Can Diet Soda Fatten You
One thing that can be said about Americans is we are good in an emergency. But we sure drop the ball when it comes to preventing emergencies.
Case in point — heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and most cancers are highly preventable, but you'd never know it given the continued high incidence of morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. From a public health perspective, it seems that when we finally get around to taking a step in the right direction, we turn around and take two steps back.
For example, after fighting overseas in WWII, our soldiers returned home addicted to cigarettes. This was thanks to the "generosity" of tobacco companies donating cigarettes to accompany daily rations. The incidence of smoking in the U.S. increased greatly, peaking 60 years ago with nearly half of Americans as chronic smokers. Now, thanks to a concerted effort to stamp out smoking, we are down to 18%.
Wow! Sounds like we are making great progress in preventing lethal chronic diseases.
Sorry, but no.
As cigarette smoking declined, another sinister force stepped forward to take its place and ruin the health of Americans. Researchers have determined that sugar consumption from so-called "added" sugar (caloric sweeteners added to foods and beverages during preparation or processing, and not naturally occurring sugar as in milk and fruits) has increased dramatically, and is accelerating year by year.
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Smoking is the number one risk factor for heart disease, and excess "added sugar" mimics smoking in many ways, inflaming the walls of arteries, thickening and making them stiffer, stressing and damaging the heart. In addition, all that unnecessary added sugar contributes to obesity, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance which ultimately leads to Type 2 diabetes.
Where are sugars are hiding in sports drinks, sodas?
You don't have to look hard to find the main source of sugar. Soda and sports/energy drinks account for 35% of sugar needlessly added to the diet. Following at a distance are sweet desserts (13%), fruit drinks (8%), and candy (7%). Here are some facts to consider:
The American Heart Association recommends modest added sugar intake throughout the day of only 25 grams for women and 36 grams for men. Americans, on average, take in nearly four times this much daily, and it's much worse in those who slug down too many sodas. Consider that in a typical soft drink like Coca-Cola, a 12-ounce can contains 39 grams of sugar and 140 calories (all from sugar). This one serving already exceeds daily recommendations.
And if you go for larger servings, a 20-ounce bottle of Coke contains 65 grams of sugar and 240 calories, and a 1-liter bottle (34-ounces) contains 108 grams of sugar and a whopping 400 calories.
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Unfortunately, it's not uncommon to see folks carrying around a 1-liter soft drink bottle and sipping it throughout the day. The good news is, if you want to make a huge change in your diet to make it healthier and to help you lose weight, all you have to do is swear off soft drinks.
No, diet soda is not the answer to cut sugar
Given the theme of this column, it would seem that a big step forward in promoting public health would be to shift from fully sugared soda to sugarless diet drinks. Seems logical, right? Unfortunately, over the years, it has been determined that diet drinks are not the answer. Yes, diet drinks reduce calories from sugar, but they can be harmful to your health in several ways.
For starters, ironically, diet drinks can actually cause weight gain instead of weight loss. Despite fewer calories in diet drinks, this is offset by an increased desire for sugary treats. This may be due to a change in the brain, the so-called "sweet-sensing reward center," and its reaction to sweetness, causing an increase in cravings for high-calorie foods.
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Another problem with diet drinks that can promote weight gain has to do with changes in our gastrointestinal microbes, the gut microbiome. Research suggests that artificial sweeteners increase the population of gut bacteria that do a better job of releasing energy from food during digestion. In turn, this makes more energy available to be stored as body fat.
Diet soda may increase risk of insulin resistance, stroke
Supposedly, one logical bright spot for diet drinks is that with no calories from sugar, they would not cause an insulin response the way sugar does. But research indicates that diet drinks may cause "insulin confusion" and actually result in increases in both insulin and glucose in the bloodstream. Over time, this can contribute to insulin resistance and the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Some research also points to an increased risk of stroke associated with diet drinks. Results from the ongoing Women's Health Initiative Study found that obese women consuming two or more diet drinks daily were twice as likely to have an ischemic stroke (blood supply to the brain is cut off — the most common cause of strokes) than obese women who avoid diet drinks.
Why you should cut out soda drinking habits now
Do your body a huge favor and kick the soft drink and diet drink habit. What's the best option? Water. Fortunately, there is a vast array of choices when it comes to water, but don't get caught up in the hype. It's doubtful that these water selections actually promote health in some way, but they are, in effect, "healthy" because they take the place of the really bad guys, soda and diet drinks.
Reach Bryant Stamford, a professor of kinesiology and integrative physiology at Hanover College, at stamford@hanover.edu.
Source: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/wellness/health/2021/10/28/diet-soda-can-make-you-gain-weight-increase-stroke-risk/8515939002/
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