We've all heard the naysayers who talk about drinking diet soda, or even regular soda, and the effect that it has on your health. But for most of us, (myself included) we don't actually listen to them because, first, we want to indulge in the delicious refreshing taste of diet soda to get us through our day; and second, they already told us not to drink regular soda so why are they now trying to make us get rid of our diet soda?
Since coming out with diet soda to keep up with the fad of weight loss, many people continually drink diet instead of regular for the fewer calories, and we choose to repeatedly ignore the studies of what diet soda can actually do to our bodies. The real question, though, is should we be paying more attention to those studies and what drinks we put into our body, or is it all just misconceptions?
Some of the main ingredients included in this delectable treat are carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium citrate, natural flavors, citric acid and we can't forget caffeine. One of the ingredients that always stands out is aspartame; I hear most talk about that one. For good reason, too –did you know that aspartame can cause birth defects? That's not the only concerning thing either, there are numerous things it can cause such as headaches, ADD, lupus, Alzheimer's, even mood disorders. Aspartame breaks down into methanol in your body, which is toxic in large quantities. Although there's not much methanol produced when you drink diet soda it is still enough to be concerning.
I know that some of you still aren't convinced not to drink it, but have you ever thought of having a food allergy to diet soda? That's right, you could unintentionally be harming yourself just by drinking one little can if you have food allergies. One of the main ingredients in all soda is caramel coloring. Although caramel coloring isn't known to have any real side effects on the body, you can't always be certain of the source. For those who do have serious food allergies, be aware when you drink soda, or better yet, just don't take the chance and stick with something other than soda.
The last ingredient that I have to mention is caffeine. Caffeine is something that is not easily avoidable since it is in so many drinks, food and even medication. If anyone has been through a caffeine withdrawal they know just how addictive it can be and just how painful those headaches are. Although it can stimulate mental alertness for a time, is it really worth the crash and fatigue after that? There is also the misconception about caffeine and pregnancy. It is okay to have a little bit of soda while pregnant but not too much, because it can relate to miscarriages.
I hope after reading this you'll think twice about drinking that diet soda. Although it can be difficult to find something just as tasty to satisfy your needs, it is doable with healthier solutions such as flavored water with lemon, which can help you lose weight even faster without having to go for diet soda.
"The Truth About Aspartame Side Effects." Healthline. Ed. Heathline Editorial Team. Healthline Media, 8 Dec. 2015. Web. 13 June 2016. <http://www.healthline.com/health/aspartame-side-effects#Overview1>.
"Caffeine Myths and Facts." WebMD. WebMD LLC, 13 Apr. 2015. Web. 13 June 2016. <http://www.webmd.com/balance/caffeine-myths-and-facts?>.
"Caramel Color." Ingredient Results. Be Food Smart, 20 May 2010. Web. 13 June 2016. <http://www.befoodsmart.com/ingredients/caramel-color.php>.
Haller, Madeline. "Science vs. Soda: What's Really in Your Diet Coke?"Men's Health. Rodale Inc., 10 Nov. 2012. Web. 13 June 2016. <http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/science-vs-soda-whats-really-in-your-diet-coke>.