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Diet Soda Makes People Fat

By HERWriter
 
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Diet soda can make you fat. Makes you wonder why it's called "diet".

According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) diet sodas are also addictive, in that drinking them causes changes in your brain, and in your behavior.

"Your self-control goes out the window. Your body actually becomes addicted to the unnatural sweetness like it’s a drug.

"In one study, animals had the choice between cocaine and saccharin. Ninety four percent chose saccharin – even if they were already addicted to the cocaine."

Drinks with artificial sweeteners over-stimulate sweetness receptors. An excess of insulin is released. Your appetite spikes, causing cravings and overeating of high-carbohydrate foods. And the extra insulin signals your body to turn all those empty calories into fat.

How do you break free? Stay away from artificially sweetened sodas and go for natural food and drinks. Your sweetener receptors will adjust. And your nutrition and very possibly your weight will improve.

http://www.healthiertalk.com/obesity-lo-cal-can-2089

Add a Comment2 Comments

james.laitinen

I can appreciate the thought process that diet soda makes people fat. But that is counter intuitive. While the craving for high carbohydrate foods is compelling the challenge is with calorie intake.

For example if your daily burn rate of calories was 2000. And your intake was 2300 then your body will convert the extra calories as fat. Conversely if your intake was 1800 then you have a deficit of 200 calories that the body will burn from fat.

It would seem reasonable to me as a choice for a diet to substitute this type of option in moderation. For example you could have a sandwich for lunch, with a diet soda compared to a regular soda removing 38+ grams of sugar from your meal.

The real challenge is with portions, calorie intake, and taking everything in moderation. It is easy to associate blame with the diet soda but that most likely is not the root cause of the issue.

As an example a lack of sleep can cause the same process to occur.
https://www.empowher.com/obesity/content/refile-can-too-little-sleep-make-you-gain-weight

July 9, 2011 - 11:48pm

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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I'm Thinking Soda's are bad anyway!!!...

July 15, 2010 - 8:37pm

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Jody Smith
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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