Funny true story about diet colas

C

catwoman88

Cathlete
My brother-in-law stopped drinking diet sodas and lost 20 pounds. He didn't change anything else...just stopped drinkig diet sodas and diet teas.

Now, tell me again how diet foods are supposed to be better for you.

They say that artificial sweeteners contribute to weight gain and screw with the body's insulin response (it's even been said that artificial sweeteners are just as bad for diabetics as sugar). Given my BIL's case, I'd say they're on to something.
 
I believe it.

My best friend will NOT eat or drink anything that is diet or fat free. SHe has a hormonal imbalance that has resulted in some clinical depression episodes in the past, and drinking anything diet causes her pretty bad side effects.

Personally, I don't eat (nor do I serve to my kids) anything that is fat free by a mechanical process (does that make sense?). Cream cheese, I'll buy the regular. Ice cream, I'll buy frozen yogurt but rarely the fat free version of either. With all my personal experiences with loved ones and cancers, I am of the belief that all the chemicals they use to process fat free and low fat varieties of food is a huge part to blame. (now, off my soap box, sorry).

Gayle
 
I'm a type one diabetic so there is no way artificial sweeteners are "as bad as sugar" for me since they do not raise the level of glucose in my bloodstream and sugar does.

That said, I have been happily artificial sweetener-free for 2.5 years now and feel better about myself off them because I'm not concerned with what kind of chemicals I'm gulping down.

No change in weight, though. ;)
 
Oooh, I love me some diet coke. And Edy's Light Ice Cream. I'll always buy the reduced fat versions of things--cream cheese, crackers, coffee creamer. I can't help it. It's ingrained in me since highschool.

That is an interesting tidbit about your BIL, though. Very cool. And good for him!

Allison

http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90
 
I used to drink more than 6 cans of diet coke a day! Sigh; it was the nectar of the gods, I swear.

And btw, what's up with not saving any money if I go to starbucks for a soy latte one day and it costs the same as a 6-pack used to cost?!
 
My vice is the Tropicana Sugar free Orangeade...:9 Artificial sweetners do not bother me at all...and I buy reduced fat stuff too...I do not like diet soda though, or any soda really...I take one sip and I am done...to fizzy.
 
I'm with Gayle on this one. I avoid all artificial sweeteners for me and am on the lookout for them in most products for my kids.

The artificial sugars also strengthen your appetite for more sweet things, so that you can't seem to get enough!

The main one that I avoid is the high fructose corn syrup (as so many others do also). I buy regular sugar over the artificial any day!

I also have a friend who lost 10 pounds in one month from giving up Diet Coke. She was also exercising a little bit more, but the main thing that she changed was the Diet Coke.

Interesting topic!
Jenn
 
I've heard that diet sodas actually cause weight gain because of the way the body deals with them.

It's good to hear an actual 'case history' of someone who found that out directly.

And to think of all the overweight people I see in the grocery store with diet soda in their carts (seemingly to counterbalance the other high-calorie, high-fat foods that are also there).
 
>I don't eat (nor do I serve to my kids) anything
>that is fat free by a mechanical process (does that make
>sense?).

Or chemical, I assume (basically, that is not 'naturally' fat-free? I agree).
 
I drink one or two diet sodas a day and have never gained an ounce from them. It's all about moderation. I also love crystal light. I know, I'm one of those obnoxious people that would rather save on calories and consume chemicals than drink the "real" sugar. Bad, I know.

Allison

http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90
 
I wish this happened to me! I gave up diet sodas and artificial sweeteners and nothing happened to my weight! In fact, I've found that I am craving sugar to make up for the sweetness I am missing out on by giving up the diet products. x(

Erica
 
I've been anti-artificial sweetener for years. I did some research into how it got approved by the FDA and was not happy with what I found. Too much to go into here, though. But my reserach made it clear that aspartame, in particular, should NEVER have been approved for human consumption. It was a classic example of big money stroking the politicians, and the politicians stroking back. And I'm not convinced Splenda is any better - just not enough clinical studies and evidence to support that it's any safer than aspartame.

And someone said that artificial sweeteners actually stimulate the body's desire for sweets. I've heard that, as well, and biologically speaking, it makes sense. I mean, you're eating something "sweet", and your body expects the nutritional content that goes with "sweet", and when it doesn't get it, it activates the body's craving for sweets. I'm not sure that made any sense, but I know what I'm trying to say. It's a physiologic response from the body to crave what it thought it was getting, but didn't. Oh, heck, can someone explain this better than I can? :7
 
Kathryn-yes, that's what I mean. Thanks for making it clear!

Before I got on top of this, I had once bought a canister of fat free pringles. My younger DS (4 at that time) asked for 1, so I gave him 1. Just ONE! ANd he had the runs for 2 hours straight.

Yeah, TMI, sorry!

It's all a matter of personal opinion.

Gayle
 
> I had once bought a canister of
>fat free pringles. My younger DS (4 at that time) asked for
>1, so I gave him 1. Just ONE! ANd he had the runs for 2 hours
>straight.

Yuk!
That Olestra stuff (which is what is in Diet Pringles and in what used to be called "WOW!" potato chips--I think they renamed them to plain old 'fat-free X' brand) used to carry a warning on the package saying "may cause anal leakage." Appetizing, huh?

It stil can cause that, but there's no longer a warning label on the foods. What's with that, anyway?
 
I'm beginning to see the light!
I just picked up a book in the airport, "Skinny Bitch". OMG, Hilarious read! Anyway, they call soda liquid satan}( The authors of this book go into great detail about artificial sweeteners. It's scary info to say the leasT

I'm not a soda drinker, but I use splenda in my morning coffee. I need to ditch the coffee too. It's not good for you either!
 
I just got back from the grocery store, and out of curiosity, checked out the snack aisle, where I was thinking of picking up a small canister of 'reduced fat' Pringles. Seems like they don't make them any more, only the 'fat-free' kind.
 
I shall never give up my coffee--ever. Besides, studies have shown it helps you burn fat. Its crazy, all these contradictions out there....it gets frustrating, but I have started to ignore them all actually!
 
>I shall never give up my coffee--ever. Besides, studies have
>shown it helps you burn fat. Its crazy, all these
>contradictions out there....it gets frustrating, but I have
>started to ignore them all actually!


I know what you mean. Here is a really great article that addresses the controversy.

http://www.womentowomen.com/fatigueandstress/effectsofcaffeine.aspx

It pretty much boils down to the individual and how they tolerate the caffeine. If you need a cup of coffee to get going in the morning. That's not all that good for you.
 
I know when the subject of diet sodas come up on Oprah, when Dr. Oz is on, he rattles off a laundry list of reasons they're bad. I stopped using Sweet-n-Low altogether, and it was hard BUT I kept drinking Diet Pepsi. I'm gradually weaning myself off that, now. I've been drinking a lot of iced tea with NO SWEETENER... It's an acquired taste. Dr. Oz says we should all try to break away from sweets altogther but, every time I try, those giant Symphony bars go on sale at Kroger...
 
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