Sprite/Coke Zero how bad is it? - Page 2

Firstly: anyone with any background in science can tell you self-reporting survey-based studies are no replacement for lab testing.
Secondly: the NCI study was over a twelve month period. The Ramazzini study which tested sweetener consumption in lab animals (rats, specifically) was over a life span. The deleterious effects of long-term ingestion have not been disproven.
Debunked is a strong word to use, especially in the natural sciences. No statistical link was shown in a large survey-based study that tracked consumption over a twelve month period in humans. This is true. However, because of the results of the Ramazzini study, I would still advise exercising caution.

I know this is a jungle of research and must be hard to navigate. But anything that's caused this much controversy is likely something you want to limit your consumption of.

Ah, thanks for this. Interesting stuff.

Agreed, I'll definitely be dumping diet drinks based on their effect on insulin secretion. And you are right, I shouldn't have said "debunked".

There has been a fair amount of controversy over the Ramazzini study though. Unless independent groups corroborate their results, you can't really depend on them particularly given the criticisms of their methodology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparta...ini_Foundation

Yeah, I agree with drinking them in moderation-- that's my philosophy about a lot of foods/drinks. I don't avoid HFCS or aspartame completely, I just try not to consume them a lot. I'm also trying to add more fruits/veggies to my diet.

There is nothing on Earth like an ice cold fountain Coke. Not a false statement.

I'm a lead man, myself, soldering all day w/ Pb-solder. Put some maraschino in it and you've got yourself happy hour.

I don't think I've ever had the chance to try a Coke w/real sugar (instead of hfcs). Anybody know if they're available anywhere?

Don't try a regular anytime soon. You'll honestly puke at how sweet it is.

I think they have them abroad, but honestly there's not a big difference between the two.

I'm not sure if it's just the mental aspect of it, but whenever I have a coke with real sugar in the glass bottle, it always tastes a million times better. As for diet drinks, I have to admit that I prefer Coke C2. It pretty much tastes the same with half the sugar, although I don't remember if it has aspartame in it or not, you can't buy it in France.

I think it's still made in Mexico with real cane sugar. You can probably google it and buy it online from a US-based vendor or try your local mexican market. It's good.

from today's NY Times:

The Claim: Too Much Cola Can Cause Kidney Problems
By ANAHAD O'CONNOR

THE FACTS

It is well known that too much soda can increase the risk of diabetes and obesity. But when it comes to kidney problems, is there a difference between colas and other kinds of soda?

Colas contain high levels of phosphoric acid, which has been linked to kidney stones and other renal problems.

Much of this conclusion stems from anecdotal and circumstantial evidence. So last year, a team of scientists at the National Institutes of Health took a closer look.

In a study published in the journal Epidemiology, the team compared the dietary habits of 465 people with chronic kidney disease and 467 healthy people. After controlling for various factors, the team found that drinking two or more colas a day "” whether artificially sweetened or regular "” was linked to a twofold risk of chronic kidney disease.

But drinking two or more noncola carbonated drinks a day, they found, did not increase the risk.

The authors of the study say more research is needed, but their findings support the long-held notion that something about cola "” the phosphoric acid, for example, or the ability of cola to pull calcium from bones "” seems to increase the risk of kidney stones, renal failure and other conditions affecting the kidneys.

THE BOTTOM LINE

There is good evidence that cola beverages can increase the risk of kidney problems, more so than noncola sodas.