Is Diet Pop REALLY that bad for you????

[RapidBreath]

Switched from reg. coke to green juice and my health has done a total turn around. Now I crave juice and the thought of coke makes me gag.

I love green juice, what is your recipe?

 

[PhyllisG]

These large food conglomerates manipulate their ingredients to addict you to their products just like the tobacco companies did with cigarettes. They want you to eat and drink more of the crap they are selling. Then when you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholestoral, are obese they can sell you all the expensive drugs that you now need to cure you of the very diseases they helped to cause.

 

[lrusso]

I love green juice, what is your recipe?

I juice what ever is available, no particular recipe. I use kale, spinach, parsley, mixed greens, aspargus, lots of carrots to make it sweet, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, sometimes beets. Very healthy and thanks to the carrots yummy as well.

 

[cokonkel]

I ran across this article that reminded me of this thread, despite that it's about the dangers and health risks of eating processed meats. BBC News - Processed meat 'early death' link This part made me laugh out loud because, like some others mentioned, it's all about the big picture and finding the balance in life.

All things being equal, the evidence on the dangers of processed meat is mounting, but it is important not to lose sight of the big picture. Saying I'm giving up bacon, while smoking 40-a-day probably wont end well.

LOL


We need to make sure that the majority of our lifestyle choices are healthy ones...if we can be perfectly perfect with everything that is great! It's tough to be perfect all the time, though. I still hate soda as much as I hate cigarettes (they don't call me the cigarette and pop Nazi in my family for nuthin' ), but we also have to figure out what we can live with and be happy. Health and wellness, for me at least, has been a journey that I'm still working on.

 

[CDPotier]

I prefer to drink Propel or Powerade

However, if there is nothing else, I will drink diet soda.

 

[cokonkel]

Hmmm...I used to drink ~ 3, 20 oz bottles of soda a day. I decided to go cold turkey over 10 years ago and really don't miss it anymore. It WAS tough at first, but my personality works best with cold turkey.

I understand that we are all different and we have to find what works for us and what we WANT to live with. For some that may mean drinking their diet soda, but since you asked ...I did a quick google search and found 2 entries that I thought I'd post here

1) 6 Reasons to NEVER Drink Another Diet Soda

When Dr. Vincent Pedre, MD, one of New York City’s most sought after internists, meets a new patient, he always asks her: “How much soda do you drink? How much diet soda do you drink?”

“I don’t wait for her to volunteer the information,” says Pedre. “Soda consumption is an important part of the overall health history.” The fact is, millions of us drink diet soda because we’re (a) trying to lose weight; (b) like it more than water; and (c) compared to soda, it’s the lesser of two evils . . .right? Wrong, says Dr. Pedre, who insists that diet soda is just as bad if not worse for your body…and for your waistline. Here, he offers six reasons to stop drinking it right now.

1. It actually makes you fatter.
Scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio followed 474 people for 10 years and found that the more diet soda the subjects drank, the fatter they got. Diet soft drink users experienced 70 percent greater increases in waist circumference compared with non-users. Those who drank two or more diet sodas a day saw their waists grow 500% bigger than non-users, even when controlling for things like age and exercise. Wait . . . what? How could America’s favorite diet drink be making us fat? “We still don’t know for sure, why,” says Dr. Pedre. “One theory is that when you eat something sweet, it triggers insulin and the cascade of hormones that make you feel full. Diet soda triggers the sweet receptors on your tongue, but not the insulin, so you never feel full. It actually causes you to crave–and probably eat–more high-carb, processed foods.”

2. It increases risk of stroke, heart attack and cardiovascular disease.
A recent study of 2,564 adults over 40 living in Manhattan (published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine) concluded that daily consumption of diet soda was independently associated with an increased risk for stroke, heart attack and death. Shockingly, consumption of regular soda was not associated with an increased risk. “Again, this doesn’t tell us why,” says Dr. Pedre, “but we know that people who drink diet soda seem to gain weight and have a greater chance of developing metabolic syndrome,” an increasingly common syndrome associated with abdominal weight gain, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, insulin resistance, an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes.

3. It gives you a super-powered sweet tooth.
“The level of sweetness in these diet drinks–the strength with which they stimulate your sweet receptors–is so strong, that you can lose the ability to taste the natural sweetness in foods like fruits and vegetables,” says Dr. Pedre. “You end up wanting to eat things that are going to stimulate those receptors, such as processed foods and other sweets. When you put someone on a detox, and take these things out of their diet for a while, their taste receptors come back. Suddenly they’re able to eat a blueberry, which maybe tasted bland before, and appreciate how delicious it is.”

4. It leaches calcium from your bones.
Diets high in phosphoric acid are associated with lower bone density, hip fractures and osteoporosis. Guess what contains phosphorous? That’s right, cola. Phosphoric acid gives your diet Coke that tangy, acidic taste that’s so fun to drink, plus it prevents mold and bacteria from forming in the can. Yum? “The addition of caffeine also causes reduced calcium absorption,” points out Dr. Pedre. “If you’re drinking a diet cola or two a day, you’re really setting yourself up for osteoporosis in the long run.”

5. Some experts insist that artificial sweetener is a neurotoxin.
The debate has long raged as to whether artificial sweeteners cause cancer. “It’s fine!” says your friend as she swirls five Equals into her coffee. “That answer is still up in the air,” admits Dr. Pedre, “But, aspartame is a neurotoxin, which means it causes irritation and over-stimulation of the nerves.” This is also a highly controversial statement. The FDA has assured consumers that aspartame is safe, however the debate has raged on, and in recent years many European brands have been slowly removing aspartame from their products. In addition, a minority of very vocal doctors, including Dr. Joseph Mercola, a Huffington Post blogger, and Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board certified neurosurgeon, have led crusades against the additive, insisting that it causes longterm nerve and neurological damage, with common symptoms being headaches and migraines. According to a widely quoted article by Dr. Mercola, “100 percent of the industry funded studies supported aspartame’s safety, while 92 percent of the independently funded studies identified at least one potential health concern.”

6. The caramel color is a carcinogen.
Coca Cola and Pepsi both use a chemical called 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) to give their drinks that signature brown, caramel color. Looks yummy, but 4MI is a known carcinogen that, in high doses, has been linked to cancer in mice and rats. As part of California’s new Proposition 65, a company must inform consumers if its products contain any substance “known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.” Reluctant to put a “toxic” warning on millions of cans, Coca Cola released a statement this week saying: “We have asked our caramel manufacturers to modify their production process to reduce the amount of 4-MI in the caramel.” Is the additive gone? No. Is this language sort of hazy? Yes. “The FDA has let this slide because they say the quantity of 4MI in the sodas isn’t enough to be harmful,” explains Dr. Pedre, “But these toxins are stored in fat, so if you’re overweight or carry weight in your mid-section, I can tell you that you’re likely not flushing this toxin out of your body. Each time you drink a soda, more toxins are going in than are coming out. That cumulative effect is very hard to account for.”

Ready to crack open an ice cold cola? Yeah . . . we aren’t either. So what should we drink? “Water,” says Dr. Pedre. “I can also get on board with sparkling water and a touch of organic berry juice or lemon. Bottom line: If you drink water, herbal tea and eat lots of plants, you just don’t have to worry about this stuff.” How . . . refreshing.

and 2) this list of 30 reasons why not to drink soda/diet soda (this particular list doesn't distinguish between the two)

1. People who drink one or more sodas per day have a 50- 60% higher risk of metabolic syndrome.
2. People who drank one or more sodas per day have a 61% higher risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.
3. Drinking soda is linked with increased incidents of diabetes and elevated triglycerides.
4. People who drink one or more sodas per day have twice the risk of developing heart disease.
5. Drinking one or more sodas per day is linked with a 31% higher cluster of obesity indices, such as 32% higher risk of low levels of “good” cholesterol, 30% higher increase in excessive waistline fat, poor eating habits, and 25% higher risk for high blood pressure.
6. The additive in sugar substitutes increases a person’s desire for sugar and sweets.
7. Soda drinkers tend to have poor eating habits, including they eat more daily calories, consume more saturated fat, eat more trans fats, eat less fiber, exercise less, and are more sedentary in lifestyle.
8. The caramel color in soda is carcinogenic and promotes resistance to insulin which is needed for processing calories.
9. The caramel color in soda also causes inflammation.
10. The aspartame in diet sodas, such as NutraSweet or Equal, is associated with a significant increased risk of stroke.
11. Aspartame is a major excitotoxin, or a neurotoxin, found to increase carbohydrate cravings that promote weight gain instead of the anticipated weight loss.
12. Sodas are high in sodium content which has been linked with higher risks of a variety of cardiovascular problems.
13. The high rate of sodium in soda disrupts the mineral balance by draining potassium and magnesium from the body which contributes to increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
14. Sodas contain penicillin which contributes to penicillin resistance.
15. The penicillin in sodas causes allergenic reactions within 10% of the population including the symptoms of hives, angioedema, or anaphylaxis.
16. People who drink one or more sodas per day have a significantly higher rate of osteoporosis due to sodium intake, mineral deficiencies, and high acid ash in their diet.
17. The high rate of phosphate contained in sodas causes calcium to drain out of the bones leading to orthopedic problems and higher incidents of bone fractures.
18. Soda consumption by children poses a significant risk factor for impaired calcification of growing bones.
19. Children who drink sodas have lower rate of minerals in their bone which leads to a much higher risk of bone fractures and higher cases of rickets.
20. One can of soda contains between 45- 100 milligrams of caffeine which roughly equals the levels found in most coffee, and this can contribute to hyperactivity in adults and children.
21. Adolescents who drink soda display three to four times higher risk of bone fractures as their non-soda drinking peers.
22. Sugar and the high acid content in sodas quickly and easily dissolve tooth enamel which can’t be replaced.
23. The high acid content, caramel color, and other additives in sodas contribute to a much higher risk of stomach and gastric ailments, including acid reflux, ulcers, and esophageal cancer.
24. One soda a day gives children a 60% greater risk of childhood obesity.
25. Sodas produce high levels of sodium in the bloodstream that in turn produces acute hypernatremia, or irregular and unbalanced electrical brain impulses.
26. One liter of aspartame can produce approximately 56 milligrams of methanol, which is 32 times higher than the accepted EPA limit for humans.
27. Artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin, have been shown to greatly increase the incidents cancers of the bladder, female reproductive organs, and brain tumors.
28. PET bottling and packaging used in soda bottles releases small amounts of dimethyl terephathalate into the soda, and thus into the body which causes cancer.
29. Aspartame contains methyl or wood alcohol which can negatively affect fetal brain development.
30. Sodas interact adversely with antacids which can cause constipation, nausea, vomiting, headaches, and kidney damage.

I wanted to thank you again macbeanur for posting this information! I copied and pasted it to a word document and gave it to my BIL who is a diabetic and drinks Diet Mt. Dew every day. He's like "but I just drink one can a day!". I told him it was likely why he has such a super powered sweet tooth, which it makes it difficult for him to control the diet portion of his diabetes. The man has a crazy sweet tooth! Thanks again!

 

[lcsavik]

Had really never the desire to drink any kind of pop. When I did it hurt my teeth!

Macbeanur, Thank you so much for the info you brought to this forum.

Remember the fight between the cigarette company's and the scientists?

This is what we have to endure and it seems to be taking a lot longer to convince people that it is harmful.

Which makes me think of all the other crap we put into our bodies even though we suspect it isn't good for us. Seems to me companies put additives into our food supply to make us addictive to it. They get rich off us abundantly. They don't care.

I won't even talk about all the other things that we (as human beings) have to endure because there is so much deceit in our food, products, meds... and wouldn't have the room to put it on this post. Makes me worry about humanity and our future. I believe not a very pleasant one if we continue in this way. So sad. Who will save us?

I think we can save ourselves by not buying these products and educating ourselves. We are responsible for our own health. I'd say if there are any questions about a products safety or if there is doubt, not to have any thing to do with it. The companies will change if we do.

Janie

I know they put additives to get us addicted. I was briefly friends with a vegan who owned a food company that produced mock dairy products. He was bragging how successful his company is. I was proud of him and even considered his job offer. I tried his products and loved them. They were so good! The labeled had nothing but good stuff. I was telling him how I couldn't wait to try his other products. He told me people go crazy for it because they load it with B vitamins and some other stuff to keep them craving more.
Now I know vitamin B is good for you but the way he said it really turned me off. It seemed unethical to me to deliberately add things to it to addict people. My alarms went off in my head "Danger Will Robinson Danger!"

 

[emigliori]

Short answer is yes, they are bad for you. Besides being full of chemicals there is now research that suggests that artificial sweeteners can actually impede weight loss/control because the pancreas will secrete insulin to deal with the expected sugar, even if it "fake." Any increase in insulin inhibits fat loss and promotes hunger.

Elizabeth

 

[workout]

I love Diet Coke and have one drink with lunch - I believe everything in moderation is OK. If it makes you feel bad then don't do it. I actually lost weight (15 pounds) still drinking Diet Coke in my diet. Of course, you need to drink your water, first and foremost. There are so many things we eat that have chemicals already in them and, at least for me, one Diet Coke 4 or 5 times per week should not be detrimental.

So I am not planning on giving it up. There are vices that are extremely detrimental to your health - alcohol, cigarettes, consuming too much sugar, etc.

 

[gettingfitmom]

I am sitting here reading these replys drinking my 5th 8oz. glass of water (it's 11am)...I find the older I get ( Iam 51) my sweet tooth is diminishing. I can't eat cake with icing...(ok but it's a tiny piece) and I find soda I can do a few sips but it makes me feel so bloated. I use to have it in the house all the time but as my kids got older, they didn't drink as much and I stopped buying it altogether. I can't even finish one of those small cans of soda. My drink of choice is unsweetened, decaf ice tea.

 

[cokonkel]

Old thread alert!

I thought of this thread when I saw this study about diet soda and it's link to cardiovascular problems in post menopausal women.
Link: UI study finds diet drinks associated with heart trouble for older women | Iowa Now - The University of Iowa

 

[desertambrosia]

My younger sister was having heart issues; the cardiologist freaked out when he heard that she was drinking about 32 oz. of diet coke a day. He told her that he was seeing quite a few teenagers with heart issues, almost all of them were drinking those huge energy drinks. He told her they were nothing but massive amounts of caffeine and sugar.