Diet beverages and body weight

doi:10.15406/aowmc.2016.04.00107

Advances in

eISSN: 2378-3168

Obesity, Weight Management & Control

Opinion Volume 4 Issue 5

Diet beverages and body weight

Maria Nadeem

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University of the Punjab, Pakistan

Correspondence: Maria Nadeem, Clinical Nutritionist and Dietician, University of the Punjab, 388-Rblock, Johar Town Lahore, Pakistan, Tel 3214822241

Received: December 22, 2015 | Published: May 30, 2016

Citation: Nadeem M. Diet beverages and body weight. Adv Obes Weight Manag Control. 2016;4(5):144. DOI: 10.15406/aowmc.2016.04.00107

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Opinion

If you are diabetic or obese and you want to cut back on sugar, to lose weight or balance your blood sugar level, go for DIET BEVERAGES for alternative to the regular ones. This approach is usually marketed to the obese or diabetic patients to reduce their calories. These popular weight loss beverages are actually damaging our bodies in different aspects. They may be free of calories, but not of consequences.¹

They are actually a Bubble Trouble, seems like a health conscious choice but in fact it is ruining our health with multiple consequences. While diet sodas don’t contain any calories, they do contain a list of artificial ingredients that are damaging our health. Many nutritionist all over the world claimed that this phenomenon is very confusing to them, when their patients switched from regular to diet sodas, and they don’t get slimmer with any necessary weight loss.^2–4

Different studies show a strong association between the consumption of diet beverages and increase percentage of waist line. One of the Study subjects that that 6times greater increase in the waist circumference of people had been found who drank 2 or more diet sodas a day than those who didn’t drink diet beverages, said researchers from University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that people who drank diet sodas gained almost triple the abdominal fat over nine years. Drinking one soda a day is strongly associated with 36% increased risk of Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome (high blood pressure, elevated glucose levels, raised cholesterol and large waist circumference) is a study of University of Minnesota.

Sucralose, acesulfame K, saccharine and aspartame are three artificial sweeteners commonly found in soda drinks which are 200-600times sweeter than sugar. Artificial sweeteners trigger insulin, which sends our body in the mode of fat storage and leads to weight gain.

These artificial sweeteners in combination of the Phosphoric acid content have a direct impact on our gut microbes influencing the absorption of nutrients. Beside this malabsorption, its corrosive nature also increased the risk of dental erosion, so actually they are ruining our smile also.^3,5

Moreover, these sweeteners are also messing up with our brain, making us confuse about our sugar intake causing more consumption of foods than normal routine. They have more intense flavor than sugar, so over a period of time these diet sodas dull our senses to natural sweet foods like fruits.⁶ Some other studies strongly evidence the correlation of headaches, migraines and depression with the excessive consumption of these beverages.^4,5

Evidently, it is now suggested that the promotion of artificial sweeteners and diet beverages is one of the ill-advice. The best no calorie beverage is Plain Old Water, as it is the best ever drink to replenish all bodily processes and systems, so replacing it with diet soda is simply nonsense. And if you want to satisfy the craving for fizziness then sometimes you can go for sparkling water with a spritz of lime or orange juice.^5,7