Diet Soda…it is low in calories right? It must be healthy right? Wrong. According to this article from Baptist Health South Florida, Cathy Clarke-Reyes, R.D. Says: “When it comes to sugar, you’re better off with simply less of the real stuff (sugar) than a lot of the fake stuff”. When you consume artificial sweetener, which is a thousand times sweeter than sugar, you actually trick the brain into thinking you are giving it the sugar which in turn will make sugar cravings worse.
When it comes to marketing, consumers like you and me can fall hard and fast for light colored packaging and unhealthy foods with labels that state “gluten-free”, “Non-GMO” and my favorite “natural” on the packaging. These claims can be completely unrelated to what you are eating, misleading and can actually aide in packing on pounds which ultimately increase your risk of acquiring diabetes, heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s . For example, potatoes are naturally gluten-free. Slapping a “gluten-free” label on the package does not automatically make potato chips healthy. Are you picking up what I’m putting down?
The same article states that researchers from Boston’s University School of Medicine found that people who consume one can of artificially-sweetened soft drink a day were at three times the risk of suffering the most common form of stroke, compared to non-drinkers. Another fact that is hard to swallow is that the study also indicated that diet soft drinks can increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s by 2.9 times.
All this rick from a simple beverage decision. Is it really worth it? I. THINK. NOT. Try my favorite soda alternatives below and start to cut back on the diet soda TODAY!
Soda Alternatives I Love Include:
Flavored or Unflavored Seltzer (Just make sure it is unsweetened and free of artificial sugar)
Simple Water with fruit and herbs like: strawberry/basil or lime/mint
Unsweetened Iced Tea
Black Coffee Whipped With Coconut Oil
Green Tea With Cinnamon
Love,
