Dieting and Diet Soda
Most people who on a diet are trying to lose weight, somehow, some of them believe that they can lose weight while enjoying drinking soda by drinking diet soda rather than regular soda. Well, even though there is the word diet in diet soda, this does not mean drinking this type of beverage would complement or help that person lose weight. In fact, the opposite is true.
You actually sabotage your own weight loss plan when you drink a diet soda. The following is a list of reasons why you should not drink diet sodas to lose weight or for any other purpose.
Energy Factor
The one thing our body uses in order to get quick bursts of energy is sugar. Unfortunately, what is contained in diet sodas is not sugar but merely a poor substitute for it. You may taste the sweetness but in terms of chemical compound, it doesn’t really come to par. This may lead to sluggishness and sleepiness since the burst of energy burst usually supplied by sugar is absent.
Aspartame
Almost all diet sodas contain a toxic substance sweetener known as aspartame that is believed to cause dozens of serious side effects when taken for a very long time. These side effects include migraines; headaches; mood swings; poor equilibrium or dizziness; facial pain; slurring of speech; severe drowsiness or sleepiness; tremors often severe; restless leg syndrome; numbness of extremities; stomach cramps and pain; hyperactivity; impaired vision including bright flashes, tunnel vision, and blurring; vision changes; decreased tears; eye pain; intolerance to noise; tinnitus;, bulging eyes; convulsions and seizures; diarrhea; weakness; fatigue; rash; neurological issues; hives; insomnia; itching; arrhythmia; local swelling; tingling or numbness; breathing difficulty; change in level of activity; alteration in menstrual pattern; oral sensory changes; significant weight loss; gradual weight gain; severe PMS; increased susceptibility to infection; frequent urination; mental retardation; birth defects; brain damage; aspartame addiction; ulcers; extreme cravings for sweets; and depression. Aspartame can also lead to symptoms of some serious diseases like susceptibility to the Epstein-Barr virus; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Alzheimer’s disease; Lyme disease; epilepsy; ALS; Grave’s disease; multiple sclerosis; lupus; fibromyalgia; ADD; ADHD; and non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
Sugar Content
One big reason why people love to drink diet sodas is because it tastes good diet. However the artificial sweetener contained in diet soda triggers an effect that causes people who drink them to eat more than they actually should. This defeats the purpose of why this type of drink was created in the first place which was to help dieting people lose weight.
Addiction Factor
An ingredient contained in diet soda persuades people to drink more and more of it each time. Studies have in fact shown the taste of the drink can make some people strongly addicted to it. Caffeine is also an ingredient in diet sodas and although this substance can function as antioxidant, it can be harmful when it’s taken in large amounts.
Of course, drinking diet soda is not all bad when it’s drank every now and then instead of every day. This is one way of enjoying the drink without experiencing ill effects because of it.
The point is, when you’re dieting and want to lose weight, drinking diet soda will not help you one bit. Weight loss and diet soda fall in different categories that are diametrically opposed to one another. Diet sodas make you gain weight not lose it.
