So, You Think Drinking Diet Soda will Help You Lose Weight?

The beverage industry has been inundating us for years with the idea that drinking diet soda will help us to lose weight because it doesn't contain sugar. Smart consumers know that all chemical sugar substitutes...aspartame, sucralose, xylitol.... may cause many unintended health consequences.  Now, we have some interesting research that is giving the soda industry some much needed heartburn.

Susie Swithers, a behavioral scientist at Purdue University, has published a study in, "Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism," that indicates that people who drink diet sodas are more likely to overeat, gain weight and show more health problems than those who drink regular soda.  They are also twice as likely to develop metabolic syndrome, a precursor to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It appears that the sugar substitutes are counterproductive to both the weight loss and "better" health results claimed by the beverage industry.

Interestingly enough, for those who just have to have their soda fix, Coke has begun production on a stevia-sweetened version.  How interesting that they are trying to offer a "healthier" version of their diet soda.  Now, that's an oxymoron if I've ever heard of one!  There just is no good reason to drink soda. And, now, we have additional proof that diet soda will not help people to lose weight.

Dr. Esther
drkollars@gmail.com
fixdhealthcare.com