. They are just one of the many things that contribute to obesity..
Do Diet Drinks Hinder Weight Loss And Contribute To Belly Fat
Diet drink consumption may lead to weight gain and other negative health outcomes.
Q: Do diet drinks hinder the weight loss process and add to belly fat? If so, why? Can drinking one Diet Coke a day be bad for you if youre trying to lose weight because of its artificial sweeteners?
Diet drinks are advertised as a healthier alternative to their sugar- and calorie-laden counterparts, and they may be especially appealing to people wanting to lose weight.
However, years of research suggest that diet drinks arent the waistline-friendly choice that theyre made out to be. Diet drinks not only offer no nutritional value but also low or no-calorie artificially sweetened beverages like diet soda may harm your health in various ways.
For example, diet drink intake has been associated with an increased risk of developing chronic diseases, including metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms that raises your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Specifically, diet beverage intake has been significantly linked to belly fat and high blood sugar, both of which are symptoms of metabolic syndrome .
One study in 749 adults found that the waist circumference gain of people who consumed diet soda daily was nearly four times greater than non-consumers over a 10-year period. Whats more, artificially sweetened beverage consumption has been significantly associated with overweight and obesity .
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Is Diet Coke Better Than Regular Coke
Can diet coke be useful for weight loss, or do the health risks out-way the benefits?
Diet drinks that are loaded with low-calorie sweeteners are thought to be just as bad as their sugary alternatives i.e. full-fat coke. as its pure sugar, not fat.
But the question is, is there any evidence to support this, and what exactly does the research say about the effects diet coke and LCS have on health and weight management?
Because its low in calories, can diet coke be used to support weight loss? So, is diet coke better than regular coke?
Does Drinking Diet Soda Have And Side Effects
Even though diet soda doesn’t have sugar or calories, it does still contain phosphorus, which if consumed in excess, may lead to deterioration of bone density with age and heighten risk of osteoporosis. Of course this doesnt mean much if you have one or two, but if diet soda is your jam and youre drinking them like water, they surely add up.
Just one 12 oz. can of Diet Coke contains 27 mg of phosphorus, so chugging a few cans a day is not recommended, she says. Plus, drinking Diet Coke can cause bloating since gas is added to this beverage to create bubbles and carbonation, she adds.
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Due to its carbonation and artificial sweetener content, drinking diet soda can cause gas, bloating, upset stomach, and water retention. These factors can reduce the number of healthy bacteria in the gut and alter the microbiome, she says.
Whats more, there are no nutrients, so youre not doing your body any favors that might aid in weight loss efforts Although holds virtually no calories and the research on its health effects are conflicting, this popular drink holds no nutritional value to your overall diet, she says.
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Can Diet Soda Lead To Weight Gain
While scientific evidence has not yet confirmed a direct link between diet soda or artificial sweeteners and weight gain, there may be some indirect associations.
Consumption of these non-nutritive sweeteners and others, such as acesulfame K and saccharin, have been linked to heightened sugar cravings, weight gain, higher BMI’s, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease, and increased risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes, Schapiro says. Yet, it is unclear whether diet soda is the sole cause of these negative effects, she adds.
These hyper-palatable sweeteners can disrupt and over-stimulate your sugar receptors, says Schapiro, and, as a result, diet soda drinkers may experience heightened sugar cravings and choose less nutritious foods.
Diet Soda Isnt Nutritious
Diet soda is essentially a mixture of carbonated water, artificial or natural sweetener, colors, flavors, and other food additives.
It usually has very few to no calories and no significant nutrition. For example, one 12-ounce can of Diet Coke contains no calories, sugar, fat, or protein and 40 mg of sodium .
However, not all sodas that use artificial sweeteners are low in calories or sugar-free. Some use sugar and sweetener together. For example, one can of Coca-Cola Life, which contains the natural sweetener stevia, contains 90 calories and 24 grams of sugar .
While recipes differ from brand to brand, some common ingredients in diet soda include:
Summary
Diet soda is a mixture of carbonated water, artificial or natural sweeteners, colors, flavors, and extra components like vitamins or caffeine. Most varieties contain zero or very few calories and no significant nutrition.
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The Research Part : The Observational Studies
Another study often cited in the news stories and blog postings followed people in San Antonio, Texas and showed that those who drank more diet sodas gained more weight over time.
Researchers analyzed data from the San Antonio Heart Study, which followed more than 5,000 adults for between seven and eight years.
Although people who drank both sugar-sweetened and diet sodas gained weight, diet soda drinkers were more likely to become obese. And the more diet sodas the participants drank the greater their weight gain.
The Framingham analysis included 9,000 middle-aged men and women followed for four years. Researchers found that compared to people who didnât drink sodas at all, those who drank both sugar-sweetened and diet soda were more likely to develop metabolic syndrome — a cluster of symptoms often linked to obesity that increase risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Because both of these studies were observational, it is impossible to say if the diet sodas played a direct role in the weight gain.
It may be that people switch to diet soda when they begin gaining weight without addressing other aspects of their diet that are causing the weight gain.
Is Diet Coke Healthy 8 Major Reasons Why Diet Coke Is A Silent Killer
Most of us crave Coke as a beverage. However, many studies depict that it is not a healthy option for most of us. Diet cokes are a preferable option over regular coke. It is especially recommendable to people who wish to lower their sugar and calorie consumption.
So that gives rise to the question, Is diet coke healthy?
Recent studies depict that diet coke is not such a healthy beverage as much as we think of it. Diet coke may be responsible for heart diseases, kidney problems, and liver issues.
In the article below, we have collected all the information related to the bad effects of diet coke. So lets get started.
Table of Content
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Does Drinking Diet Soda Make You Fat
It would be super evil if it did, what with the whole diet thing and all.
Diet sodas utilize high-intensity sweeteners which is a fancy term for very-low-calorie sugar substitutes:
- Acesulfame Potassium
The FDA has approved these eight high-intensity sweeteners for human consumption. Youll find them in all sorts of food products, not just diet drinks.
Because high-intensity sweeteners are many times sweeter than table sugar, you can make a drink taste sweet without including any sugar at all.
Most important, without the sugar, youre skipping out on all the calories that come with it.
Weight loss depends on consuming fewer calories than you burn, so drinking Diet Coke compared to regular Coke can help tip the equation in favor of weight loss.
- 12 oz Diet Coke total calorie count: 0
- 12 oz Coca-Cola total calorie count: 150
If youre trying to lose weight, but love fizzy carbonated and caffeinated beverages, the soda with fewer calories seems like a no-brainer.
Steve, hold the phone here! Are you saying Diet Coke is okay to drink? I thought the sweeteners and chemicals in it were sketchy!?!
