Diet soft drinks - how healthy are they?

Diet soft drinks 

how healthy are they?

Companies have spent billions of dollars convincing us that diet soft drinks are the healthier, lighter choice compared to regular soft drinks. But is diet soda really as good as its clamed to be? Or is it actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing, fooling people into thinking they are doing something good for their bodies when they are actually sabotaging their own best efforts.

What’s in a soft drink?

• A carbonated soft drink may is a common choice in the western world to clench thirst. A Regular can of soft drink contains equivalent of nine teaspoons of sugar, usually in the form of high fructose corn syrup.

• A diet form or carbonated soft drink may not have the sugar or calories of regular soda, but it’s full of other health-draining chemicals such as caffine, artificial sweeteners, sodium and phosphoric acid.

The myth of artificial sweeteners and weight loss

The artificial sweeteners in diet soft drinks can actually set us up to gain more weight. Artificial sweeteners interact with our body’s sense of sugar satisfaction and confusing our taste buds and how the brain measures hunger upon which we base what we eat. 

The trade-off

No expert is making the assumption that diet soft drinks alone are making people gain weight. However, there is a strong connection with weight gain and diet soda consumption. Many health experts believe that by providing our taste buds with something that is so sweet, our body gets sent signals that a sugar fix is on the way – which never comes. This can result in a sweet sugar craving.  

What else is in diet soft drinks?

Caffeine - many of the diet drinks are cola-based or otherwise have caffeine added. Caffeine gives you a ‘caffeine buzz’, but it really isn’t giving your body anything it needs. In fact, caffeine ingestion can result in fatigue, chronic anxiety, insomnia and sysmptoms of hormonal imbalance. Caffeine is also a diuretic, so while you may be thinking that you’re keeping hydrated by drinking a diet soft drink, the opposite is true as the caffeine causes you to lose fluid.

Sodium – the sodium in diet soft drinks increases your thirst and a high sodium dietary intake can increase your risk of developing heart disease, stoke and high blood pressure. 

Phosphoric acid – can alter your body’s pH to an unhealthy level. Healthy detoxification takes place in a slightly alkaline environment and too much acidity in your body will sabotage the detoxification process.

How do I break the soft drink habit?

• If you rarely sweeten your drinks or drink soft drinks then many health experts believe that it is alight to use a real sugar drink or even a regular soft drink like lemonade, which can be therapeutic if you have an upset stomach.

• If you have the habit of reaching for a diet soft drink to satisfy your thirst then you could be a behavioural habit or from a caffeine addiction. If this is the case, then try to view your beverage choices as an opportunity to tune in to your body. Chances are that if you have any degree of dependency on artificially sugared or caffeine drinks that your body is sending you mixed signals and you react with mixed responses. So, the next time you reach for a soft drink, take a moment and think first: What can I drink to best serve my body’s needs?

• Make the transition to drink the best of all possible drinks: water. Not only is water the key to weight loss, it is also refreshing, hydrating, cleanses the body of toxins and an inexpensive option if you use your own water bottle.

How can I make healthy choices?

• Take a daily multivitamin which is enriched with calcium, magnesium and essential fatty acids. A multivitamin will help you get the daily nutrients you need but it will also assist your body deal with the demands placed on it by diet soda

• Don’t substitute meals with a diet soft drink as not only you are not giving your body any of the nutrients it needs but you’ll also run the risk of  eating more later on.

• Keep a food and drink diary and also write how you are feeling emotionally to see when and why you turn to diet or caffeinated drinks.

• Keep well hydrated and drink at least 2 litres of water each day.