Is diet soda safe?
Diet soda sounds like a weight-loss technique but it may actually be worse than regular soda.
“Both are evils.” Said Dr. Victor Gong of 75 Street Medical Center in Ocean City, about both diet and regular sodas.
Over the past 4 years studies have linked diet soda to stroke, heart attacks, and depression.
Most recently, a study is linking increased diet soda consumption with abdominal obesity, or belly fat, in adults 65 and older.
The culprit? Artificial sweeteners.
Dr. Gong says “It’s 200 to 600 times sweeter than natural sugar depending on what artificial sweetener you have. Therefore the body is confused and tends to then therefore maybe crave more other additional sugar or other calories.”
So while you cut calories on your drink you may not be satisfied.
“You tend to eat more foods as well for more calories. In addition you also produce more insulin. When your body sees sugar it produces more insulin, and insulin stores the body fat.” Says Gong.
Resulting in a growing mid-section.
“They may be under the false illusion that it’s helping them yet they’re still keeping with their bad habits. So they figure I’ll drink a diet soda it’s got no calories then I can go eat more food and exercise less, that’s one problem, they’re still doing their bad habits.”
In this case we are talking about the artificial sweeteners in sodas, but that’s not the only place they may be hiding.
You can actually find them in some of the weight loss and “low calorie” products you can find at your supermarket.
Dr. Gong recommends, “I would generally avoid them or eliminate them dramatically. Try to go for whole foods, they’re always better, less sugar obviously as well.”
And doctors agree, just because it is labeled “diet” doesn’t mean it’s going to help you fight the battle of the bulge.
For those dieting and attempting to lose weight Dr. Gong recommends getting back to the basics and dropping sugars and artificial sweeteners all together.
His best alternatives, organic foods, natural fruits, tea, coffee, and of course water.
