To drink diet or not to drink diet, that is the question
September 7, 2011 6:56 PM Subscribe
I know diet soda is supposed to be bad for you for various reasons. Are diet non-soda drinks (Snapple, diet Arizona or Turkey Hill iced tea, etc) the same amount of bad, or is there anything more redeeming about them since they aren't soda per se?
Yes, diet sodas are considered "bad", or "worse" than regular sodas, because of the chemical sugar replacements like aspartame. The rest of their badness is due to the carbonation, the artificial colors and flavors, and the other additives and questionable ingredients, the same as the non-diet sodas.
Having "diet" on the label of a drink doesn't make it good for you, it depends on what is in it.
The best diet drink, of course, is water. Flavor it with some lemon or lime juice, or some cucumber, for variety in taste. Sweeten lightly if you must, with honey, agave nectar, or stevia.
posted by attercoppe at 7:18 PM on September 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
Having "diet" on the label of a drink doesn't make it good for you, it depends on what is in it.
The best diet drink, of course, is water. Flavor it with some lemon or lime juice, or some cucumber, for variety in taste. Sweeten lightly if you must, with honey, agave nectar, or stevia.
posted by attercoppe at 7:18 PM on September 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Yeah, I figured, but appreciate the external confirmation. I get that "diet" isn't good but wasn't sure if there is anything less artificial about non-soda diet drinks. I can't stand stevia, worse luck.
posted by mlle valentine at 7:27 PM on September 7, 2011
posted by mlle valentine at 7:27 PM on September 7, 2011
There are three things about diet soda that are bad for you: the artificial sweetener, the carbonation, and the acidity.
Other diet drinks (unless they're actually something like unsweetened tea) have the artificial sweetener problem -- but they can avoid the carbonation problem, which is good. I'm not sure whether they're less acidic, but I suspect they might be, so there could also be that.
posted by J. Wilson at 7:32 PM on September 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Other diet drinks (unless they're actually something like unsweetened tea) have the artificial sweetener problem -- but they can avoid the carbonation problem, which is good. I'm not sure whether they're less acidic, but I suspect they might be, so there could also be that.
posted by J. Wilson at 7:32 PM on September 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: One of the things that I know is being looked at now is whether the sweet taste of the diet soda confuses the brain into expecting the kind of large calorie dump that would usually come with something that sweet. There's a hypothesis that this might cause the body to react in ways that end up either making you eat more later - to replace the calories your body is expecting and isn't getting - or metabolize differently, slowing down to conserve these calories. Either way it's not the best news if the reason you're drinking diet is for weight control. And it makes a lot of sense to me. This isn't the exact study I'm talking about, but it does note that aspartame has been seen to raise blood sugar in mice.
posted by Miko at 7:35 PM on September 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 7:35 PM on September 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yes, diet sodas are considered "bad", or "worse" than regular sodas, because of the chemical sugar replacements like aspartame.
Woah thar. I'm pretty sure that this is not a foregone conclusion. The obesity that frequently results in part from the quantity of 'regular' soda many of us drink may well be a greater general health concern than the small and unsure risk of cancer from artifical sweeteners.
posted by threeants at 7:44 PM on September 7, 2011 [10 favorites]
Woah thar. I'm pretty sure that this is not a foregone conclusion. The obesity that frequently results in part from the quantity of 'regular' soda many of us drink may well be a greater general health concern than the small and unsure risk of cancer from artifical sweeteners.
posted by threeants at 7:44 PM on September 7, 2011 [10 favorites]
Well I came in with a different view - what is wrong with carbonation? A quick google doesn't find anything particularly to be worried about carbonation. I've certainly never heard of any issues before.
So what is the difference between a soft drink and another 'lite' or 'diet' sweet drink, apart from carbonation? Not very much at all.
Don't fall for the idea that fruit juices are good for you. There's no magic to fructose, it's still calories that rot your teeth and expand your waistline.
The science for and against health risk of artificial sweeteners is at best inconclusive. I would not want to rely on some internet sourced views that artificial sweeteners are the source of all that ails the modern world.
posted by wilful at 7:50 PM on September 7, 2011 [7 favorites]
So what is the difference between a soft drink and another 'lite' or 'diet' sweet drink, apart from carbonation? Not very much at all.
Don't fall for the idea that fruit juices are good for you. There's no magic to fructose, it's still calories that rot your teeth and expand your waistline.
The science for and against health risk of artificial sweeteners is at best inconclusive. I would not want to rely on some internet sourced views that artificial sweeteners are the source of all that ails the modern world.
posted by wilful at 7:50 PM on September 7, 2011 [7 favorites]
Back in the 90s there was some discussion around carbonation leading to bone loss, but I don't think the studies were ever conclusively proven. Scroll down to the "carbonated beverages" section on this page.
posted by blurker at 8:24 PM on September 7, 2011
posted by blurker at 8:24 PM on September 7, 2011
Ascorbic acid in soda (diet and regular) converts sodium and potassium benzoate to a small amount of benzene, a known carcinogen. This would be separate from any issues with artificial sweeteners.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 8:58 PM on September 7, 2011
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 8:58 PM on September 7, 2011
You know what's the most fattening part of a McDonald's soda-burger-fry meal?
The soda.
Not that diet soda is _good_ for anybody, but America is fat because of the corn syrup in regular soda (and everything else).
posted by bardic at 9:22 PM on September 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
The soda.
Not that diet soda is _good_ for anybody, but America is fat because of the corn syrup in regular soda (and everything else).
posted by bardic at 9:22 PM on September 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yes, diet sodas are considered "bad", or "worse" than regular sodas, because of the chemical sugar replacements like aspartame.
Woah thar. I'm pretty sure that this is not a foregone conclusion. The obesity that frequently results in part from the quantity of 'regular' soda many of us drink may well be a greater general health concern than the small and unsure risk of cancer from artifical sweeteners.
This study demonstrates a higher correlation between diet soft-drink consumption and obesity than soft-drink consumption and obesity. One suggestion is that diet drinks may cause people to crave more sweets. Apparently it has this effect on rats, but that may not be the case for humans. I also remember a study that showed an insulin bump from artificial sweeteners in rats, but again, rats aren't humans so the same effect may or may not happen in people.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:58 PM on September 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Woah thar. I'm pretty sure that this is not a foregone conclusion. The obesity that frequently results in part from the quantity of 'regular' soda many of us drink may well be a greater general health concern than the small and unsure risk of cancer from artifical sweeteners.
This study demonstrates a higher correlation between diet soft-drink consumption and obesity than soft-drink consumption and obesity. One suggestion is that diet drinks may cause people to crave more sweets. Apparently it has this effect on rats, but that may not be the case for humans. I also remember a study that showed an insulin bump from artificial sweeteners in rats, but again, rats aren't humans so the same effect may or may not happen in people.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:58 PM on September 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'd have to agree that it's unlikely that there's anything fundamentally different about non-carbonated artificially sweetened beverages.
On the other hand, once you get used to non-sweet iced tea (COLD-BREWED! For the love of god! You can get all sorts of big tea bags meant for a liter or two of water at a time, too, at any old Asian grocer), you don't really miss the sweetness, because cold green tea or barley tea (mugicha, in Japanese parlance) is awesome.
posted by DoctorFedora at 12:33 AM on September 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
On the other hand, once you get used to non-sweet iced tea (COLD-BREWED! For the love of god! You can get all sorts of big tea bags meant for a liter or two of water at a time, too, at any old Asian grocer), you don't really miss the sweetness, because cold green tea or barley tea (mugicha, in Japanese parlance) is awesome.
posted by DoctorFedora at 12:33 AM on September 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Rumors of the danger of the individual components of diet soda have been exaggerated.
This Wikipedia page on Aspartame controversy is a good start.
As oneirodynia mention diet sodas have been implicated in having negative effects on obesity, likely via behavioral routes.
My personal take is that as long as you're conscious of the rest of your diet, and don't go "oh, I'm drinking diet soda, that means I don't have to worry about other stuff as much", it's a decent way to cut on calories and more importantly high fructose corn syrup—the evils of which I don't really have to cover overmuch.
Being that the whole thing hinges on "artificial sweeteners" and their various effects I think that that both sodas and non-sodas would have similar effects.
posted by anateus at 2:17 AM on September 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
This Wikipedia page on Aspartame controversy is a good start.
As oneirodynia mention diet sodas have been implicated in having negative effects on obesity, likely via behavioral routes.
My personal take is that as long as you're conscious of the rest of your diet, and don't go "oh, I'm drinking diet soda, that means I don't have to worry about other stuff as much", it's a decent way to cut on calories and more importantly high fructose corn syrup—the evils of which I don't really have to cover overmuch.
Being that the whole thing hinges on "artificial sweeteners" and their various effects I think that that both sodas and non-sodas would have similar effects.
posted by anateus at 2:17 AM on September 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
woah woah there is nothing wrong with Carbonation on its own. On the continent drinking sparkling mineral water (with nothing else added) is really common and I've never heard anything suggesting that drinking carbonated water is in any sense bad for you.
Personally I group all those drinks snapple, coke, lipton's iced tea in the same category called 'soft drinks' (due to lack of alcohol making them 'soft') and they all contain loads of sugar artifical flavours and are pretty equally bad in my book.
note that North America is the only place where one uses the term "soda" as far as i'm aware.
posted by mary8nne at 5:50 AM on September 8, 2011
Personally I group all those drinks snapple, coke, lipton's iced tea in the same category called 'soft drinks' (due to lack of alcohol making them 'soft') and they all contain loads of sugar artifical flavours and are pretty equally bad in my book.
note that North America is the only place where one uses the term "soda" as far as i'm aware.
posted by mary8nne at 5:50 AM on September 8, 2011
woah woah there is nothing wrong with Carbonation on its own. On the continent drinking sparkling mineral water (with nothing else added) is really common and I've never heard anything suggesting that drinking carbonated water is in any sense bad for you.
Indeed: Finally, it should be noted that the carbonation is not the culprit.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 5:52 AM on September 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Indeed: Finally, it should be noted that the carbonation is not the culprit.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 5:52 AM on September 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
This study demonstrates a higher correlation between diet soft-drink consumption and obesity than soft-drink consumption and obesity.
Yes but did you look at the methodology of the study? They followed people who were of normal weight to begin with and over a number of years and classified them into diet soda drinkers and non-diet soda drinkers. And they found that the diet soda drinkers were more likely to become overweight or obese than regular soda drinkers. Now one possible interpretation of that is that diet soda directly causes people to put on weight. That is far from the only possible interpretation however.
For example, I am currently of normal weight. Yet I know what my body tendencies are and that I tend to put on weight. Therefore I am far more likely to drink diet soda than regular soda. My boyfriend, on the other hand, is also of normal weight. He comes however from a family with little to no history of overweight, and also knows from experience that little he can do will shift his body weight up or down by more than half a pound or so. If he drinks a can of soda, it's far more likely to be a regular one. If, 20 years from now, I'm overweight and he's still normal weight, does that mean that the diet soda alone "caused" me to gain weight? No, of course not. Epidemiological studies like this one have to be taken with a huge grain of salt -- it's really often not possible to separate all the confounding variables.
posted by peacheater at 6:42 AM on September 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Yes but did you look at the methodology of the study? They followed people who were of normal weight to begin with and over a number of years and classified them into diet soda drinkers and non-diet soda drinkers. And they found that the diet soda drinkers were more likely to become overweight or obese than regular soda drinkers. Now one possible interpretation of that is that diet soda directly causes people to put on weight. That is far from the only possible interpretation however.
For example, I am currently of normal weight. Yet I know what my body tendencies are and that I tend to put on weight. Therefore I am far more likely to drink diet soda than regular soda. My boyfriend, on the other hand, is also of normal weight. He comes however from a family with little to no history of overweight, and also knows from experience that little he can do will shift his body weight up or down by more than half a pound or so. If he drinks a can of soda, it's far more likely to be a regular one. If, 20 years from now, I'm overweight and he's still normal weight, does that mean that the diet soda alone "caused" me to gain weight? No, of course not. Epidemiological studies like this one have to be taken with a huge grain of salt -- it's really often not possible to separate all the confounding variables.
posted by peacheater at 6:42 AM on September 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Yes, if your concern is the artificial sweetners, their use in non-carbonated beverages isn't going to make that much of a difference.
Just my anecdotal experience: After a few months of beverages without any sugar or artificial sweetener, my taste buds reset to prefer "tart" over "sweet." Before then, I was mixing soda with plain carbonated water at a 1:2 or even 1:4 dilution.
Unsweetened ice tea in particular is cheap and easy to make. Toss tea bags into a pitcher, add water, set in the fridge to brew. The Celestial Seasonings "zingers" are especially good.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 7:41 AM on September 8, 2011
Just my anecdotal experience: After a few months of beverages without any sugar or artificial sweetener, my taste buds reset to prefer "tart" over "sweet." Before then, I was mixing soda with plain carbonated water at a 1:2 or even 1:4 dilution.
Unsweetened ice tea in particular is cheap and easy to make. Toss tea bags into a pitcher, add water, set in the fridge to brew. The Celestial Seasonings "zingers" are especially good.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 7:41 AM on September 8, 2011
My dentist says I should avoid carbonation because it's bad for teeth (wears the enamal, maybe?). I don't know if she has studies to back her up, but she feels pretty strongly about it.
posted by JenMarie at 8:48 AM on September 8, 2011
posted by JenMarie at 8:48 AM on September 8, 2011
Whole Foods sells a "natural" soda--no HFCS. Not saying it's great for you but at least you're taking out the artificial sweetner.
Otherwise water/natural ice tea. The items I see to sweeten water in our cafe downstairs are watermelon, peach, cucumber, lemons, lime.
posted by stormpooper at 9:06 AM on September 8, 2011
Otherwise water/natural ice tea. The items I see to sweeten water in our cafe downstairs are watermelon, peach, cucumber, lemons, lime.
posted by stormpooper at 9:06 AM on September 8, 2011
Best answer: Diet sodas have issues and generally no redeeming nutritional value. Some, but not all, non-soda diet drinks may have less aspartame, and others may have some small amount of redeeming value.
Some of the Crystal Light beverages contain things like Vitamin C, antioxidants, and such, as an example. Other Whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, I have no idea. But they're probably very slightly better for you than diet sodas that don't have vitamins, either. And the health benefits of some of the things that get touted are kind of flaky and woo-woo to start with.
From my personal perspective, I try to drink more water and less soda and non-soda diet drinks, but sometimes I get tired of plain water and it's more important to me that I remain hydrated and not drink things that are worse for me (full calorie sodas) or eat random shit because I'm thirsty, than that I not take in aspartame. Plus, my life sometimes needs caffeine and I don't drink coffee. So I drink those beverages in moderation, and I don't believe they make me fat.
On the other hand, during a period of a few months when I switched from diet pepsi to regular coke to avoid the aspartame because I felt it was causing some of my digestive issues, I gained 30lbs and seem to have reset my natural weight to that much higher. Those 30lbs are far more likely to kill me than aspartame, in my estimation.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:43 AM on September 8, 2011
Some of the Crystal Light beverages contain things like Vitamin C, antioxidants, and such, as an example. Other Whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, I have no idea. But they're probably very slightly better for you than diet sodas that don't have vitamins, either. And the health benefits of some of the things that get touted are kind of flaky and woo-woo to start with.
From my personal perspective, I try to drink more water and less soda and non-soda diet drinks, but sometimes I get tired of plain water and it's more important to me that I remain hydrated and not drink things that are worse for me (full calorie sodas) or eat random shit because I'm thirsty, than that I not take in aspartame. Plus, my life sometimes needs caffeine and I don't drink coffee. So I drink those beverages in moderation, and I don't believe they make me fat.
On the other hand, during a period of a few months when I switched from diet pepsi to regular coke to avoid the aspartame because I felt it was causing some of my digestive issues, I gained 30lbs and seem to have reset my natural weight to that much higher. Those 30lbs are far more likely to kill me than aspartame, in my estimation.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:43 AM on September 8, 2011
Yes but did you look at the methodology of the study?
I did, hence my use of the word "correlation".
posted by oneirodynia at 12:16 PM on September 8, 2011
I did, hence my use of the word "correlation".
posted by oneirodynia at 12:16 PM on September 8, 2011
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That said, it's not usually the carbonation that people say is bad for you.
posted by box at 7:05 PM on September 7, 2011