Purdue
University researchers reviewed a dozen studies published in the past
five years that examined the relationship between consuming diet soda
and health outcomes for the report, published as an opinion piece in the
journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism. They say they were
"shocked" by the results.
"Honestly,
I thought that diet soda would be marginally better compared to regular
soda in terms of health," said Susan Swithers, the author of this
opinion piece and a behavioral neuroscientist and professor of
psychological sciences. "But in reality, it has a counterintuitive
effect."
Artificial
sweeteners in diet soda fulfill a person's craving for a sweet taste
without the calories. But that's the problem, according to researchers.
Think of it like crying wolf.
Fake
sugar teases your body by pretending to give it real food. But when your
body doesn't get the things it expects to get, it becomes confused on
how to respond.
"You've
messed up the whole system, so when you consume real sugar, your body
doesn't know if it should try to process it because it's been tricked by
the fake sugar so many times," Swithers said.
On
a physiological level, this means when diet soda drinkers consume real
sugar, the body doesn't release the hormone that regulates blood sugar
and blood pressure.
Diet soda drinkers also tend to pack on more pounds than those who don't, the report says.
"The
taste of sweet does cause the release of insulin, which lowers blood
sugar, and if carbohydrates are not consumed, it causes a drop in blood
sugar, which triggers hunger and cravings for sugar," said CNN diet and
fitness expert Dr. Melina Jampolis.
The
artificial sweeteners also dampen the "reward center" in your brain,
which may lead you to indulge more calorie-rich, sweet-tasting food,
according to the report.
The American Beverage Association says the report was "an opinion piece, not a scientific study."
"Low-calorie
sweeteners are some of the most studied and reviewed ingredients in the
food supply today," the association said in a statement. "They are safe
and an effective tool in weight loss and weight management, according
to decades of scientific research and regulatory agencies around the
globe."
Diet soda's negative effects are not just linked to weight gain, however, the report says.
It
found that diet soda drinkers who maintained a healthy weight range
still had a significantly increased risk of the top three killers in the
United States: diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
"We've
gotten to a place where it is normal to drink diet soda because people
have the false impression that it is healthier than indulging in a
regular soda," Swithers said. "But research is now very clear that we
need to also be mindful of how much fake sugar they are consuming."
There
are five FDA-approved artificial sweeteners: acesulfame potassium
(Sunett, Sweet One), aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), neotame, saccharin
(SugarTwin, Sweet'N Low) and sucralose (Splenda).
All
of them are chemicals. "Saccharin was one of the first commercially
available artificially sweeteners, and it's actually a derivative of
tar," Swithers said.
Natural
sweeteners like Stevia -- which has no calories and is 250 times sweeter
than regular sugar -- are not a chemical but are still a processed
extract of a natural plant and increase your health risks similar to
artificial sweeteners.
Join the conversation
See the latest news and share your comments with Health on Facebook and Twitter.
"Just because something is natural does not always mean that it is safer," Jampolis said.
There more studies and research that need to be done, but in the meantime, experts say, limit consumption.
"No
one is saying cut it out completely," Swithers said. "But diet soda
should be a treat or indulgence just like your favorite candy, not an
everyday thing."
Diet soda drinkers have the same health issues as those who drink regular soda, according to a report published Wednesday.
Diet soda drinkers have the same health issues as those who drink regular soda, according to a report published Wednesday.
Purdue
University researchers reviewed a dozen studies published in the past
five years that examined the relationship between consuming diet soda
and health outcomes for the report, published as an opinion piece in the
journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism. They say they were
"shocked" by the results.
"Honestly,
I thought that diet soda would be marginally better compared to regular
soda in terms of health," said Susan Swithers, the author of this
opinion piece and a behavioral neuroscientist and professor of
psychological sciences. "But in reality, it has a counterintuitive
effect."
Artificial
sweeteners in diet soda fulfill a person's craving for a sweet taste
without the calories. But that's the problem, according to researchers.
Think of it like crying wolf.
Fake
sugar teases your body by pretending to give it real food. But when your
body doesn't get the things it expects to get, it becomes confused on
how to respond.
"You've
messed up the whole system, so when you consume real sugar, your body
doesn't know if it should try to process it because it's been tricked by
the fake sugar so many times," Swithers said.
On
a physiological level, this means when diet soda drinkers consume real
sugar, the body doesn't release the hormone that regulates blood sugar
and blood pressure.
Diet soda drinkers also tend to pack on more pounds than those who don't, the report says.
"The
taste of sweet does cause the release of insulin, which lowers blood
sugar, and if carbohydrates are not consumed, it causes a drop in blood
sugar, which triggers hunger and cravings for sugar," said CNN diet and
fitness expert Dr. Melina Jampolis.
The
artificial sweeteners also dampen the "reward center" in your brain,
which may lead you to indulge more calorie-rich, sweet-tasting food,
according to the report.
The American Beverage Association says the report was "an opinion piece, not a scientific study."
"Low-calorie
sweeteners are some of the most studied and reviewed ingredients in the
food supply today," the association said in a statement. "They are safe
and an effective tool in weight loss and weight management, according
to decades of scientific research and regulatory agencies around the
globe."
Diet soda's negative effects are not just linked to weight gain, however, the report says.
It
found that diet soda drinkers who maintained a healthy weight range
still had a significantly increased risk of the top three killers in the
United States: diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
"We've
gotten to a place where it is normal to drink diet soda because people
have the false impression that it is healthier than indulging in a
regular soda," Swithers said. "But research is now very clear that we
need to also be mindful of how much fake sugar they are consuming."
There
are five FDA-approved artificial sweeteners: acesulfame potassium
(Sunett, Sweet One), aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), neotame, saccharin
(SugarTwin, Sweet'N Low) and sucralose (Splenda).
All
of them are chemicals. "Saccharin was one of the first commercially
available artificially sweeteners, and it's actually a derivative of
tar," Swithers said.
Natural
sweeteners like Stevia -- which has no calories and is 250 times sweeter
than regular sugar -- are not a chemical but are still a processed
extract of a natural plant and increase your health risks similar to
artificial sweeteners.
Join the conversation
See the latest news and share your comments with Health on Facebook and Twitter.
"Just because something is natural does not always mean that it is safer," Jampolis said.
There more studies and research that need to be done, but in the meantime, experts say, limit consumption.
"No
one is saying cut it out completely," Swithers said. "But diet soda
should be a treat or indulgence just like your favorite candy, not an
everyday thing."
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