Yup, diet soda is bad news when it comes to personal health and to planetary health. Despite the efforts of the Coca Cola company, this is not a green or sustainable beverage. I wrote an open letter to climate activist Bill McKibben when he mentioned drinking Diet Coke in an essay. http://www.drsusanrubin.com/bill-walk-diet-coke/

I’ve gotta put my dentist hat on and say one more thing: diet soda is highly acidic. It’s not beneficial for your teeth or your bones.

Since when are grains a ‘healthful’ food? The exact opposite actually.

I got addicted to Diet Coke when I was in college and I finally gave it up about 6 years ago. It’s a disgusting habit and I feel so much better as a result!

Yes, artificial sweeteners are a problem, but it is hypocritical when a medical association publication opposes putting artificial substances into our bodies.

I’ve already done my part. I’ve quit taking all of the dozen or so BigPharna medications that my doctors want me to swallow daily. And I feel much better without all those drug side-effects.

But if everybody did that, then the medical journals wouldn’t make those huge profits from drug advertising and reprints of pro-drug articles.

Now that would be a good side-effect.

Dr. Ludwig wrote a blog post about his JAMA article on Thrive – here’s the link – http://childrenshospitalblog.org/artificially-sweetened-beverages-is-it-nice-to-fool-mother-nature/

For me #1, # 2 and #3 are bogus.

#1 I lost weight,

#2 I love fruit/grains, etc.

#3–the jury is out? Is that the best you can do? It took little time to demonstrate that cigarettes are bad. If the jury was out on smoking, a lot more of us would smoke.

As a registered dietitian and consultant to the food and beverage industry, I am often asked by my clients about the safety of artificially sweetened drinks. My response is that artificial sweeteners can fit into a healthy diet. Artificial sweeteners, also known as low- or no-calorie sweeteners, have more than 200 scientific studies confirming their safety as low-calorie sweeteners. For clients who enjoy sodas, diet sodas are a great solution for them to enjoy a carbonated beverage without all the calories. Data, which have been published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and supported by the American Dietetic Association, speak to their safety and actually show that low- and no-calorie sweeteners can help you manage your weight. As you stated in your blog, Dr. Ludwig brings up the question of whether drinking artificially sweetened beverages may actually increase hunger. In studies from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed a person’s hunger reaction after drinking low-calorie beverages is not different than when he or she drinks water.

@Jim Purdy
Yep, you got it! Funny how it all falls into place when you look at it from the right perspective!

You have to wonder what the fallout will be when it is revealed that the FDA refused to approved NutraSweet over and over again, and then viola, suddenly its all ok? There’s a huge story there. When that comes out it’ll be way bigger than the Tobacco cases. WAY BIGGER.

@LittleMissGrok
Ummmmm… WHOLE grains are a healthful food. I’m always saddened by the carbo-phobic brainwashing.

Adryenn Ashley :@Jim Purdy Yep, you got it! Funny how it all falls into place when you look at it from the right perspective!
You have to wonder what the fallout will be when it is revealed that the FDA refused to approved NutraSweet over and over again, and then viola, suddenly its all ok? There’s a huge story there. When that comes out it’ll be way bigger than the Tobacco cases. WAY BIGGER.

Amen

Jim Purdy :Yes, artificial sweeteners are a problem, but it is hypocritical when a medical association publication opposes putting artificial substances into our bodies.
I’ve already done my part. I’ve quit taking all of the dozen or so BigPharna medications that my doctors want me to swallow daily. And I feel much better without all those drug side-effects.
But if everybody did that, then the medical journals wouldn’t make those huge profits from drug advertising and reprints of pro-drug articles.
Now that would be a good side-effect.

AND AMEN AGAIN!!!!!! Thank you for that short bit of common sense.

@LittleMissGrok
I am a professional dietitian and grains being unhealthy could not be further from the truth. WHOLE grains are very healthy, and in fact required for a healthy body. They help reduce cholesterol, the risk of heart disease, colon cancer, and possibly other cancers. They are packed full of nutrients and fiber. Americans only consume about 1/3 the fiber they should. Fiber is required for a healthy digestive system and helps you control and lose weight. Breads and pastas that do not contain whole grains and whole wheat are nutritionally lacking and should be avoided. Buy whole wheat and whole grain items that do NOT contain enriched flour. Consuming little or no grains can be detrimental to one’s long term health.

@LittleMissGrok

Since they are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, as well as low insulin levels. Educate yourself.

@Jim Purdy

See, this is what happens you when go off your meds; you say nonsensical things. It’s only hypocritical if you don’t bother to read the article. Artificial sweeteners are criticized not because they’re artificial, but because of the effect on the body. Since they have a generally negative effect, it’s hard to argue that they’re a good alternative for diets and weight loss.

This article clearly doesn’t focus on the positive sides of Diet Soda. Since Diabetes is such a serious problem, Diet Soda is a perfect substitute for normal soda for a Diabetic. As a type 1 Diabetic, I find it insulting that someone would criticize diet soda this much. It has many good qualities.

Besides, the effects of high fructose corn syrup (which non diet sodas use), is much worse for you than the artificial sweeteners that diet soda uses.

This just seems like another case of fear and paranoia trying to overtake society. It’s just a diet drink, enjoy what you want to enjoy and don’t listen to garbage like this.

Patrick, “it has many good qualities.” Name one that you can’t get from water. I’ll wait. That was the point of the blog post. Your body needs water, and that’s it as far as beverages go (and milk doesn’t count). The rest is just for pleasure, so use it MODERATELY.

@LittleMissGrok
WHOLE grains are one of the best things you can add to your diet. Fiber is highly beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels, regulating your digestive system as well as curbing your appetite. Unless you are gluten-intolerant, one of the easiest ways to drop some weight without making a huge diet change is switch to high fiber, whole grain foods, including cereal, bagels, english muffins, and pasta/noodles. After an initial adjustment period, I find the non-wheat versions to be bland and flavorless by comparison. Add fiber to your diet gradually, otherwise you can have some mild discomfort and people may not enjoy your company while you adjust

@Kip
TASTE and CAFFEINE. That’s two. People don’t drink soda for their health. They drink it because it’s delicious and provides them with Caffeine to stay awake at a boring job. ALL sodas are bad for you in some way. People need to realistically look at the pros and cons and decide what’s best for themselves. Would you rather risk dying a few years earlier than spend the rest of your life avoiding a delicious beverage? Are you diabetic? Drink diet. Are you a Phenylketonuric? Drink regular. Choice is a wonderful thing. I choose to drink diet sodas. Somehow I do not find fruits not to be sweet enough. Oddly enough i find most juices to be TOO sweet. I look for the “No sugar added” juices to find the taste I want. When I make Kool-Aid, I use about 60% of the sugar that they recommend, otherwise it is too sweet for me. Almost ALL of the noodle or bread products I consume are whole grain. My breakfast cereals consist of All-Bran, Fiber One, and Total brands. That is what I choose. Diet sodas didn’t choose it for me. put the blame where it’s due. On the people that don’t control their appetites. The people that use Diet sodas as an excuse to overeat, instead of as a light snack in an otherwise healthy diet.
/endrant

On Point 1, I’d like to ask what else the rodents were being fed as part of the mechanism. I’m on a diet, but I haven’t cut out diet soda, and I’ve managed to lose 100 pounds in 8 months. Now I’m making sure that the diet soda I drink is also caffeine free. Plus, diet soda doesn’t contain saccharin anyway, so how can such a conclusion be drawn?

On Point 2, it is not my experience that artificial sweeteners were retarding my sense of taste. In fact it was the excessive amounts of salt and oil from the fast food I used to eat. Because after I stopped eating burgers and fries 5 times a week, without sacrificing diet (caffeine free) soda, fresh foods did start to taste better. Plus, why do people still classify grains as healthy? Complex carbohydrates (starch) are no different than simple carbohydrates (sugar) and it takes barely a few extra calories for the body to break them down. Likewise, the nutrients from whole grains can easily be found in other green plants, so why would anyone still need to eat bread? 8oz of pasta contain the same amount of carbohydrates as 4 pounds of asparagus. 2 slices of bread or a quart of strawberries. 2oz of potato chips or 9oz of apples. Which do you think is going to keep you more satisfied?

On Point 3, considering sweeteners such as sucralose provide the same amount of sweetness as sugar with a fraction of the mass, are we taking in enough of a concentration of these chemicals to affect our health as much as going for a walk through rush hour traffic? Also, what artificial sweeteners were those studies talking about because, again, I never noticed any cravings or ill health effects consuming diet soda, but early in my diet I did try meal replacement bars loaded with sugar alcohols, a sugar substitute thats really picking up in popularity, and did I ever have the worst stomach cramps after eating those things.

Diet Pespi I do not drink anymore. Not because of aspartame, but caffeine, which is why I also stopped drinking coffee. But I never stopped drinking caffeine free Diet Pepsi, Diet A&W Root Beer, and Fresca. And I still lost 100 pounds and my doctor has said I’ve never been healthier.

@Adam and Dan. Thanks for being logical.

you kinda do need sugar in your system. without sugar, our body could go in shock. too much sugar though can also kill us.

@Kristin

Fortunately, those big pharma companies are also manufacturing drugs that are keeping us alive to unprecedented ages. Look around your average restaurant – notice all the groups of older people, say 65 and up?

They would not be around like that 20 years ago. Heart medications alone are keeping people alive and healthy for an extra decade or more.

Anyway, artificial sweeteners are not exactly akin to prescription drugs, as they differ in form, purpose, and public perception. So not a great comparison, but in the end I think the evidence points towards sweeteners, like Nutra-Sweet or even processed sugar, are simply not good for promoting a healthy body. If only they didn’t taste so good.

I had never fallen in love with diet soda because it doesn’t taste good for me. I’m glad I found it that way so now I don’t have to take the consequences that it would have gotten me.

We’ve had the word “healthy” in our language for a long time now. There’s no reason to switch it out for a trendy word like “healthful”.

@Jan Tilley Thank you! Someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.

Look, just do a little research. Just a little. Many people are believing in point #1 without even realizing that many diet sodas DON’T use saccharine. Many people are believing in #2 without realizing they don’t know HOW MUCH artificial sweetener is being used in diet sodas. Okay, it’s sweeter than regular sugar…but if they’re using only a small amount to equal the sweetness of regular soda, then how is that going to overpower your taste buds. Then point #3…did anyone bother to think about what these people were also eating in their diets BESIDES diet soda? If they’re eating a triple whopper and fries but with diet soda, then of course they gained weight. If they feel like since they’re drinking diet then it’s okay to eat more of other things, then they will gain weight. So I think that study is flawed, unless they controlled what these people ate in addition to drinking diet soda.

Just think a little bit before making up conspiracy theories about artificial sweeteners and the FDA.

Oh please, not more “artificial sweeteners are toxic” nonsense. I am Type 2 diabetic, and like most Type 2s, by the time I was diagnosed I had acquired a sweet tooth which didn’t magically disappear on diagnosis. Thus, if it weren’t for artificial sweeteners, my quality of life would be drastically lower.

The truth is that most artificial sweeteners have been used for *decades* with no demonstrable harmful effects. It’s true that the sugar alcohols (e.g. xylitol) have the unpleasant side-effect that excessive consumption causes a laxative effect, but the only actual “harm” that has been demonstrated from any sweetener has been in experiments using such ridiculously huge doses as to render the whole exercise pointless and meaningless; at that kind of dose, even *water* is toxic.

Ironically, aspartame (the bane of many a crackpot web site) is probably the *safest* of all artificial sweeteners, for the breakdown products are a pair of amino acids which occur naturally (and copiously) in nearly all foods. Which is why PKU is far more severe than diabetes (thank goodness it’s also a lot rarer); it also means that if aspartame were one-tenth as “toxic” as the tinfoil-hat brigade would have us believe, we’d all be dead by now.

Here is a good article on the health concerns of diet drinks. Doesn’t look they are as healthy for you as you think.

Diet Drinks Zero Benefit

I pretty much think moderation is the key here. I’ve been a Type 1 diabetic for over 30 years, and am grateful for saccharine. For my own reasons, I’m suspicious of aspartame. But I’d much prefer eating natural, whole foods, and I’ve cut back quite a bit on the artificial sweeteners.

This might sound silly, but here it is: spill a little diet soda on a surface and see if any flies will touch it. They won’t. That isn’t the case with sweetened drinks. I think Mother Nature might be telling us something.

Unsweetened sparkling water.

@Jan Tilley
hi my husband and I drank diet cola like it were an alcoholic open one to one to anther, than every few months when my body had enough of cola I start felling bad sick to my stomach, sleepy. so this has been going on for years so 4 day ago I had to think about my helth and gave up diet cola. I allso have epilepsy as well give up the diet cola for me would be a win win thank you for reading my post

I can’t think of a thing that we eat or drink that someone hasn’t said is bad for us. Milk is good..but it’s full of fat…drink lots of water til the minerals build up in your kidneys and you scream for relief from that kidney stone…now the current ‘fad’ is gluten free. Gimme a break. If we listened to the AMA we would all be popping pills and running to the doctor every 3 months for blood work to make sure those pills aren’t killing us.

Nobody needs grains. I havn’t eaten grains of any sort for months now and feel better than before. The same amount of fibre can be found in fruits and veggies which you are correct in stating the average american doesn’t consume eneugh of. I wonder what would happen in the government started to heavily subsidize fruits and veggies?….. I have not been low carb brainwashed BTW- gluten intolerent kids led me to a grain free life.Feel free to enighten me as to how much fibre and vitamins I am “mising”. please do.

Soda of any sort isn’t good for us. If your great grandmother wouldn’t consume it then it’s probably not something we should eat/drink.

@Ariella

Dave, Santa Barbara :
For me #1, # 2 and #3 are bogus.
#1 I lost weight,
#2 I love fruit/grains, etc.
#3–the jury is out? Is that the best you can do? It took little time to demonstrate that cigarettes are bad. If the jury was out on smoking, a lot more of us would smoke.

#1 Me too!!!
#2 Me too!!! (I also do not consume dairy or meat, but I do drink lots of plain ole water as well…)
#3 The more reputable studies explain that those who gain weight while drinking diet sodas do so because of bad logic: “Well, I’m drinking a diet soda, so I can go ahead & super size my meal today! Well, it won’t hurt to have that extra slice of cake, my soda is diet! … Okay, a lil ice cream too, I had diet soda, after all!”

Of course, this isn’t to say diet soda shouldn’t be consumed in moderation. Everything in moderation!

Also, why is there all this fussing over grains? Can’t it be as simple as some people enjoy them, some don’t, while others simply cannot consume them for health reasons?

Also, my great-grandmother loved soda. A whiskey & coke was her preferred beverage. Personally, I’m anti-alcohol, but if it makes someone else happy, so be it.

What irritates me about this article is that they say that artificial sweeteners are hundred fold sweeter, and then they follow up with “so your overloading your taste buds”. The main part that bothers me is that they say it like they put the same amount of sugar as they do their artificial counterparts. Point being they are hundredfold sweeter bud they put hundredfold less in it. So your aren’t “overloading your taste buds” you get close to the same amount of sweet with less calories. For people that get cravings and it makes them eat more, then thats because they don’t have self-control nor self-discipline and is why they are fat in the first place. Learn to control yourself and their wouldn’t be a weight gain problem.