It's been almost a full week since I was leveled by the news that my daily Diet Coke may be making me fat. That and the "lite" strawberry apple sauce and nearly every low-calorie item I ingest.A new study in rats suggest my beloved Splenda and other artificial sweetners may actually be contributing to the obesity epidemic. In fifth-grade language, our brain releases a message to our digestive system whenever it senses (through taste, mainly) that a high-calorie item is coming down the hatch. This is because dense-calorie items need extra energy to be broken down. When you substitute fake sugar for the real thing, the sensors initially react similarly, but over time become accustomed to being fooled and shut off those digestive agents. So you don't feel as full after consuming it or anything you eat with it. Therefore, you eat more to feel full.
Here's more: Metabolic syndrome II: Sweetness and Light (The Economist)
While we're on the subject of sweet, I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day. We in San Diego got a special 'treat' -- an unexpected, extended storm with thunder, lightning, heavy winds, hail and rain and, in many parts, snow! My Valentine also gave me a brand-new Nikon Coolpix P50 digital camera to replace the one that died on me over the holidays. Wordless Wednesdays should return soon...as well as my good mood!
20 comments:
my condolences to you on the passing of your old camera...mine just died too, i'm just not ready for a new one yet:(
No....not my diet coke!
This past month I sort of quit drinking sodas, both diet and regular, just to see if I could do it. Much to my surprise, I don't miss soda and my plain ol' water consumption has gone up. When I did go back to my beloved diet cherry Coke, it wasn't as good as I had remembered.
The Splenda and other artificial sweeteners issue is a mixed bag of info. If you're diabetic those artificial sweetneners can make a difference in keeping the over all diet on track. For others, though, I think they assume they're doing something less bad for themselves with the Splenda/artificial sweeteners and over indulge elsewhere. (This discussion comes up at work all the time.) It's a matter of controlling over-all daily caloric intake, and getting in balanced nutrition.
Awesome new camera! Looking forward to your *Wordless Wednesdays* once again!
Happy belated Valentine's Day!
I'm finding this topic really interesting too...
TMI, but here goes.. since RnR Arizona I've been having some major tummy issues. Every morning I drink 2 cups of coffee with FF half & half and Splenda. After the race, my body started rejecting everything... especially after I downed those cups of coffee. I had to change something... and since I'm not giving up the coffee until it's the absolute last resort, I switched to regular half and half and real sugar. Morning tummy issues gone.
I'm convinced it was the Splenda...?!
I've wondered about this too. I haven't had the problems with weight gain, but I drink a lot of diet coke and have some of the same stomach issues that other people have mentioned. I'm definitely of the mind that there's a connection.
Thanks for mentioning Uno on my blog hehe. (we are a happy household over his win!) -- And yes sweets aren't so sweet...I gave up "sweets" for Lent (not sugar) ...cakes, cookies, candies, etc. It is HARD to do but I really feel so much better, so even keel, and a little leaner too and it's only been 10 days..
My problem is I grew up drinking coffee and tea with sweetner (must of been sacharine). It's what tastes "right" to me. Tea with sugar just doesn't taste the same. It's really the only thing I use splenda in, oh, and on oatmeal. I could easily give it up on oatmeal, but I don't know about tea.
And, I meant to say - nice Valentine's gift! I bet that makes you really happy!
The diet soda story is bunk - pure correlation, no science. Don't believe a word of it.
Enjoy your new camera. I'm still shopping around, but some of those Coolpixs look pretty awesome.
Hey, we're right so far on the Oceanic 6! I'm loving this season so far.
I have had experience with other people who have stomach aches after ingesting "fake" sugars, so I think that can definitely be a problem for some people. I hope the other information is pure bunk but I haven't read it closely enough to decide. Wouldn't that be ironic -- here we all are, faithfully drinking no-sugar beverages, and maybe it's just making things worse! I give up!
Chris
I'm with Donald - all those scares are bunk - enjoy everything in moderation. And congrats on the new camera, I love wordless Wednesdays!
I had to wean myself off diet pepsi - when the Dr. said NO to caffeine.
I drink different kinds of teas now...
I'm waiting for Wednesday!
They way they portray things these days, everything seems just bad for you. If it doesn't cause this, it will cause some other bad thing for your health.
Just drink and be happy. I don't like Diet anyway.. Sugar high gets me through the workday..
Look forward to wordless wednesday's again.
what is it about the lure of diet coke . . . it's like no other soda or beverage . . . : (
A new camera: have fun!!
Happy to hear you got a new camera. Looking forward to Wordless Wednesdays.
I'm a Splenda girl too. Have to rethink that. I tried Stevia for a while. It's supposed to be "natural." But not sure if it does the same thing.
If my great grandmother didn't eat it, I'm not going to eat it. Our modern food system is killing us and making big pharma rich, rich, rich while we all die, die, die. Raw milk rules!!!!
so if I want to lose weight I need to quit drinking diet coke? Hmm.. maybe I'm okay where I'm at :)
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