Diet Soda... You know you want it.

Regular soda is bad and many ppl are addicted to it.

However, in reply to an earlier post, I have an addiction to diet soda.  DIET COKE to be honest.  I have not drank regular soda in years.  I can't stand regular soda-- it's too sugary for me.  Diet coke has just enough saccharine sweetness and the bubbles...!!

Mind-blowing for helping settle an upset stomach or as a pick-me up.

What I want to know is:

1)  Are you/have you been addicted to diet soda?
2)  What kind?
3)  Did you drink it daily/weekly/monthly?
4)  Any idea if it's bad for you and can make you gain/lose weight?

I have a serious diet coke addiction. It's ridiculous. I agree with you; regular soda is just too sweet. I drink diet coke everyday. I've tried to cut back but when you're studying or have a craving you're trying to numb it always hits the spot.

There have been studies that show that asparatame is bad for you, but what I've been told by a number of physician friends is that you'd have to drink ~12 cans of diet coke everyday for several decades before you would notice the serious effects of aspartame. That being said, if you do have an addiction to diet soda you should try and avoid other substances with aspartame.

Years ago I had a super bad diet coke addiction. I drank at least 6 cans a day, sometimes much more.  When I was thirsty I didn't crave water, I craved diet coke. I'm sure it isn't great for you, but I doubt it's any more harmful than any other regular consumption of crap (mcdonald's food, etc...) 

I wish I could tell you how I stopped but I honestly don't remember.  Now I think it tastes gross. I only drink it in restaurants where beverage choices are slim.  Now I much prefer flavored bottled waters.

Diet Coke and Diet Dr Pepper!  Drank it daily.  A good 4-6 cans a day. If i didnt have my fix i was one moody person :) Only about a week ago did I start replacing most of it with water, and now I only drink a Diet Coke if i go out to eat.  Weird huh?  I dont even crave it anymore. It actually sounds kinda gross.  Last week I woulda thought you were crazy if you told me something like that... haha.

While dieting it didnt effect weight loss. I was fine while drinking it... I dont think it makes a difference. It's also not that high in sodium. No biggy. I'd make sure to log it tho.

I used to drink diet coke alot more than I do now. But when I go to the movies, it's the only thing I'll get b/c of the calories in other drinks. But lately, I've noticed it's really gross ! Like, I can't stand the taste.... Does anyone else feel this way too about it? It's pretty much all diet drinks are starting to get just gross... except diet sunkiss... that's still ok.. but u can def. taste the difference b/w diet and reg. soda ! ! I think I was a little addicted, but I only drink a couple a week now if that. I was drinking diet anything . I used to could have like 2 a day, but not everyday. It helped me loose weight, but I have more willpower than most ppl, and u mostly see overeweight ppl drinking it, b/c i heard it makes u hungry. it fills me up though.

1)  Are you/have you been addicted to diet soda? No. Never liked it. I don't drink pop at all, however, at a party I might have a diet somethin'-somethin'

2)  What kind? Used to drink regular pop when I went to my grandma's.

3)  Did you drink it daily/weekly/monthly? Once a week.

4)  Any idea if it's bad for you and can make you gain/lose weight? I would say it's bad in that pop leaches the calcium out of your bones and eats the enamel off your teeth, and it keeps you craving sweet tastes. Good in that if it keeps you off of real sugar, that's at least better.

I drink diet pepsi and Diet Dr Pepper.  I switched from caffienated to the decaffed ones now.  I do prefer the dr pepper over the pepsi although diet pepsi was all I drank for years besides regular ice tea. 

I enjoy Fresca on occassion too.  I probably drink 6 cans a day easy.  I guess I have an addiction.  I enjoy it and its not huriting any one but me.

1)  I suppose you could say I have been addicted to diet soda.
2)  I'm a big fan of diet mt. dew, diet dr. pepper, diet root beer and diet cream soda.  I drink diet coke from the cafeteria fountain.
3)  I drink diet coke from the fountain machines in the cafeteria every day at college.
4)  I'm sure it's bad for me, but I'd rather have diet soda than regular soda.  It hasn't really affected my dieting, except that it helps me feel fuller.

die hard diet caffine free pepsi fan - probably 5 to 6 a day for decades.  However, I gave it up for lent.  I really didn't think I could do it but I have.  I am drinking water flavored with crystal light and more milk with my dinner and OJ for breakfast.  Really can't tell a difference with the weight.  The thought of giving up the diet pepsi was more difficult than the reality of giving it up - yep, surprised me too.   

1)  Are you/have you been addicted to diet soda?

Not now, quit the stuff about 3 years ago

2)  What kind?

Diet Coke (other diet sodas in a pinch if diet coke wasn't available)

3)  Did you drink it daily/weekly/monthly?

Daily - 2 to 3 cans a day for about 20 years

4)  Any idea if it's bad for you and can make you gain/lose weight?

I don't see how it can be good for you - it's just a bunch of chemicals. It's bad for your bones - makes you lose calcium. Also bad for arthritis. That's why I kicked the habit.

I really don't miss it at all anymore. Can't believe I was hooked on it for so long...

Soda does not leak calcium from your bones. Cola is linked to reduced bone mineral denisity in women.

While there was no association between soft drinks in general and BMD, the researchers found that women who drank the most cola had significantly less dense bones in their hips. The greater their intake, the thinner the bones, and the relationship was seen for diet, regular, and non-caffeinated colas.

Cola consumption had no effect on BMD in men.

So women shouldn't drink a lot of cola but all other sodas are fine...and us men can drink what we want.

I am addicted to Diet Soda. I love it! The kind generally depends on my mood, usually Diet Pepsi but sometimes I'll get Diet Root Beer, etc. I drink it daily, about three to four cups full. I know that the phosphoric acid in sodas can eat away at the calcium deposits in your bones, which can lead to osteoperosis. It also stains your teeth. I don't think it makes me gain weight, because it usally curbs my sweet tooth cravings but I read an article in Teen Vogue about artifical sweeteners causing you to crave more sugar. I don't necessarily believe it though since I'm doing okay on it. I am extra careful about the calcium loss and take calcium chews and vitamins daily, and try to drink it out of a straw to prevent tooth decay. 

Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi.

It's nectar of the gods, I tell ya.

1)  Are you/have you been addicted to diet soda?
Yes

2)  What kind?

Diet Coke (Cherry or Lime)

3)  Did you drink it daily/weekly/monthly?

A liter+ a day!

4)  Any idea if it's bad for you and can make you gain/lose weight?

I lost plenty of weight on diet sodas. I still drink a liter a day and have stayed at 110 for a while.

1)  Are you/have you been addicted to diet soda?

I'm addicted to TaB. Do you guys remember TaB? I like all diet drinks, but TaB is my vice. I even have to travel about 30 minutes to a huge supermarket to get it, and I buy 5-7 cases at a time, usually about every 2-3 weeks.

2)  What kind?

TaB! It's sweetened with mainly Saccharin, which is what I love. It also fizzes more than other diet drinks. Being a guy, it's embarrassing to be seen with a pink TaB can, but I always have a TaB in hand.

3)  Did you drink it daily/weekly/monthly?

Daily - 5-7 easy


4)  Any idea if it's bad for you and can make you gain/lose weight?

I've never liked regular soda, so I can't really compare the two. I think diet sodas generally keep people at a lower weight, since they tend to make one fuller (or they do me at least). I'm also a strict Vegetarian, so that might be why I weigh less than most men. I'm actually almost 15 lbs underweight, but not by choice. I CAN'T gain weight for some reason. People tell me to switch to regular soda, but EWWW.. that just seems nasty. Plus, if I did switch and gained tons of weight, I'd just have to switch back to Diet, so...

1) Are you/have you been addicted to diet soda?

Addicted for about 10 years. Currently not drinking, but that is because when i am on b/c i can't stand the stuff. (when pregnant/on pill you don't metabolise caffeine as quickly therefore can't drink as much. but also besides finding the caffeine too much now finding that I can't handle the sweeter as much either (though I do still drink the occassional diet sprite or whatever)

2)  What kind?

Diet coke / coke light. That is the other thing, really don't like the tast of coke light the way i love diet coke, so my consumption in the UK tends to increase again a little (say 1L in a week over my current nothing here). I did not drink diet pepsi.

3)  Did you drink it daily/weekly/monthly?

Daily, It defined my life. At least 1.5L a day. Still drink it maybe once a week, ironically now i prefer the post mix version which before i would walk half a mile to get a "real" diet coke instead of post mix.

4)  Any idea if it's bad for you and can make you gain/lose weight?

Really isn't good for your teeth. Although it isn't as acidic as other sodas, it is still pretty bad. I've raved about this in other posts. Don't brush your teeth within 30 minutes of drinking because you will brush off the already weakened enamel.
Don't know if it makes you gain weight, but i know if i drank that much real coke it certainly would.

ALso be supper careful about drinking old diet coke. I will not drink it within 3 months of the expiry date. (been known to send it back in resturants for being out of date)

also there were recent reports that the preservative is really bad for you and might degrade mitochondrial DNA.

diet soda's wayy worse for you then regular soda..........

its sweetened with aspertame not saccharin

and it actually makes you crave more sweets cuz it tricks ur bodyinto thinking its getting calories but gets none and it wants it

I used to be addicted to diet drinks, too, and I can tell you that the sooner you stop using artificial sweeteners the better.  My story is a long one, going back many years, which included my tipping the scales at almost 190lbs just before my wedding (I'm only 5'2" and small boned)!  When I realized that it was the artificial sweeteners that were making me gain weight, I cut them out completely and went back to using sugar - believe it or not, without even trying, I lost weight.  Today I have no sugar (or milk) in my coffee or tea, I drink lots of water and as a treat, allow myself half a cup of regular cola (RC is the least sweet tasting to me) from time to time.

Of course, not everyone has that type of reaction to artificial sweeteners, but why we would want to fill our bodies up with chemicals when we can find a way to do without them is beyond me.  And the truth is, our bodies need a certain amount of sugar to function properly.  To deprive our bodies of that totally just can't be healthy.  Who knows what kind of damage you're doing to your bodies by abusing artificial sweeteners?

Just so you know, I have a friend with Lupus who has been told by her doctors that artificial sweeteners are like poison for her - and years of drinking diet sodas and using artificial sweeteners have effected her kidneys - and she now has only 30% kidney function.  My husband just had prostrate surgery and his doctors told him that people with a history urinary problems should also not use artificial sweeteners.  I personally have PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome) and found out from the internet, which was confirmed by my doctors and my dietician, that I should also stay away from artificial sweeteners - and that's why I gained weight when using them.

Sure, it is hard to cut out artificial sweeteners, but it can be done.  I did it, and I'm much healthier because of it, and I have a far less difficult time losing weight today than when I was using artificial sweeteners.

Original Post by mfchill:

Soda does not leak calcium from your bones. Cola is linked to reduced bone mineral denisity in women.

While there was no association between soft drinks in general and BMD, the researchers found that women who drank the most cola had significantly less dense bones in their hips. The greater their intake, the thinner the bones, and the relationship was seen for diet, regular, and non-caffeinated colas.

Cola consumption had no effect on BMD in men.

So women shouldn't drink a lot of cola but all other sodas are fine...and us men can drink what we want.

I don't believe it.  Men can get osteoporosis as well, you know.  Its just more prevelant in women than it is in men (partially because women live longer then men).  Trust me, if you drink lots of cola, and you're over the age of 40, you might want to get a bone density test done to make sure you're okay - men and women alike. 

 

Up until about 1 month ago, I was drinking approximately 100 - 120 ounces of diet soda daily. Yes, you read that correctly. Almost an entire gallon of diet soda per day (Monday through Sunday). Whilst I don't believe all of the artificial sweetener horror stories, I know from my own personal experience that I felt sick (nauseous, dizzy, disconnected) Monday through Sunday, so I do buy some of the arguments.

I've since replaced the diet sodas with good old H20, virtually ounce for ounce, and can honestly tell you that I don't feel nauseous, dizzy, or disconnected in the least anymore. You'll still find me drinking a few cans of Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi or Coke Zero on the weekend, as I can't get away from them completely, but you won't find me drinking diet sodas anywhere near like I use to.

As far as the whole 'Good vs. Bad' argument, my big thing is moderation. Honestly, I'm beginning to get sick of hearing myself say that, but it is true. A few diet sodas here and there aren't going to necessarily kill you (assuming you don't have PKU), but I definitely wouldn't suggest that you drink half your body weight in them (like I was doing). I mean, let's face it, there's not much in this world anymore that won't kill you at some point.       

 

1) About three months.
2) Diet Mountain Dew
3) I used to drink it daily when trying to switch from regular to diet, but some days even diet soda is too much for me and I opt for water.  Currently I drink it once a month, if that.
4) I lost 34 pounds and used to drink it more than I drank water?