Sugar-free "diet" sodas can make you fatter and even give you Type 2 diabetes, according to a new report from the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Researchers from the The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio found a strong association between drinking diet soda and increased body fat over time -- despite the fact that the popular soft drinks contain no calories!The researchers found that, over a nearly 10-year period, diet soda drinkers experienced a 70% increase in waistline circumference (AKA belly fat!). In fact, the waistlines of frequent diet soda drinkers (2 or more 12 ounce sodas per day) grew by 500% over the time period. Researchers also found that consistent intake of aspartame leads to a pre-diabetic condition in mice.
Many experts believe that the artificial sweeteners are to blame for diet soda's problems. The ultra-sweet chemicals basically trick your brain into thinking you're consuming a large amount of simple sugars. That confuses your brain and messes up your hormone balance in a way that can lead to overeating and more belly fat.
We say: It's obviously a really good idea to avoid most diet sodas. Not only does aspartame appear to destroy your health, but it doesn't even provide the "weight loss" benefits it was supposed to!
This...this article is so misinformed and sensationalized. Correlation is not the same as causation. Research has shown that people may gain more weight drinking diet sodas because they increase consumption of calories elsewhere, believing that because they are having diet drinks they can eat more. Despite saying this later in your article, your title is misleading. Also, diabetes is not caused by either sugar or sugar-free foods directly. Excess sugar in your diet can lead to excess calories which leads to weight gain which increases your risk for developing diabetes, or excess sugar can burn out your pancreas due to a large increase in blood sugar requiring tons of insulin. You cite nothing except some aspartame detox website - artificial sweeteners affect some people more than others and the rat studies where the subjects developed cancer were given huge quantities of the sweetener.
ReplyDeleteOne important thing to note is that calories from sugar sweetened beverages are not nearly as satisfying as eating the same amount of calories from solid foods. As a result, it is easy to go overboard with drinks before you get full which can result in weight gain.
Artificial sweeteners are a reasonable method when attempting to control your calories as long as you don't only rely on them.
-Registered Dietitian, Masters in Human Nutrition, Public Health Program Interventionist