today's post is on (you guessed it!) keepin' it real. this pertains to food in general and soda in particular. who wants something aritificial when you can have the real deal? not only that, the real deal is better for you!! this concept especially applies to diet pop. did you know that regular pop is actually better for you than its diet counterpart? notice i didn't say good for you. neither one is good for you, but the "real" option with real sugar is definitely the lesser of the two evils. so even though you think you're doing your body good by chugging diet instead of regular, you're actually not!
here's why:
1. for starters, it is not proven that diet soda aids in weight loss. throw the calorie-reduction argument out the window because there's significant evidence that diet sodas and other non-caloric, artificially sweetened drinks can actually CAUSE weight gain. yeah. i know. we'll get into why later.
2. you've heard that diet sodas are labeled as beneficial for those with type 2 diabetics and others with blood-sugar issues, right? well, they're not. this is because your body tastes and registers the sweetness, so even though there are no calories to deal with, the brain triggers a release of insulin. furthermore, it causes the liver to put the brakes on fat-burning processes. it gets worse. among other things, you then get the munchies, have an increased tendency to store blubber, and your body's built-in caloric monitoring system is like "WTH?", which then drives you to pack on the pounds and nosh on junk.
3. remember my previous post about toxins? diet sodas and the chemically-derived artificial sweeteners they contain (aspartame, i'm looking at you!) may act as neurotoxins and have been linked to anxiety, headaches, memory problems, brain fog, depression, skin irritations, menstrual problems, fibromyalgia, joint pain, and more. yowza.
4. diet soda is loaded with gross chemicals that contribute to your body's toxic burden (as if we needed more!),which lowers your immunity, increases inflammation, and reduces your body's ability to effectively deal with other, less easily avoided toxins like those in our (non-organic!) food, water, body-care products, and environment.
5. there's also a psychological aspect. warning: we're about to go deep! the actual act of throwin' back the diet soda ~ and seeing it in your fridge ~ sends your mind a ton of negative, less-than-healthy mental messages (I'm afraid of turning into a jelly belly; I need to diet; I'm being "good" now so I can be "naughty" later) all of which typically lead to other unhealthy eating behaviors, in addition to triggering disempowering feels of self-denial and self-indulgence.
6. when you're chowing down on foods/drinks with artificial sweeteners and/or artificial colors, you're more apt to crave more sweet and hyper-flavored foods, and you're less likely to be able to properly taste more subtle flavors or natural foods. basically, it perverts your palate and keeps you from making other healthy choices because you start to think that the natural foods aren't up to par.
7. if you're constantly sipping/gulping diet soda, then do you really feel like drinking MORE fluid, like water? no you don't. your pure water consumption nosedives, which is really too bad because pure water is the best choice for hydrating your body and carting off toxins from your body (versus adding to the pollution!). also, slurping soda may also get in the way of your body's healthy hunger signals. you're likely not going to desire those healthy snacks that are important for good nutrition, metabolism, energy, and mental function.
8. let's talk acids. those found in diet soda (and even regular soda) erode your teeth enamel. it's not just bad news for your pearly whites, though. soda acids are acidifying to your entire system, thus being adverse to your general health. this includes the good flora in your gut, where guess what lives? Oh, just about 60%of your immune system resides, that's all!! no bueno.
9. unless you're super self-sufficient and make your own, soda is typically bottled/canned. i don't know about your personal consumption of the stuff, but i know people who drink so much they may as well inject it intravenously. that's a whole lotta packaging, which means a whole lotta nonbiodegradable trash. if you also consider every aspect of soda production (from manufacturing and packaging to transport - and even its recycling) then you'll see that it's an unnecessarily wasteful use of fossil fuels.
10. for all of you budget-conscious people, think of all the moolah you could save by cutting out (or cutting back) soda!! use that money towards a fitness program, or nutritional supplement, or cute new workout shoes.
11. despite all the emerging evidence that show otherwise, there are still professionals out there who still give diet soda the green light. trust me, diet soda is NOT the better option, and i get worked up when i see some dieticians and people who should know better encouraging its consumption. i understand, though, if poeple are reluctant to give it up. i was skeptical at first, until i did the research and saw the effects. read the article i include at the end if you're still not sold.
i would love for you to do away with soda once and for all, but i'm also a realist. just do me a favor, k? just do your best to cut back on it. for all you daredevils out there, i dare you to go without for one week. only a week! come on, you can do it. then assess how you feel. for coping methods i suggest you try water sweetened with slices of fruit. or how about herbal teas sweetened with stevia? stevia is a total love of mine!! for all you 0-calorie junkies out there, this is one of the ONLY 0-calorie products that is acceptable and recommended. it's an all-natural sweetener (plant-derived) that has zero calories and tastes like sugar!! you can bake with it, use it as a topping ~ whatever your heart desires! one of the brand names is Truvia.
i HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend you click
here for further reading. sheds further light on the subject and banishes your doubts on the matter once and for all!!
click
here for another fabulous site to check out: i love what this lady has to say and think it provides some great info.
