Thoughts on Soda - Diet & Nutrition Message Board

innerstrength86 · 02-27-2007, 02:59 PM

I know soda isn't good for you, that I should be drinking water instead. I do drink a lot of water (mainly because I exercise and because my medication makes me SO thirsty) but I also crave my pop in the afternoon. (I only drink about one can per day and I TRY to make it caffeine free) I drink diet, which claims to be better than regular because there's "no sugar" obviously, but I know it's just chemicals, which can't be good.

What is your opinion about soda? Avoid all types like the plague? Do you think that it is hindering my weight loss goals? Or, do you think it doesn't matter, as long as it's diet?

Kari7171 · 02-27-2007, 03:35 PM

I wouldn't say avoid it like the plague but having it every day is not good. I have some maybe once every couple weeks. I drink water, milk, orange juice instead. I hear that drinking diet soda can sabotage a diet only because if someone drinks a diet soda with there meal then they think they can eat more food because they are saving on the calories from the diet soda and so they end up getting too many calories from the food by over doing it.

Lenin · 02-28-2007, 05:41 AM

Innerstrength,

For anyone on a diet who wants a tasty beverage that is without caloric consequence, the diet soda are a blessing, whether caffeinated or not.
For those that can drink water and only water with meals, then go with the wwater.
But, if you are like I am, you find that while water has its place in a healthy diet, it is NOT a palate pleaser.

If you can switch to water, then DO, but if your choice is a soda with 8 teaspoons of sugar per can, then stick with the diet sodas.

People have been drinking them for a half century by the trillions of gallons and nobody has been found to have his health impaired as a result.
Don't believe the internet hype about the "horrors" pf artificial sweetners...that's all it is, HYPE. Without them dieting becomes a LOT more difficult.

Islandgirl1970 · 03-01-2007, 01:23 AM

The one thing about diet soda is that Aspertame in particular has been accused of being an appetite stimulant, much like MSG, so aim for ones that use Splenda.

StenoLady1 · 03-01-2007, 07:55 AM

Innerstrength, you can ask 10 people this question and get 10 different answers. The best advice I know of is to try eliminating it from your diet and see how you do.

I eliminated it from my diet, and I noticed massive improvement in all sorts of areas (skin complexion, weight loss, energy levels, no more migraines, hair loss stopped, GI troubles ceased). And I don't buy into any "hype" either. My doctor told me not to drink any soda because he suspected I had a kidney stone. My drinks of choice at that time were Coke (full sugar), Diet Arizona Sweet Tea, Fresca and Tab. The hardest part of getting over my addiction was the caffeine withdrawals. But after a couple weeks, it was really painless.

That was almost two years ago, and now I find I don't care for soda/sweetened drinks at all. I'm sure it's just a matter of taste, tho. I just think that good food tastes nasty with a soda or a chemical-laden drink. And I'll be the first to admit I'm a foodie. If I can't have wine with my foie gras, filet or snapper, I opt for spring water with lemon so as to not ruin the flavors of whatever I'm eating.

So, see, I eliminated sodas and sweet teas for one reason -- at my physician's direction -- and found massive improvement in a dozen areas that I wasn't even looking for.