Obesity is a big concern for the current generation. One of the main reasons is the excessive consumption of packaged foods. While some are simply used to junk products, many rely on them for their daily meal intake to save time cooking proper nutritional home-cooked meals in the midst of their busy schedule.
The rising rate of obesity makes people question their lifestyle. Therefore, companies have started to release more diet-friendly options. One such product is Diet Coke: it’s the idea of losing weight without having to engage your taste buds. But the question is: does it affect your body, especially when you are trying to maintain a healthier body?
The issue of sugar consumption and in what quantity is always a popular debate. Not only does it make a dish taste delicious, but it’s also highly addictive. It has been repeatedly shown that the more sugar we consume, the more calories we ingest, resulting in weight gain.
It’s only natural that if we want to lose weight, we must find a sugar substitute that is just as delicious as sugar but doesn’t have the calories. Over the past decade, people have turned heavily to sugar-free options to minimize calorie intake without having to reduce the sweetness of a delicacy.
According to an article published by Precision Nutrition titled All about natural sweetenersit was no surprise that 20% of modern diets now consist of sweeteners.
After realizing the risks that come with refined table sugar, people shifted their focus to natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave, and brown sugar. There is an assumption that “natural” automatically means “healthier.” Yes, these forms of sugars contain other antioxidants and nutrients that can benefit our bodies. But, it could also mean that people who love sugar may overeat desserts in the name of healthy eating.
As a result, while it relies on the benefits of the minimal amount of nutrients found in natural sugars, excessive consumption can also lead to obesity and other lifestyle-related diseases.
Meanwhile, lab-made sweeteners aren’t as harmful as once thought. Sweeteners that emerged in the food industry were once believed to be the cause of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. It is always important to be aware of what we put in our body. However, there have been a large number of inconclusive or insignificant results, and as many as eight sweeteners have since been approved by the FDA for food additives.
What differentiates artificial sweeteners from sugar?
The answer lies in their chemical bond. Most of the sweeteners used in “diet” products are “high intensity” sweeteners. The sweetness it contains is so strong that the smallest dose can make a drink taste delicious without adding calories. One of these popular sweeteners is ‘Stevia’, these are 250-300 times sweeter than table sugar. Other examples are saccharin (200-700 times sweeter) and sucralose (600 times sweeter).
An article titled Health Implications of Fructose Consumption, stated that our recommended daily intake of sugar should be less than 50 g of fructose. This is because high-fructose diets are associated with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Fructose is not limited to artificial sweeteners, it is also found in large amounts in natural sources such as agave (a type of plant). A 32 oz can of agave-flavored soft drink when compared to that sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the agave one contains 56 g of fructose while the latter contains about 50 g. It is the dose that produces the poison, not the substance itself. Therefore, it is more important to count the intake than the product.
Hence the question arises if foods sweetened with high intensity sweeteners are so bad? The answer is- not exactly. In fact, if you’re looking for a better sugar substitute, especially if you’re trying to lose weight without making drastic changes to your lifestyle, artificial sugar is beneficial if consumed in smaller amounts.
Going back to ‘diet sodas’, which are one of the popular drinks among gym enthusiasts. If you’re looking for something to quench your sweet tooth without consuming a lot of calories, a can of Coca-Cola Zero can quench your thirst.
For those who love alcohol but avoid it due to health concerns, drinking a can of soda can be a mild form of pleasure. It is because of its powerful astringent taste that it provides a slight burning sensation of carbonation on the tongue, which is similar to whiskey or wine. This can be a great way to kick a craving if you can stop at one.
On the other hand, if you’re a sugar-sweetened soda person, switching to your diet variety is a small step toward reducing caloric intake without overwhelming yourself with a significant dietary change.
However, at some point, even diet soda doesn’t work and sweet cravings still take a walk in the mind. In this case, relying on Diet Coke can actually increase the desire for sweet foods even more than before. In this case, try to find a healthier substitute like juicy fruits.
Now that we know the advantages of Diet Coke, let’s not ignore its disadvantages as well. Diet sodas contain caffeine, which can disrupt sleep patterns. People who are trying to reduce their caffeine intake on a daily basis also change their preference for Diet Coke, as the caffeine content is lower compared to a regular cup of coffee.
In a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, it was found that people who suffered from sleep deprivation burned 559 fewer calories per day, which can affect your attempts to lose weight.
