I have recently given up pop i rarely ever drank regular pop but i was drinking alot of diet pops and i just decided that i should stop drink carbonated drinks period so i havent had one in about 2 weeks i think and i was just wandering what people thought or knew about diet pop because i have always her it was bad??

Thanks for reading
Nic

Different people react to diet sodas in different ways. Some people drink them regularly with no problems or ill effects. Others find that diet sodas trigger cravings for sweets and make it harder to stay on plan. Some people are sensitive to particular sweeteners and not to others, and some people avoid artificial sweeteners altogether.

Everyone is different in this respect...if you are sensitive to it, it can cause problems, but many people drink diet sodas regularly and do just fine. I personally drink them in moderation, never more than 1 per day and usually about 2-3 per week total, and I never have any problems.

I am "all-the-way" type of girl (wow, that sounds just terrible!), so I can't do diet pop. If I drink pop, it has to be the full octane nectar.

Unfortunately, I've just had to give it up altogether because I couldn't justify all the sugar (10.2 teaspoons per can?!?!?). I'm sure diet pop is lots better in terms of sugar, but make sure you check the ingredients for Phosphoric Acid, as well. Phosphoric acid is often used in bathroom cleaners (think scrubbing bubbles, etc) and the reason it's used there is because Phosphoric acid leaches calcium off of shower tiles, etc... In pop, it leaches calcium out of your bones. I didn't even realize this until recently, when I attended a marathon training nutrition seminar with a nutritionist. Apparently, the rate at which Americans drink pop is closely correlated to the incidence of osteoporosis from all this phosphoric acid.

Not all pop has phosphoric acid, and I'm sure anything in moderation is fine, but just be aware.

Thanks for the answers and if other people have anything please dont hesitate to keep the advise coming

Thanks so much
Nic

I figure if I'm going to drink diet I might as well drink flavored water. Plus I can't have caffeine cause it aggravates PMS so I get really depressed and moody. So whats the point of soda after that. If I want carbonation I can get fizzy flavored water.

I stopped drinking soda completely about a month ago. That said, I consumed it in massive quantities up until that point and suffered no ill effect in relation to my general health or weight loss. However, I've gotten to the point where I really have committed to a healthy lifestyle and, while there is no conclusive evidence that diet soda is unhealthy, it is pretty well accepted that it is not going to positively contribute to health. Really, though, if drinking a diet soda will prevent you from alternatively consuming something high calorie or obviously unhelathy, I think it can act as a good tool.

Diet soda was a crutch for me. I drank it in mass quantities. Nothing is good in excess, so I stopped drinking it. I substituted sparkling mineral water for awhile, but now I just drink water, coffee (black), or unsweetened tea.

I did notice a huge difference in the amount of headaches I got and the severity of PMS after I stopped consuming artificial sweeteners (I did it all at once along with the soda.) I believe there is research out there to support this too.

So now I avoid artificial sweeteners at all cost, but if it doesn't effect you in that way it may be okay to drink.

Well I guess that I'm in the minority here. I am a diet pepsi girl. Although, I only have 1 sometimes 2 per day. Other than that I drink only water. But as others have said, different people react differently. Some may start craving sweets. But for me, I love it. It's probably one thing I have to have. If I cut it out compeletly I would feel like I was punishing myself and probably say getting healthy wasn't worth it for me.

I use to drink a lot of soda but recently only allow myself to drink a small amount and only if it is sprite. I am mostly drinking my water. My husband drinks dr pepper like it is going out of style, he drinks water at night and when he does PT but that is about it. I just have no taste for diet sodas. I'll stick with my occassional sprite, maybe a glass of tea but no more other junk.

Well the state of Hawaii is trying to ban aspartame at the moment and the state of New Mexico tried but powerful food lobbyist had the measure overturned. Since Aspartame is in diet sodas and other diet foods I would say yes diet soda is not good for you. Not to mention it's all chemicals and water.

I love my diet soda as well. I drink plenty of water but still want my diet soda to atleast 1 can a day.

I'm strange and like to drink water. >_>

I enjoy the occassional (maybe a couple times a month) diet soda. I haven't had any regular soda since... gosh... early last year? (I learned early on that drinking calories... not so awesome.)

Health-wise. I think that drinking more actual water helps me, personally, to stay hydrated and full-feeling. But, my roommate drinks diet coke like the world's gonna end tomorrow, and she doesn't seem to have any issues that I know of.

what a GREAT connection and statement tiger - I would have never thought there may be a connection between diet soda and osteo..or phosp acid that is. And looks like webmd backs you up here: http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/fe...a-osteoporosis

GREAT thread! Well as for me, I just don't buy soda. I mean, in my house, I love diet soda, it helps me with hunger, gives me my caffeine fix right...but James and Corey would devour a 12 pack in two days' time, if even that long. and so I'd just rather not buy it at all, than being whiny about only getting one soda and the other 11 are long gone.

I love coke or diet dr pepper. I thought I had to have it to survive. I went through at least 4 or 5 cans a day. Everytime I stopped at a gas station I thought I needed one too. Now it's always water. I didn't even buy any the last time I was at the store. I ordered one with my supper last night and it tasted good but wasn't soothing my thirst like water does. I just make sure I have a bottle of water with me at all times and I don't even crave it.

I used to get severe headaches when I didn't have a ton of caffeine but now if I drink one cup of coffee in the morning I'm fine with water all day. I haven't had any chocolate either. Infact, now that I haven't had all the caffeine I have LESS headaches. Kinda strange how that works.

Oh, and I used to have to have flavored water but now I can't stand it. It's plain all the way for me.

Nic: Great thread. I've been pondering my intake of diet soda as well. I've heard how the carbonation can be bad for your bones. I also dislike the taste of aspartame and avoid anything processed with it. But there is always Coke with Splenda. The problem I'm having with my daily Coke is that I've noticed it triggers not my sweet tooth but my snacking tooth. What goes great with Coke, the Cheetos my DSs begged for at the grocery this week. They can sit in the cupboard all day and night without any interest from me but the moment I snap open the can I'm thinking popcorn, pretzels, goldfish crackers...what's in there...~sigh~ Time to start brewing the tea and keeping it in the fridge even if it is the middle of winter.