Is Diet Coke bad for me?

Originally Posted by Full Canvas

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If you "insist" on drinking two or three cans of diet soda, why not just drink the regular (non-diet) sodas instead? There are fewer toxins in the regular soda and certainly, the caloric differential in two or three cans is not worth the probable health risk in my opinion.

The reason that I drink diet soda instead of regular soda isn't because I'm concerned about the calories. What I'm more concerned about is that the sugar in that soda raises insulin levels and I would rather keep my insulin levels low (I'm not diabetic or anything, but there are other reasons to keep insulin levels low). The other problem with regular soda is that the sweetener used in that stuff is High Fructose Corn Syrup, which in my opinion and based on my research, is a lot worse than aspartame.

By the way, I try to avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup as much as possible, but the stuff is almost impossible to avoid entirely because it's in just about everything.

When I was on my diet that I lost 30 lbs on, I did it by keeping my insulin level very very low and by eating a balanced diet with calories broken down as 40% from protein, 40% from carbs and 20% from fats. I then counted all of my calories and made sure that I was eating calories based on this formula: (bodyweight x 15) - 500.

FC, some have said that the anti aspartame studies were funded by the sugar industry, they do have a substantial lobby. At the time of it's approval it was the most studied foodstuff in the FDA's history and had already been approved in Canada and Europe for several years prior. But then I'm a cynic.

Originally Posted by Tomasso

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FC, some have said that the anti aspartame studies were funded by the sugar industry, they do have a substantial lobby. At the time of it's approval it was the most studied foodstuff in the FDA's history and had already been approved in Canada and Europe for several years prior. But then I'm a cynic.

Well said.

While I am a proud, card-carrying member of the Diogenes Club, I am also a proud (albeit quiet) card-carrying member of the Common Sense Club. My take is that all of the diet and regular sodas should be used with caution.

Fellow cynics might say that many of the groups responsible for administering those studies would have an immediately volatile economic allegiance to the highest grantor.

I still enjoy an "ice-cold" glass of the regular Coca-Cola four or five times each year.

However, it's dinnertime here in California. So, a bottle of Caymus 1994 Special Selection is this evening's poison after a tiny glass of the everyday Tio Pepe (chilled).

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Personally I have never understood the idea that Diet Coke (or Coke Light over here) would be a substitute for Coke. The taste is nowhere near the same, even after the switch from aspartame to sucralose.

Besides, the energy in real Coke is not an issue if you don't drink it excessively. I'm trying to lose weight and the least of my nutrition problems is 200 kcal I get from a 0,5 litre bottle of Coke.

Bottom line: drink real Coke, but only in limited amounts. The taste just can't be beaten by any "light" crap.

Originally Posted by WN2

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Personally I have never understood the idea that Diet Coke (or Coke Light over here) would be a substitute for Coke. The taste is nowhere near the same, even after the switch from aspartame to sucralose.

Besides, the energy in real Coke is not an issue if you don't drink it excessively. I'm trying to lose weight and the least of my nutrition problems is 200 kcal I get from a 0,5 litre bottle of Coke.

Bottom line: drink real Coke, but only in limited amounts. The taste just can't be beaten by any "light" crap.

Again, for a lot of people it's not the calories but the effect that sugar has on insulin levels in your body. If you're tyrig to lose weight, it's impossible to do if your insulin levels are high because your body does not burn fat for energy when insulin levels are high. Diet soda does not cause a spike in insulin levels, but regular soda does. You get used to the taste. I've been drinking diet soda for so long that I dont like the taste of regular soda anymore.

Originally Posted by javyn

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hey odor, good luck on the bar.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by odoreater

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I've been drinking diet soda for so long that I dont like the taste of regular soda anymore.


yep, I can't drink normal soda anymore than a couple sips. Diet pepsi tastes so much better than real Pepsi. It was initially hard to make that transition but once you do, you can't go back.

Originally Posted by Get Smart

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Diet Pepsi is infinitely better.

ah, that is so true! diet pepsi has a lower sodium count that diet coke too, and i personally think it's fizzier? i was brought up by my parents drinking diet versions of drinks, and i really can't see a difference to be honest! heck, i reckon normal coke or pepsi is too sweet.

Originally Posted by Get Smart

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Diet pepsi tastes so much better than real Pepsi.

What do you mix the Diet Pepsi with to acheive these results?



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Just want to update people on my latest research on this issue. I've now decided to cut diet soda completely out of my diet. Apparently, the sweet taste of diet soda, even though it has no actual calories, is enough to trigger an insulin-spiking response in your body. In other words, when you taste the sweetness of diet soda, your body through conditioning thinks that it's going to get sugar, so it begins to raise insulin levels on its own (kind of like Pavlov's dogs). I'm going to stick to club soda now.

Thats bizarre. Diet soda seems to taste so artificial. Its gotta have some detriment.

I'm a 4-5 coke a day guy who's tried in numerous past attempts to quit. Has anyone here ever quite coke cold turkey?

I do drink juice and generally lots of it, I have also tried Snapple ice teas (again, bad for me?) and also water of course. I've managed to cut off the coke for about a week at a time and get splitting headaches from it.

What would be an effective way to cut it completely? I don't like diet pop at all.

One hard thing is, the roomate is just as bad as me with the coke and thus it is always in the fridge, available.

Originally Posted by mcpaul

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I'm a 4-5 coke a day guy who's tried in numerous past attempts to quit. Has anyone here ever quite coke cold turkey?

I do drink juice and generally lots of it, I have also tried Snapple ice teas (again, bad for me?) and also water of course. I've managed to cut off the coke for about a week at a time and get splitting headaches from it.

What would be an effective way to cut it completely? I don't like diet pop at all.

One hard thing is, the roomate is just as bad as me with the coke and thus it is always in the fridge, available.

If you're serious about losing weight and getting into better shape like you described in the other thread, remove ALL of the drinks mentioned in this post (with the obvious exception of water) from your diet. Or works toward this goal.

As far suggestion for a coke replacement, try coffee or tea, slightly sweetened with Splenda or Sweet'n'Low.

Any kind of cola stains your teeth.

Originally Posted by odoreater

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Just want to update people on my latest research on this issue. I've now decided to cut diet soda completely out of my diet. Apparently, the sweet taste of diet soda, even though it has no actual calories, is enough to trigger an insulin-spiking response in your body. In other words, when you taste the sweetness of diet soda, your body through conditioning thinks that it's going to get sugar, so it begins to raise insulin levels on its own (kind of like Pavlov's dogs). I'm going to stick to club soda now.
This is actually not true, it was later determined that it does not affect insulin levels.

wow, it has been over two years since I switched to Diet.

Time flies.

FWIW I can't drink the full strength stuff any more, just way way way too sweet for me. Ive lost about 8 kilo since then too.