[princess_peach]

I just wanted to share what the U.S. FDA said about aspartame:

After reviewing scientific studies, FDA determined in 1981 that aspartame was safe for use in foods. In 1987, the General Accounting Office investigated the process surrounding FDA's approval of aspartame and confirmed the agency had acted properly. However, FDA has continued to review complaints alleging adverse reactions to products containing aspartame. To date, FDA has not determined any consistent pattern of symptoms that can be attributed to the use of aspartame, nor is the agency aware of any recent studies that clearly show safety problems.

Carefully controlled clinical studies show that aspartame is not an allergen. However, certain people with the genetic disease phenylketonuria (PKU), and pregnant women with hyperphenylalanine (high levels of phenylalanine in blood) have a problem with aspartame because they do not effectively metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine, one of aspartame's components. High levels of this amino acid in body fluids can cause brain damage. Therefore, FDA has ruled that all products containing aspartame must include a warning to phenylketonurics that the sweetener contains phenylalanine.

Here's the link: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qa-adf9.html

[Kelly_S]

Princess Peach, Beautiful Great post!

[jadedjane]

I need my daily coke (black cherry vanilla diet coke is my new passion). Chemicals are everywhere in everything.. I might as well enjoy the ones I'm getting.. Sometimes - with all the veggie munching I do - I get a bit "bloaty" An ice cold diet coke helps me...erm... how do I say this politely? um.... burp... a good hearty "OMG did that come out of me!?" burp helps ease the pressure a bit.

[Chrissy1175]

jadedjane...you speak to my heart...I've got a passion for the black cherry vanilla diet coke too!!! it's the best I used to drink regular coke. That's what I liked and since I rarely drank it (maybe once or twice a week or so) I was fine. I just couldn't get used the the diet kind. However when I started WW is right about the time that the black cherry vanilla diet coke came out. I like the taste so much that I 'forgot' i was drinking diet. Drinking that helped me get used to drinking diet so now I can actually drink diet coke instead of regular coke. Sure hope they don't stop making it.

[Kelly_S]

Originally Posted by HuboonBaby

well, okay, if you guys like drinking harmful chemicals...then alright...i wont stop you.

Please don't take it with that tone. Any food, product, etc has chemicals even if they are produced naturally. Some drink more diet sodas than others, some don't drink at all. It is a free country and we all (you, me, and everyone else) but much of what you put out in your original post on this thread is an urban myth.

[molina]

I agree with Ms. Shapen! Your friend will make the changes when she is ready, and if she chooses to keep her diet drinks a part of her life, so be it. That may just be one thing that's worth keeping to her.

When I first started WW, I drank a lot of diet coke. Mainly because I had been addicted to 'real' coke, and diet was the best way for me to curb those coke cravings. I can tell you, as probably most diet soda drinkers can "WE'VE HEARD IT ALL!" lol... really, we have.

It comes down to letting every dieter walk their own path at their own pace.
One of my friends used to constantly give me a hard time about the diet drinks I consumed. She would see me order diet coke while we went out to eat. What she didn't realize was that I was using it as a tool... not only did it take the place of a calorie packed beverage, but as I got full, I'd take sips of my drink to keep myself (and my hands) busy instead of picking at the remains of my plate.
And I knew it was a temporary tool. One to be used while I got used to eatting less. As I got used to a smaller food intake, I gradually cut back on the diet sodas too.
Now I just grab a cold diet coke if I'm hit with a really strong craving for junk food, or if I'm in a poor mood and ready to stuff my face. That's just what works for me.

I guess the diet soda issue is just a sore spot with me because that particular friend gave me a really hard time about it. It was tough for me to take from her, because I was SO HAPPY to be losing weight, but ever time she saw me drink a diet soda she harped on my unhealthy choice.
The worst part was, she was currently gaining weight as I was losing weight... and with every diet drink I ordered, she gulped down the same amount of sweetened lemonade (or chocolate shake!)... But I didn't have the heart to point out the flaws in her eatting habits, so I just listened to her comments in silent frustration. Eventually when I couldn't hear it any longer, I told her I was using it as a tool to stop drinking empty calories. She looked down at her lemonade & got a little flushed... she's never mentioned it since. =/

Make mention of it to your friend if you still feel the need, but just be gentle. I wouldn't want her to be hurt and angry the way I was.

[gremlina]

Well..it probably isn't the best thing for her to do but hopefully she is also drinking water! I typically only drink 1 can of diet soda a day..2 at the most but I also drink water the rest of the time.. So I guess if she is still getting her water in..