BREAKING UP WITH DIET PEPSI
BREAKING UP WITH DIET PEPSI
I just absolutely loved the combination of the cold and the bubbles. I was never a coffee drinker, so my beloved Diet Pepsi gave me a caffeine fix too. However, two years ago when I began researching more about nutrition, artificial sweeteners, and the gut microbiome, I knew that the relationship had to come to an end for the overwhelming benefit of my health. I broke up with my Diet Pepsi habit – and although very hard to do, it was unquestionably the right choice.
Evidence continues to mount of the harm diet soda can impact on our health. Check out this recent article from CNN:
“More bad news for diet soda lovers: Drinking two or more of any kind of artificially sweetened drinks a day is linked to an increased risk of clot-based strokes, heart attacks and early death in women over 50, according to a new study by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.”
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/14/health/diet-soda-women-stroke-heart-attack/index.html
“Previous research has shown a link between diet beverages and stroke, dementia, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome, which can lead to heart disease and diabetes.”
“This study, as well as other research on the connection between diet beverages and vascular disease, is observational and cannot show cause and effect. That’s a major limitation, researchers say, as it’s impossible to determine whether the association is due to a specific artificial sweetener, a type of beverage or another hidden health issue.”
“While science continues to explore the connection, Americans are turning more and more to water and other non-calorie beverages, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, a data and consulting group. In 2016, bottled water surpassed carbonated soft drinks to become the number-one beverage by volume and has continued to dominate the market in 2017 and 2018.
In 2018, Americans are projected to drink just over 3 billion gallons of diet sodas out of a total of 12.2 billion gallons of carbonated sodas, according to data from the Beverage Marketing Corporation.
“Personally, I’ve stopped drinking artificially sweetened beverages,” Sacco said, adding that he sees the emerging research as “an alert” for hard-core fans of diet drinks and anyone thinking of turning to them for weight loss.
“We should be drinking more water and natural beverages, such as unsweetened herbal teas,” Mossavar-Rahmani said. “We can’t just go all day drinking diet soda. Unlimited amounts are not harmless.”
If you are looking for help to break up with any of your bad nutritional habits, our team can help. Our amazing registered dietitian nutritionist, Claire Allen, and our wonderful behavioral coach/counselor, Jed Foster, are eager to help you achieve your wellness goals. Consultations are usually covered by standard commercial health insurance and we can help you figure out your coverage. Please call 224.407.4400 or visit compgihealth.com for more information. It is time for me to grab a cup of black coffee!