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Diabetic Connect Member Marie

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Is Diet soda worse than regular soda?

by Marie
September 21, 2009 9:22 PM
44 Replies
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I love diet soda. I drink about a case a week. Is it worse than drinking regular soda?

Tags: diet sodas

From Replies
Diabetic Connect Member SkipT
SkipT
SkipT replied September 21, 2009 11:01 PM 

Here are a couple of reports you can check out.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/13/health/webmd/m
ain701408.shtml

http://www.rodale.com/diet-soda-and-diabetes

Diabetic Connect Member Harlen
Harlen
Harlen replied September 21, 2009 11:37 PM 

LOL yep look at the studdy lol
who drinks diet soda hummm let me think
huummmmmmmmmm??????
I dont know hummmmmmmlol
sry but I am just thinking of whats all changed in the last 6 years?
I never had diet drinks till I had diabetes lol I drink 2 case a week and its better then sweet soda

Sue Turner replied October 29, 2009 5:21 PM 

I'm with you Harlen: I am so confused that I don't know what to think anymore. Now they are saying that artificial sweetners cause "heart disease!" I just want to go to bed,cover my head and stay there! LOL
Diabetic Connect Member PAT L
PAT L
PAT L replied September 22, 2009 1:03 AM 

go with the soda that uses spenda its better that the others an not so hard on the body. i cant stand the taste of any of them for they leave a after taste that stays for hours, so i dont drink them. but spenda is not so bad....an they now make about 8 differant ones now...

SkipT replied September 22, 2009 2:52 AM 

Here is a sturdy from Duke University explaining the problems with Splenda!

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/09/splenda_stu...

jtausch replied September 26, 2009 6:22 AM 

weird that the SUGAR industry paid for it so I wonder if its not just a little biased?

Diabetic Connect Member kdroberts
kdroberts
kdroberts replied September 22, 2009 12:56 PM 

It depends on what you are looking at. If you are looking at blood sugar then regular is hugely worse than diet. If you are looking at long term health risks then there probably isn't much in it. As posted you have all the potential issues with all of the artificial sweeteners that you don't have with regular but if you drink a lot of regular then almost certainly your blood sugar will be out of control and you will suffer diabetic complications. When the ones sweetened with stevia come out we'll see how they do it. Those may be good but they may also not be.
Diabetic Connect Member MorganT
MorganT
MorganT replied September 22, 2009 8:18 PM 

All I drink is Water and Un Sweet Ice Tea

SkipT replied September 22, 2009 11:46 PM 

I am with you. No diet anything! I have seltzer water to get my "fizz" fix. Natural decaf green tea for in between meals.

tjtiger replied September 27, 2009 9:51 PM 

Trying Drinking Crystal Light I had one dietian tell me I could drink as much of it as I wanted. I have been trying the green tea but just recently read an article stating it had caffeine in it so I thought I was going to have to stop drinking it. I have never seen decaffeinated green tea. What brand makes it?

Vicrgreen replied September 28, 2009 1:48 AM 

Lipton has a decaaf Green Tea. They serve it at my church when they have pot luck suppers.

Me2 replied October 3, 2009 8:25 PM 

Crystal light made with soda water. You get the fizz you are looking for with no sugar. It's really good.

somoca replied October 5, 2009 9:57 PM 

Ditto to this. I never drink anything stronger than water. It helps my skin and my attempt at weight loss.
Diabetic Connect Member katt61569
katt61569
katt61569 replied September 22, 2009 11:50 PM 

i drink about 2-3 cases a week if not more diet 7 up or walmart brand of diet twist up seems the best tasting to me and i was a only coke drinker before bing diagnosed.

pythoncharly replied September 26, 2009 7:34 PM 

If your drink a case of anything a week it is probably bad for you,

For that quantity I suggest plain or bottled (Glass Bottle) water.

Gabby replied September 28, 2009 7:45 PM 

I have to agree. I used to drink diet soda like it was going out of style. I don't drink it at all anymore and it only comes in the house for guests. I read up on the hazards of aspertame (Nutra Sweet) and sucralose (Splenda) and now I don't touch it. When I quit, I was amazed at how much better I felt. Now I drink decaf tea unsweetened, water with lemon and stevia and occasionally coffee. I don't drink any sugar free items unless it is just unsweetened at all and I add my own stevia to it.
Diabetic Connect Member Jocelyn
Jocelyn
Jocelyn replied September 25, 2009 6:25 PM 

Marie,

I recently posted an article about ten reasons not to drink soft drinks... it was incredibly informative... and showed how not drinking either diet, or reg pop is a plus... the evidence is overwhelmingly negative on all counts for dinking any of it... I hope you'll hop over and have a look/see at the article... You might change your mind on drinking any of it... take care...

Debe Pendice replied September 26, 2009 10:37 AM 

Thank you. I must have missed that article. Really happy to go look at it.......Debe

pdr replied September 27, 2009 10:48 PM 

I went and read this article and you really did a good job on this. It is very informative. Lately, I have been drinking alot of Crystal Light. How do you feel about Crystal Light?

toodles replied September 30, 2009 5:37 AM 

Please provide me with guidance on how to locate the article that you are referring to in your paragraph. I tried to find it but guess I don't know what I am doing. I would like to be able to read that information.

Thank you for sharing and assisting.
Diabetic Connect Member pawaski
pawaski
pawaski replied September 26, 2009 7:22 PM 

I drink both diet and regular soda but diet is best. For the people that do not like the after bite try putting the soda over ice and add a dash of salt and mix. I had a friend that did not like diet soda and that is how I got her to drink diet.
Diabetic Connect Member Igoe
Igoe
Igoe replied September 26, 2009 7:32 PM 

Diet pop (soda) is just as bad for you as regular pop (soda). I quit drinking pop of any kind right after I got laid off in September of 2008. I was considered a borderline diabetic and so is my 89 year old father. I had switched to drinking water and very lightly sweetened tea and have lost 60 pounds of fatty weight. The gas from the pop was building up inside of me and was very hard for my digestive system to fullyn work. For a half gallon of iced tea, I use no more than a 3 Tbsp sugar for sweetener. If Splenda was more economical (read: price) I would use that. According to my doctor, my blood sugar has lowered itself since the cutting out of any carbonated drinks and I don't need any insulin or any oral medication to control my blood sugar anymore.
Diabetic Connect Member nikonman09
nikonman09
nikonman09 replied September 27, 2009 2:33 AM 

Last edited about 1 month ago

I am with you all the way Jocelyn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds to me like most of you have an addiction problem. The plain truth is this. Any carbonated drink leaches Vitamin C from your body along with a myriad of other bad reactions. We are not made to have all the Carbon di oxide runing around in our systems. Diet drinks made with Asparthame have about 4% of an industrial solvent in them that builds up in our system much like chocolate does in dogs. And get this!! You can't get rid of it!!! Please please please!!! Learn to drink water and, if you must, unsweetened tea (Caffein is not good either). But for goodness sakes get off the soft drinks all together. You will be much healthier, lose weight, and have more energy. How do I know??? I used to drink a case or two a week of Pepsie and Dr. Pepper before I was diagnosed. Switched to Diet pepsie. UUGGHHH!!! Now I do not indulge at all. I have lost 40 lbs, have a ton more energy, and my Doc. loves me for it. Go look at Jocelyln's article, and please if you know what is good for you, follow my lead. :) Sorry for all the bad typing, this one reads a bit better. :)))

Harry \u0026 Katrina replied September 28, 2009 12:33 AM 

Yes, Diet is a misnomer and is worse for Diabetics than any Diet drink on the Market......soooooo stay away from the "Diet" on any drink. Harry

toodles replied September 30, 2009 5:31 AM 

Thank you for sharing the information about how diet soda affects the body.
Diabetic Connect Member Vicrgreen
Vicrgreen
Vicrgreen replied September 28, 2009 1:52 AM 

Most of the artificial sweetners contain something called excitotoxins. Excitotoxins kill brain cells, there are several books on the subject. They also increase your appetite causing you to eat more. If you are drinking them to lose weight you are defeating your purpose. If you are just drinking them for something to drink water is an excellent choice, add a little lemon or lime juice if you don't like it plain.
Diabetic Connect Member 2rs
2rs
2rs replied September 28, 2009 6:12 PM 

A case a week???? I'm sorry, but no matter what the American Diabetes Assn says, diet soda is equally as bad a reg soda....I've posted b4 that I did my own testing & diet soda sends my bs totally out of whack. I'll bet you have problems with your bs being too high - right? Face the fact that you are addicted! Take charge of yourself and start cutting back.
Diabetic Connect Member Mom and boys
Mom and boys
Mom and boys replied September 28, 2009 11:16 PM 

Funny I noticed this post note about one hour after I had a conversation with a type 1 diabetic regarding sodas artificial sweeteners and pregnancy. Both she and I were waiting on our 8 year olds who were in occupational therapy. Both children were in for different reasons but each does have some neurological issues and we were questioning the use of artificial sweeteners during pregnancy.

Truth is I have two great and relatively healthy kids thanks to close diet control and the use of artificial sweeteners. So I would not change a thing!

Diabetic Connect Member Jtaylor1966
Jtaylor1966
Jtaylor1966 replied September 29, 2009 2:35 PM 

What is it about diet cokes that makes a person fat? A chemical reaction? I've seen videos and documented studies about it, but they don't seem to explain how it happens.

SkipT replied September 29, 2009 10:01 PM 

Due to the "sweetness" of the artificial sweetener the body thinks that it is getting sugar, so insulin is made available. Then the body can't process the artificial sugar and now you have excess insulin floating around in you system. Excess insulin will cause you to store fat.

Nana Jones replied October 7, 2009 8:28 PM 

I have been drinking diet coke for 10 years or more and I can tell you they don't make a person fat at least not me. I have never been fat in my life unless you think 5'2'' weighing 118 lbs. fat. In fact I had a gentleman that I had not seen in awhile say to me this morning "you're still as little as ever." Maybe I am just one of the few lucky one's.
Diabetic Connect Member toodles
toodles
toodles replied September 30, 2009 5:25 AM 

I so can relate. I drank diet pepsi non-stop and decided to quit it because I recognized I abused it. So, I went to water and I switched to diet coke. For 2 months I was very proud of myself because I was not drinking diet pop nonstop. I didn't really like diet coke but.........I have since switched from diet pepsi to diet coke and am back to nonstop drinking of pop. I am not happy with myself!
Diabetic Connect Member THE SWEET ONE
THE SWEET ONE
THE SWEET ONE replied October 5, 2009 6:06 AM 

TRY DRINKING SUGAR FREE KOOL AID AND KEEP WATER FIRST ON YOUR LIST. GOOD LUCK

BCLady replied October 5, 2009 6:29 PM 

I use only agave nectar. It's a natural sweetner from Mexico. It comes in light and dark syrup and looks like molasses. I use it to sweeten my hot tea. All it takes is a few drops. It can also be used in baking and all food prep. It isn't artificial like splenda therefore no side affects.

Diabetic Connect Member schellsr
schellsr
schellsr replied October 6, 2009 12:08 PM 

I choose Diet Dr, Pepper, it is wonderful. Of course with caffeine products, it can escalate your urges to want a snack or something sweet, according to the book of "They say". But personally I love it! I believe it is the one free thing I as a diabetic can splurge with.

smileandbepositive replied October 7, 2009 8:07 PM 

Diet Soda Now Linked to Heart Disease

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/0...

Eating two or more servings a day of red meat increases your risk of metabolic syndrome by 25 percent, compared to those who have two servings of red meat each week, a new study found.

Drinking diet soda also increased the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors such as excessive fat around your waist, high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high blood pressure, all of which can raise your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

The researchers examined the diets of over 9,500 people between the ages of 45 and 64. They were categorized into two groups: a “western-pattern diet” that included processed meat, fried foods and red meat, or a “prudent-pattern diet” that included more fruits and vegetables, poultry and fish.

They concluded that lots of meat, fried foods and diet soda increase your risk of heart disease

Dr. Mercola's comments:
There is a major misconception, even among people who try to eat healthy, that diet soda is a wise choice over regular soda. In reality, there’s no reason to be drinking either one of these atrocities.

What’s wrong with diet soda you ask?

At the top of the list is the fact that the sugar is replaced with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose. For an in-depth look at just how dangerous these fake sweeteners really are, I suggest you read my book Sweet Deception, but in the meantime you may be interested to know that they can:

•Stimulate your appetite
•Increase carbohydrate cravings
•Stimulate fat storage and weight gain
Perhaps even worse, aspartame acts as a neurotransmitter in your brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. But too much aspartame in your brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into your cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill your cells.

The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartame is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite," or stimulate, your neural cells to death.

And don’t be fooled into thinking that diet sodas sweetened with sucralose are any better. Animal studies have revealed that sucralose can cause:

•Decreased red blood cells -- sign of anemia -- at levels above 1,500 mg/kg/day
•Increased male infertility by interfering with sperm production and vitality, as well as brain lesions at higher doses
•Enlarged and calcified kidneys (McNeil stated this is often seen with poorly absorbed substances and was of no toxicological significance. The FDA Final Rule agreed that these are findings that are common in aged female rats and are not significant.)
•Spontaneous abortions in nearly half the rabbit population given sucralose, compared to zero aborted pregnancies in the control group
•A 23 percent death rate in rabbits, compared to a 6 percent death rate in the control group
The researchers in the study above were surprised by their finding that diet soda may cause heart disease. But if you consider the well-known fact that diet soda, and diet foods of all kinds, contribute to obesity it makes perfect sense that they would also increase your risk of heart disease.

And as for the researchers finding that red meat contributes to this disease, well, that all depends on the type of red meat (processed, grass-fed or grain-fed), and this was not specified.

Quite simply, once you find out your nutritional type, you’ll be able to determine if you thrive on grass-fed red meat, or whether you do better with free-range poultry instead. This is a highly individualized process, and simply stating that “red meat causes heart disease” is not taking any of these factors into account.

How to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

You have at your fingertips everything you need to keep heart disease at bay (and this does not include drinking diet soda). What can you do to lower your risk?

•Get moving with an exercise program today
•Eat all the fresh raw vegetables you can, based ideally on your body's unique nutritional type
•Get the right amount of sunshine every day
•Get plenty of omega-3 fats, such as from a high-quality krill oil
•Learn a tool to overcome stress in your life, such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

cussinwolf replied October 29, 2009 3:47 PM 

I have issues with doctors who say,"I suggest you read my book...". Wiki Dr.Mercola.

2rs replied November 9, 2009 8:53 PM 

I agree with & believe everything this Dr. says. Just because he wants us to buy his book doesn't mean he is a scam artist!
IMHO, Crystal Light isn't any better than diet soda. It also has a bunch of chemicals.

Pauline B replied October 29, 2009 4:14 PM 

I receive, by choice, Dr Mercola's weekly email, but do not believe most of what he says unless there are many replicated research articles proving his "facts." He is interested is selling his brand of vitamins and supplements.

Diabetic Connect Member Evelyn Chambers
Evelyn Chambers
Evelyn Chambers replied October 23, 2009 10:24 PM 

all kind of sodas, weather diet or not will eat your teeth, any kind of carbonated drinks are bad. My doctor,dietican, and dentist said I can drink all the crystal light i can hold. Have you ever tried it. I drink it all the time and they have all kinds of flavors. I like the peach tea and lemon-aid the best.

Pauline B replied October 29, 2009 4:12 PM 

I do not handle Crystal-lite at all, and usually vomit after drinking any, no matter what the flavor. I drink diet drinks occassionally, but prefer coffee most of the time, with caffeine. My teeth, at age 67, are still in fine shape even though I've lived in areas that are known for their "pure" water (which means the water contains few natural minerals).
Diabetic Connect Member scottandelli
scottandelli
scottandelli replied November 9, 2009 6:34 PM 

My first post ;)

I've been weening myself off of fizzy drinks over the last few weeks, turning to cranberry juice and water with lemon. I used to drink at least a big bottle a day, but now I only have a diet soda occassionally. Best thing, I don't miss it at all.

I heard somewhere that fizzy drinks, diet or otherwise, contribute to weight gain, poor skin , etc.?

Larry Petrillo replied November 9, 2009 9:13 PM 

Try drinking Diet Cranberry and Cranberry Grape by Ocean Spray. I think they call them Juice Cocktails. Really good. At Thanksgiving it can replace something worse.
Diabetic Connect Member PDStanley
PDStanley
PDStanley replied 6 days ago 

I was a diet drinker. And I drank heavily. At lunch it is nothing for me to drink 4 glasses of whatever I am drinking. I had heard all of the reports of how horrible artificial sweeteners were for you. It had no effect on me because I figured...yeah, you have to consume a ton of the stuff for that to happen. Then I watched my husband go through dialysis. Then one day I heard about a concrete link between women, diet soda consumption and chronic kidney disease. That did it for me. I already have the diabetes strike against my kidneys....I don't need to add the diet soda strike as well. I stopped drinking diet sodas. It worked for me. I know there are some great tasting ones out there....coke zero, hansen's diet, etc. I just decided it wasn't worth an additional risk for dialysis. My husband was a trooper and rarely complained, but I knew watching him, that I never want to go through dialysis.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do.