What makes diet soda bad for you, if anything?

[JoeFahey]

I have read about different studies showing that those who drank diet soda actually gained weight from it. All the studies do not know why though, they cannot find a reason why it would cause this.
Most Diet Sodas have caffeine as well. As some basic effects, I know that caffeine makes it harder to sleep, and can cause some of your body parts to shake. When I have caffeine, I only sometimes notice trouble sleeping.
I am mainly asking this because I have recently switched over to Diet Mountain Dew, after having Regular Mountain Dew all the time. I know that soda all together is bad for you, and water is the way to go, but I can't shake it yet. I know Diet Mountain Dew has no positive effects, but does it hurt me at all?

 

[ThePresence]

The artificial sweeteners, depending on which one is used, may have harmful effects, but there are studies that go both ways (on some of them).

 

[FrequencyX]

Been drinking Diet Dew for over 7 years and nothing bad has happened yet (knock on wood).

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp

 

[ElFenix]

iirc, caffeine gives you a quick boost to metabolism, but then a long slow period. overall, then, caffeine has a slowing effect of the metabolism.

just what i heard, though.

although these people say i'm wrong

 

[amdhunter]

I've been drinking soda my whole life and I can't seem to quit myself. I stopped for a few weeks, then had one drink and went back to the habit.

I think 99% of my liquid intake is diet pepsi.

 

[FrequencyX]

Originally posted by: amdhunter
I've been drinking soda my whole life and I can't seem to quit myself. I stopped for a few weeks, then had one drink and went back to the habit.

I think 99% of my liquid intake is diet pepsi.

Don't worry I am the same way. Soda is just too good to leave behind.. I too have been drinking it my whole life ever since I was very young. Its almost imprinted psychologically into my brain to always drink soda.

I am seriously not too worry about driking soda. I love it and will probably always drink it..

 

[vi edit]

As far as weight goes, it's probably more because of lifestyle and eating habits than any direct cause of diet soda. IE, they replace the calories from the soda with a candy bar or a fat laden additional side or larger portions.

The worse thing for you caused by diet soda is the acid and carbonation. The acid is hard on your teeth and the carbonation can hinder your body's ability to get the proper amount of oxygen in your blood making for a negative impact on exercise and strenous activity.

Outside of that though, drink modest amounts (1 can a day is moderate), and avoid drinking it before working out. You'll be fine.

 

[FoBoT]

the gazllions of empty sugar/HFCS calories are far worse to me

 

[HN]

a lot of people (not all, but a lot i've noticed) feel that since they're eating/drinking "diet" foods/drinks, they don't need to focus on anything else (e.g. not having to be active or exercise). that's major problem.

 

[xospec1alk]

i read one somewhere once that once you get used to the artificial sweeteners, having real sugar screw up your body somewhat...no link...just something i read sometime...i forget where...

 

[confused1234]

aspartame is VERY bad for you. that is the most common artificial sweetener. also theres nothing bad about caffeine.

 

[Beller0ph1]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
the gazllions of empty sugar/HFCS calories are far worse to me

The HFCS in and of itself isn't harmful. It's the lack of exercise and burning off calories that does it. You could eat a bunch of candy bars, or anything else with a bunch of calories and still be just as bad as you would be if you drank a lot of soda. HFCS is pretty much the same as table sugar.

 

[FoBoT]

yes, but i didn't do that. what i used to do is drink several hundred calories in soda each day
now i don't

i don't eat several hundred calories in candy bars before and i don't now

 

[BoldAsLove]

your body does not know how to digest aspartarme, so your body just stores it which in the end turns into cancer.

 

[savvy]

I haven't drunk soda for a couple months.

 

[BlancoNino]

Originally posted by: xospec1alk
i read one somewhere once that once you get used to the artificial sweeteners, having real sugar screw up your body somewhat...no link...just something i read sometime...i forget where...

Good enough for me. I'll go ahead and use this information in my next science report.

 

[neutralizer]

It hurts my taste buds.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: confused1234
aspartame is VERY bad for you. that is the most common artificial sweetener. also theres nothing bad about caffeine.

AFAIK, there is no peer-reviewed study to confirm this.

 

[compuwiz1]

The human body cannot burn fat without the proper amount of water, per day, so if you are a soda lover, you probably drink too much soda, and not enough water. Seems reasonable to me.

 

[confused1234]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: confused1234
aspartame is VERY bad for you. that is the most common artificial sweetener. also theres nothing bad about caffeine.

AFAIK, there is no peer-reviewed study to confirm this.

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-information.html
http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/hidden_dangers.htm
http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/
http://www.321recipes.com/aspartame.html
http://www.spiritual-endeavors.org/health/aspartame.htm
http://www.lightparty.com/Health/DangersOfAspartame.html
http://www.earthways.co.uk/aspartame.html
http://www.youngagain2000.com/aspartame.html

aspartame is a excitotoxin which basically "excites" neurons to death. also as the other person said your body cant digest aspartame so it just stores it.

 

[confused1234]

Originally posted by: Beller0ph1

Originally posted by: FoBoT
the gazllions of empty sugar/HFCS calories are far worse to me

The HFCS in and of itself isn't harmful. It's the lack of exercise and burning off calories that does it. You could eat a bunch of candy bars, or anything else with a bunch of calories and still be just as bad as you would be if you drank a lot of soda. HFCS is pretty much the same as table sugar.

http://www.thenutritionreporter.com/fructose_dangers.html
http://www.femhealth.com/DangersofHFCS.html
http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/highfructose.html
http://www.mercola.com/2006/jul/22/deba...angers_of_high-fructose_corn_syrup.htm

 

[FoBoT]

your links are so unbiased :roll:

 

[JoeFahey]

Holy cow! I read about Aspartamein some of those links you provided. Aspartame is almost enough to make me find an alternative now.
I buy flavored water, and hopefully that will do the trip. Also, I am thinking about trying snapple.

 

[batchusa]

I drink a can of soda about once a week...Enjoy it a lot more that way.

Like they say...Everything in moderation

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: confused1234

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: confused1234
aspartame is VERY bad for you. that is the most common artificial sweetener. also theres nothing bad about caffeine.

AFAIK, there is no peer-reviewed study to confirm this.

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-information.html
http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/hidden_dangers.htm
http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/
http://www.321recipes.com/aspartame.html
http://www.spiritual-endeavors.org/health/aspartame.htm
http://www.lightparty.com/Health/DangersOfAspartame.html
http://www.earthways.co.uk/aspartame.html
http://www.youngagain2000.com/aspartame.html

aspartame is a excitotoxin which basically "excites" neurons to death. also as the other person said your body cant digest aspartame so it just stores it.

Those are just websites. I can make a website and put whatever I want on it. I mean peer-reviewed scientific papers that are published in journals, like this:

link

Here's another one:

link

Or if you want a regular website:

snopes