5 ms·

Given you drink diet sodas, you must care about your health, but drinking diet sodas is more unhealthy than coffee. For one, you're clearly concerned about sug

Given you drink diet sodas, you must care about your health, but drinking diet sodas is more unhealthy than coffee. For one, you're clearly concerned about sugar intake (and you should be), but you see one problem with our sugar intake is that it makes our taste buds tolerant to sugar, so in time it dulls our senses for fruits or milk or other healthy foods with naturally occurring sugar. And the problem is that artificial sweeteners can make this problem even worse. This is like nicotine addicts switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. It might be slightly healthier, but doesn't do anything for your addiction. If you're a diabetic, there have been studies suggesting that some artificial sweeteners can raise your blood sugar and can trigger an insulin response. If you're concerned about your weight I saw a study suggesting that artificial sweeteners can lead to weight gain. Of course, you know how nutrition studies are - most of them are flawed or questionable, but clearly it's a warning sign. And sugar is not the only bad ingredient in sodas. Another problem is citric acid, linked to tooth decay. Phosphoric acid has been linked to osteoporosis and also tooth decay. Coca Cola has been using Aspartame in their diet products, which has been found to cause cancer. The list goes on. I'm in the same boat as you, I simply want something to drink. Personally I drink plain water (which tastes really good after you cut your sugar intake), coffee with milk in the morning and tea during the day, all without sugar. And I eat fruits for my sugar intake. Grapes taste great this time of year. Or when I have a craving for Coca Cola, which happens from time to time, I simply drink the one with sugar in it, because it tastes better. If my health is going to suffer, at least it has to be worth it.

cmdrfred 10y ago
(citation needed)
chrxss 10y ago
Actually, this is scientifically wrong. The myth that artifical sweeteners are a bad as sugar has been disproved some time ago. For the harm, e-smoking may pose, one cannot really tell. However, the sole intake of nicotine is not as harmful as smoking tobacco. This difference is mostly due to the presence of MAOI in tobacco. Citric acid actually is worse than phosphoric acid, but how many sirups are made with citric acid? Also, if you limit your intake, you should be fine. Alas most juices comprise in part of citric acid.
- mrob 10y ago
  MAOIs in tobacco are thought to contribute to addiction, not harm. The carcinogenic parts are the smoke, and the tobacco-specific nitrosamines formed during the curing process.
- pbhjpbhj 10y ago
  >myth that artifical sweeteners are a bad as sugar // Could you link to a review paper for all the studies showing this myth, I must have missed ("myth-ed it!") and was still under the impression artificial sweeteners did damage to the body's control mechanisms for sugar intake.
raving-richard 10y ago
Ecigarettes are actually better for you than real ones, and not only that, they basically make it easier to quit using nicotine altogether (according to reports I've seen).
- abritinthebay 10y ago
  They are better in terms of addiction- but in terms of cancer risk it's a wash. Due to how poorly regulated the liquids are it has the potential to be worse as well.
  - Nursie 10y ago
    Sorry what does "it's a wash" mean here? We have on the one hand a known bad thing, cigarettes contain all sorts of nasties, tars, combustion products etc etc On the other we have propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, nicotine and food flavours that get vapourised (not burned). These have no proven links to cancer, PG and VG are already used in food and in medicines, some for inhalation. Also stage-smoke. There's no reason to think they are anywhere near as hazardous as smoking, though we haven't got good long-term data yet. Regulation of ingredients would be good, but smoking cigarettes and vaping is very far apart in expected health outcomes.
  - mcguire 10y ago
    What specific cancer risks are you referring to? The only serious reports I've run across are https://www.sciencenews.org/article/vaping%E2%80%99s-toxic-vapors-come-mainly-e-liquid-solvents https://www.sciencenews.org/article/vaping%E2%80%99s-toxic-v... http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1413069 http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1413069 which reports increased levels of aldehydes (formaldehyde, for example) from the breakdown of the propylene glycol and glycerin.
nxc18 10y ago
I disagree with the aspartame causes cancer nonsense - there is really no evidence for it and it poisons the whole comment. However, it is spot on that drinking diet soda (or any soda) redefines the concept of sweet. Once I stopped, I was amazed that things like carrots, grapes, and even every day bread (sugar added, at least in the U.S.) are very sweet. Suddenly fruits and vegetables are like candy and actual candy is overwhelming.
sjwright 10y ago
My advice is to learn to enjoy plain soda water – it's my absolute favourite beverage for fine dining as it's fundamentally refreshing and cleanses the palate. It means you enjoy the food more without getting weighed down by liquid sugar or alcohol. If it's not to your taste, one way to make unsweetened soda water substantially more palatable is to add lemon juice. A particularly convenient way to do this is to use bottled lemon juice. When I'm in a fancy mood I'll also add mint, ice and a few good shakes of bitters. In Australia, Schweppes sells bottles of sparkling water (soda water) infused with various flavours, including my personal favourite, raspberry[1]. While it's essentially sugar free it still has a very very slight echo of sweetness. [1] Despite being available for many months they don't list the product on their website. Here's an image: http://shop.coles.com.au/wcsstore/Coles-CAS/images/2/0/4/2047606.jpg http://shop.coles.com.au/wcsstore/Coles-CAS/images/2/0/4/204...
- JoeAltmaier 10y ago
  I ask for a sort of "Arnold Palmer" with half lemonade and half soda water (instead of tea). Similar to what you describe and always available.
- grimmdude 10y ago
  I totally agree. I've been heavily drinking La Croix sparkling water when I crave a soda and I've never been more hydrated!
- agentgt 10y ago
  I agree. While in Paris and Nice France I noticed many diners would order sparkling water. In the US I'm one of the few that will order it at a meal when I go out. I drink an enormous amount of plain soda water (aka sparkling water aka seltzer aka club soda). Like 64oz to 96oz a day. My intake has gone up even more now that I fast most of the day, have a soda stream, and vacuumed seal stainless steel tumbler (yeti, rtic, etc). I highly recommend one of those cups. I swear but don't have proof that soda water curbs appetite more than flat water. My only annoyance is that soda stream while I suppose helpful to the environment is actually not that cost effective.
  - 10y ago
voxic11 10y ago
I drink diet soda because it's much more pleasant to drink and I don't get the sugar rush/crash. Don't assume people do it for health reasons.
- kendallpark 10y ago
  It is also better for you teeth.
1123581321 10y ago
Artificial sweeteners don't raise sugar or trigger an insulin response. I thought this until I used a Dexcom and tested it for myself (I'm type 1 diabetic so any changes would be immediately noticed.)

cmdrfred 10y ago

(citation needed)

chrxss 10y ago

Actually, this is scientifically wrong. The myth that artifical sweeteners are a bad as sugar has been disproved some time ago. For the harm, e-smoking may pose, one cannot really tell. However, the sole intake of nicotine is not as harmful as smoking tobacco. This difference is mostly due to the presence of MAOI in tobacco. Citric acid actually is worse than phosphoric acid, but how many sirups are made with citric acid? Also, if you limit your intake, you should be fine. Alas most juices comprise in part of citric acid.

mrob 10y ago
MAOIs in tobacco are thought to contribute to addiction, not harm. The carcinogenic parts are the smoke, and the tobacco-specific nitrosamines formed during the curing process.
pbhjpbhj 10y ago
>myth that artifical sweeteners are a bad as sugar // Could you link to a review paper for all the studies showing this myth, I must have missed ("myth-ed it!") and was still under the impression artificial sweeteners did damage to the body's control mechanisms for sugar intake.

raving-richard 10y ago

Ecigarettes are actually better for you than real ones, and not only that, they basically make it easier to quit using nicotine altogether (according to reports I've seen).

abritinthebay 10y ago
They are better in terms of addiction- but in terms of cancer risk it's a wash. Due to how poorly regulated the liquids are it has the potential to be worse as well.
- Nursie 10y ago
  Sorry what does "it's a wash" mean here? We have on the one hand a known bad thing, cigarettes contain all sorts of nasties, tars, combustion products etc etc On the other we have propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, nicotine and food flavours that get vapourised (not burned). These have no proven links to cancer, PG and VG are already used in food and in medicines, some for inhalation. Also stage-smoke. There's no reason to think they are anywhere near as hazardous as smoking, though we haven't got good long-term data yet. Regulation of ingredients would be good, but smoking cigarettes and vaping is very far apart in expected health outcomes.
- mcguire 10y ago
  What specific cancer risks are you referring to? The only serious reports I've run across are https://www.sciencenews.org/article/vaping%E2%80%99s-toxic-vapors-come-mainly-e-liquid-solvents https://www.sciencenews.org/article/vaping%E2%80%99s-toxic-v... http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1413069 http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1413069 which reports increased levels of aldehydes (formaldehyde, for example) from the breakdown of the propylene glycol and glycerin.

nxc18 10y ago

I disagree with the aspartame causes cancer nonsense - there is really no evidence for it and it poisons the whole comment. However, it is spot on that drinking diet soda (or any soda) redefines the concept of sweet. Once I stopped, I was amazed that things like carrots, grapes, and even every day bread (sugar added, at least in the U.S.) are very sweet. Suddenly fruits and vegetables are like candy and actual candy is overwhelming.

sjwright 10y ago

My advice is to learn to enjoy plain soda water – it's my absolute favourite beverage for fine dining as it's fundamentally refreshing and cleanses the palate. It means you enjoy the food more without getting weighed down by liquid sugar or alcohol. If it's not to your taste, one way to make unsweetened soda water substantially more palatable is to add lemon juice. A particularly convenient way to do this is to use bottled lemon juice. When I'm in a fancy mood I'll also add mint, ice and a few good shakes of bitters. In Australia, Schweppes sells bottles of sparkling water (soda water) infused with various flavours, including my personal favourite, raspberry[1]. While it's essentially sugar free it still has a very very slight echo of sweetness. [1] Despite being available for many months they don't list the product on their website. Here's an image: http://shop.coles.com.au/wcsstore/Coles-CAS/images/2/0/4/2047606.jpg http://shop.coles.com.au/wcsstore/Coles-CAS/images/2/0/4/204...

JoeAltmaier 10y ago
I ask for a sort of "Arnold Palmer" with half lemonade and half soda water (instead of tea). Similar to what you describe and always available.
grimmdude 10y ago
I totally agree. I've been heavily drinking La Croix sparkling water when I crave a soda and I've never been more hydrated!
agentgt 10y ago
I agree. While in Paris and Nice France I noticed many diners would order sparkling water. In the US I'm one of the few that will order it at a meal when I go out. I drink an enormous amount of plain soda water (aka sparkling water aka seltzer aka club soda). Like 64oz to 96oz a day. My intake has gone up even more now that I fast most of the day, have a soda stream, and vacuumed seal stainless steel tumbler (yeti, rtic, etc). I highly recommend one of those cups. I swear but don't have proof that soda water curbs appetite more than flat water. My only annoyance is that soda stream while I suppose helpful to the environment is actually not that cost effective.
- 10y ago

voxic11 10y ago

I drink diet soda because it's much more pleasant to drink and I don't get the sugar rush/crash. Don't assume people do it for health reasons.

kendallpark 10y ago
It is also better for you teeth.

1123581321 10y ago

Artificial sweeteners don't raise sugar or trigger an insulin response. I thought this until I used a Dexcom and tested it for myself (I'm type 1 diabetic so any changes would be immediately noticed.)