Sweat365 » Does Diet Soda Make You Fat?
Post by:Lisa Sabin
Monday, February 11th, 2008 at 3:02 pm | 2 Comments
Several years ago Emily Edison, a nutritionist friend of mine told me that people who want to lose weight shouldn’t drink diet soda. I referred clients who needed help creating realistic weight loss plans to her. I worked with a man who was an ex-college football player, who drank at least 2 liters of diet soda a day. He weighed 319 when we started working together. I referred him to Emily, who immediately got him off soda. He trained 4 days a week, walking on the treadmill or outside and lifted very light weights with me. Over the course of about 2 months, he dropped down to 289 lbs. Cutting out soda wasn’t the only modification he made. He also cut back on alcohol and reduced his portion sizes.
ABC’s Recent Story About Soda:
A recent study released by Purdue University in the Journal of Behavioral Neuroscience reported that rats on diets containing the artificial sweetener saccharin gained more weight than rats given sugary food. This casts doubt on the benefit of low calorie foods.
“There’s something about diet foods that changes your metabolic limit, your brain chemistry,” said ABC News medical contributor Dr. Marie Savard.
More research needs to be done, however, the study hints that artificial sweeteners alter a person’s metabolism.
Another recent study which included more than 18,000 people, found that healthy adults who drank at least one diet soda a day could increase their chance for weight gain.
There appeared to be be a physiological connection with the Purdue rats and sweet tastes, which drove them to overeat.
“The taste buds are sweet, but there is no calorie load. This somehow changes your brain chemistry. Your body has a reaction. When you eat something sweet, your body expects calories that rev up your metabolism. When there aren’t any calories, your body senses this and wants to eat more.”
For more information watch this news clip.
Filed under: Articles, Nutrition and Wellbeing |
Digg! this story.
|
Leave a Comment
2 Comments: :
Does Diet Soda Make You Fat?
March 1st, 2008 9:08 am
seashell says:
Hey Lisa!
Thank you for this reminder! I think twice when I am about to order a “diet” drink!! I find that when I want one, it’s because I am craving something fizzy. Instead, I order “fizzy water”. This is a fun - and healthy!- alternative to pop! It’s calorie-free AND counts towards real hydration!
Drink on!
S
March 1st, 2008 3:08 pm
algae says:
I actually lost about 40 pounds over a year ago and I could have never done it without diet sodas. Many animals have a natural ability to regulate calories and maintain their weight. What ever biochemical mechanism tells them that they have eaten enough probably gets thrown off with artifical sweetners.
I think that most humans have lost this natural caloric regulations and what/how we eat is driven a lot by emotional/social/mental factors and not just physical hunger. I know if I don’t keep soda in my house I’m much more likely to over eat.
Personally, I believe everything in moderation.