4 ms·

I like to think diet pop can fit into this category... but then there's the backlash of "unnatural chemicals" which sceptics believe must obviously be bad for y

I like to think diet pop can fit into this category... but then there's the backlash of "unnatural chemicals" which sceptics believe must obviously be bad for you.

nommm-nommm 10y ago
Diet soda is not healthy. At the very best it's ideally neutral, neither unhealthy or healthy. However, some research has been coming out lately that suggests diet soda (more specifically artificial sweeteners) may have various negative effects on health. Nothing conclusive but enough to make me avoid artificial sweeteners entirely.
- zeroer 10y ago
  The carbonation in soda is bad for your teeth and bone health, regardless of the sugar vs. non-calorie sweetener debate.
  - AstralStorm 10y ago
    Carbonation is unimportant. You won't get bone problems from drinking carbonated water. The phosphoric acid is the problem - the cola drinks contain a large amount.
- bfuller 10y ago
  sorbitol is a laxative, pretty sure taking a laxative every single day is not great for you
  - nommm-nommm 10y ago
    However, sorbitol isn't an artificial sweetener it's a sugar alcohol and it occurs naturally in food. When most people talk about diet soda they mean artificially sweetened carbonated beverages.
TheOtherHobbes 10y ago
It's not a backlash, it's science. See e.g. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/ While there's no conclusive proof diet soda definitely causes weight gain, there's absolutely no evidence at all that it helps with weight loss. Sugary or not, there's no rational basis for considering sodas of any variety "healthy."
- mixedCase 10y ago
  Diet soda does not cause weight gain. Diet soda makes you hungrier, and that makes you eat more and gain weight.
  - nitrogen 10y ago
    Root cause vs. proximate cause. If artificial sweeteners prime the body to expect calories that it doesn't receive, and (or by some other mechanism) this causes later overeating, then it's fair to say that diet soda does cause weight gain. As an aside, I have a hypothesis that naturally focusing on proximate vs. root causes is actually a big contributor to the divide between major segments of the population.
  - AstralStorm 10y ago
    Control being pure water, unsweetened coffee or caffeine solution? Give me proper science.
- chrisfosterelli 10y ago
  > there's absolutely no evidence at all that it helps with weight loss I didn't claim this. "Healthy" food is a subjective term, and to most people does not mean "something that makes you loose weight". Compared to non-diet pop, it is a healthy alternative. If you're trying to loose weight, stick with water. If you are managing your weight fine and enjoy pop, diet is better than non-diet. The studies you linked to support this.
djrogers 10y ago
> the backlash of "unnatural chemicals" which sceptics (sic.) believe must obviously be bad for you. You mean like the fact that they inhibit beneficial intestinal flora [1], or that numerous studies have found that people have a higher risk for diabetes if they drink diet soda [2], or that people gain weight when they switch to diet sofa from regular [3]? Yeah, those wacky skeptics - they'll believe anything... [1] http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2016-0346#.WDxeChIrKRs http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2016-0346#.... [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23364017/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23364017/ [3] http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0167241#sec020 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal....
- ClassyJacket 10y ago
  It's literally impossible to gain weight from drinking diet soda. It doesn't have food energy. It can't break thermodynamics. It can only be explained by other factors like people over compensating with other calorie consumption.
  - bowersbros 10y ago
    Could things such as chemical imbalance or just the chemicals themselves affect metabolism / digestion, causing weight gain?
    - AstralStorm 10y ago
      That requires some good research to prove. What is known is that suddenly cutting caffeine after large regular intake will cause weight gain.
- spullara 10y ago
  On the other hand, I stopped drinking all diet sodas and just drank water / carbonated water the last year. Absolutely no difference. Didn't even notice the lack of caffeine going from 6 diet dr peppers per day down to 0.

I like to think diet pop can fit into this category... but then there's the backlash of "unnatural chemicals" which sceptics believe must obviously be bad for you.

nommm-nommm 10y ago

Diet soda is not healthy. At the very best it's ideally neutral, neither unhealthy or healthy. However, some research has been coming out lately that suggests diet soda (more specifically artificial sweeteners) may have various negative effects on health. Nothing conclusive but enough to make me avoid artificial sweeteners entirely.

zeroer 10y ago
The carbonation in soda is bad for your teeth and bone health, regardless of the sugar vs. non-calorie sweetener debate.
- AstralStorm 10y ago
  Carbonation is unimportant. You won't get bone problems from drinking carbonated water. The phosphoric acid is the problem - the cola drinks contain a large amount.
bfuller 10y ago
sorbitol is a laxative, pretty sure taking a laxative every single day is not great for you
- nommm-nommm 10y ago
  However, sorbitol isn't an artificial sweetener it's a sugar alcohol and it occurs naturally in food. When most people talk about diet soda they mean artificially sweetened carbonated beverages.

TheOtherHobbes 10y ago

It's not a backlash, it's science. See e.g. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/ While there's no conclusive proof diet soda definitely causes weight gain, there's absolutely no evidence at all that it helps with weight loss. Sugary or not, there's no rational basis for considering sodas of any variety "healthy."

mixedCase 10y ago
Diet soda does not cause weight gain. Diet soda makes you hungrier, and that makes you eat more and gain weight.
- nitrogen 10y ago
  Root cause vs. proximate cause. If artificial sweeteners prime the body to expect calories that it doesn't receive, and (or by some other mechanism) this causes later overeating, then it's fair to say that diet soda does cause weight gain. As an aside, I have a hypothesis that naturally focusing on proximate vs. root causes is actually a big contributor to the divide between major segments of the population.
- AstralStorm 10y ago
  Control being pure water, unsweetened coffee or caffeine solution? Give me proper science.
chrisfosterelli 10y ago
> there's absolutely no evidence at all that it helps with weight loss I didn't claim this. "Healthy" food is a subjective term, and to most people does not mean "something that makes you loose weight". Compared to non-diet pop, it is a healthy alternative. If you're trying to loose weight, stick with water. If you are managing your weight fine and enjoy pop, diet is better than non-diet. The studies you linked to support this.

djrogers 10y ago

> the backlash of "unnatural chemicals" which sceptics (sic.) believe must obviously be bad for you. You mean like the fact that they inhibit beneficial intestinal flora [1], or that numerous studies have found that people have a higher risk for diabetes if they drink diet soda [2], or that people gain weight when they switch to diet sofa from regular [3]? Yeah, those wacky skeptics - they'll believe anything... [1] http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2016-0346#.WDxeChIrKRs http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/apnm-2016-0346#.... [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23364017/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23364017/ [3] http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0167241#sec020 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal....

ClassyJacket 10y ago
It's literally impossible to gain weight from drinking diet soda. It doesn't have food energy. It can't break thermodynamics. It can only be explained by other factors like people over compensating with other calorie consumption.
- bowersbros 10y ago
  Could things such as chemical imbalance or just the chemicals themselves affect metabolism / digestion, causing weight gain?
  - AstralStorm 10y ago
    That requires some good research to prove. What is known is that suddenly cutting caffeine after large regular intake will cause weight gain.
spullara 10y ago
On the other hand, I stopped drinking all diet sodas and just drank water / carbonated water the last year. Absolutely no difference. Didn't even notice the lack of caffeine going from 6 diet dr peppers per day down to 0.