What's the story with Diet Coke [Archive]

davef

01-11-2008, 02:42 AM

Before I was diagnosed I drank Diet Coke all the time, I could probably have been classed as being addicted to the stuff.

I'm overweight and when I was diagnosed my Doctor sat with myself and my wife to work out how I was going to change my lifestyle and eating habits. One of the things he said was that I needed to cut out all "fizzy" drinks, even diet ones. At the time I was still coping with the sentence "David, I sorry we didn't catch this earlier, but from the tests it's clear you have diabetes" so I didn't think of asking if cutting out diet coke was related to losing weight or for better diabetes control.

Now I'm curious, I don't intend going back to the diet coke (it was the only "fizzy" drink I liked) but I am wondering why he said to cut it out, must remember to ask him next week.

Has anyone else been told to do this?

gambi

01-11-2008, 03:21 AM

He probably told you to cut it out becuase of the artificial sweetner aspartame, if you googel aspartame you'll see why he's trying to steer you away from it. They have found the diet drinks made with artificial sweetners make you hungrier. And who knows what other problems they cause.

I myself have tried to cut back, but it's hard. I have switched to only drinking diet sodas with splenda and limiting them to only a few times a week.

Oh I've also heard that caffeine can raise blood sugar.

Pretty much everything some way or another is going to end up bad for you, it stinks.

ant hill

01-11-2008, 03:24 AM

Before I was diagnosed I drank Diet Coke all the time, I could probably have been classed as being addicted to the stuff.
Yes I can remeber having an apple and TAB for the drink at the hospital when diagnosed.

Now I'm curious, I don't intend going back to the diet coke (it was the only "fizzy" drink I liked) but I am wondering why he said to cut it out, must remember to ask him next week.

Has anyone else been told to do this?
MMMmm... Contry to beleve that if it's not water then it's not good for you. :(
I have been told that any fizzy drink is not good for you but then everything in moderration. Even fast food.

princesslinda

01-11-2008, 05:23 AM

I have cut WAY back on my caffeinated beverages, but I still have to have my diet mtn dew in the mornings. The rest of the day, I drink water, but I can't/won't give up my morning wake-up drink! My doctor also mentioned that caffeine may cause my blood sugar to rise and that the diet drinks may stimulate hunger...but I still NEED that morning pick me up.

Alice

01-11-2008, 07:40 AM

I drink a lot of Diet Cokes (I'm not a coffee drinker, except for dessert once in a while)...I've had no problems.

Jan B

01-11-2008, 07:58 AM

Herbal teas without caffeine are making me pretty happy. Hot in the morning & cold in the afternoon!

Penny

01-11-2008, 07:59 AM

It has little to do with Diabetes, but I used to drink Diet Coke every day, I quit because I was having stomach cramps everytime I drank one. I was told it was because of the caffiene, but I did not get cramps when I drank coffee. I did get them when I had a soft drink without caffiene, like RC. I decided it was the fizzy, though I do not have a problem with fountain drinks. I also do not have a BS increase after my 2 cups of morning coffee, or on the rare times I have a fountain drink or risk the stomach ache for a can of Diet Coke. I kind of think it is like food, some of us will have a problem, some will not.....you just need to test and see what it does to you.

yellowlab03

01-12-2008, 05:11 PM

Diet coke, well, any soda makes my chest feel "funny" I've never heard of the aspartame stuff, maybe that is what made me feel funny.

I'd kill someone in the morning if I didn't have my coffee though:mad: . My wife has made me switch to that half the caf stuff... I think she is trying to ween me off of it and switch me to decaf... I love her, she looks after me:D

duck

01-12-2008, 05:34 PM

Nikky

01-12-2008, 07:35 PM

I have heard about this, but never really bought it :confused:
After 28 years of frequently sweetening pretty much everything I have not turned green or starving yet and never seen any odd affects on my BG.
I have been a Diet Coke and caffeine addict since I were still in nappies.

Cyborg

01-12-2008, 08:14 PM

caswellhb

01-12-2008, 08:58 PM

We all have to some sort of vice. In the absence of alcohol, sex, smoking,fast food and losing my temper, I think Diet Coke is quite acceptable really.

Heather.

pdxdennisj

01-13-2008, 07:08 AM

I drink diet coke (actually Dr. Pepper) all the time. I have never had a doctor treating my diabetes request I stop drinking diet sodas. I have been warned about the sugar content in regular sodas. There are people on this board who's opinions are waaaaay outside that of the established medical community. There will always be a doctor here or there who will have a differing opinion on something. I usually to go with the thought of 98% of the educated establishment and not with the 2% of those who hold a contrary point of view. That goes for how to treat diabetes, heart disease and all my other ailments.

duck

01-13-2008, 07:17 AM

ladytaz

01-13-2008, 07:24 AM

I have been drinking Diet Coke for YEARS, and LOTS of it. I pretty much drink it daily. Well more than a 6 pack a day! diet soda in general! Have been drinking it on a regular basis, since I was about 11 or 12 years old. I'm 43 now!

I've no tummy problems from it. [according to the "scientific studies", my stomach should have a hole in it, the size of an ocean!] It doesn't make me hungrier. It doesn't make my BG rise. Nothing. It's the ONLY drink I do not get sick and tired of.

I'll occasionally get Diet Dr. Pepper instead. But after about a 12 pack of those, and I'm ready again for my Diet Coke. I'll sometimes drink iced tea instead, after about a gallon of that (which is about 1 days worth) I'm sick of it. I don't like water, except for in the middle of the night, or if I'm REALLY hot. I'm not a coffee drinker, though, in the winter, I will occasionally have a cup or two. Usually with some hot chocolate and a couple drips of vanilla added.

Diet Coke is about the only thing that quenches my thirst.

Now, for those who have issues with caffine, carbonation, or aspartame. That is a whole different story. Of course, they should stay away from it, or anything with those ingredients in them!

kstreeter513

01-20-2008, 08:48 AM

We all have to some sort of vice. In the absence of alcohol, sex, smoking,fast food and losing my temper, I think Diet Coke is quite acceptable really.

Heather.

I hear ya. With all the things we can't/shouldn't/not supposed to have and do...Im havin my diet coke **** it.:D

Dan Gato

01-20-2008, 09:59 AM

I drink diet colas, Coke, Pepsi, etc.
No problem here.
The docs & diabetes educators said it was OK to drink diets.
My bg's aren't affected by them.

lisa821

01-20-2008, 10:29 AM

Everybody's different! For me, diet drinks have never raised my blood sugars. I'm a Diet Pepsi drinker, but I've cut back to one a day, sometimes less. For some reason Diet Coke (and Coke products in general, including Diet Sprite) makes me THIRSTIER, but Diet Pepsi doesn't do this. Also, I think there's something in Diet Coke that I may be allergic to, though I have no idea what it is. Diet Coke makes me cough--it's very weird and spooky.

I usually have a mug of coffee in the mornings, but I have noticed that if I have more than one my lunchtime blood sugar spikes a bit. That's just me. Just see what works or doesn't work for you, take your doctor's words under advisement, but realize that you're the one that has to live in your skin, not your doctor. You will learn what best what works for you based on how you feel. Good luck!
~Lisa

DCaplinger

01-20-2008, 01:06 PM

I too have fallen on the Diet drink bandwagon. Before my diagnosis, I thought I'd rather die than drink a Diet soda. Now, I drink Diet soda, because I don't wanna die (of course, I'm exagerating a tad bit. ;) ).

Seriously, I prefer Diet Dr Pepper over anything else, but I limit my intake because of the Aspartame. Diet Pepsi is okay, but I don't care for the aftertaste. Odd though, Diet Dr Pepper is made with Aspartame and Ace K, and it doesn't have the aftertaste. For now, I regularly drink Diet Coke with Splenda.

Regards,

susique333

01-24-2008, 04:28 PM

I switched to Diet Rite, comes in a zillion flavors plus cola and is made with Splenda. Of course theres the usual pot of Joe daily too. Makes me feel all peppy! http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t168/susique333/psychokitty.jpg

gettingby

01-24-2008, 06:06 PM

I have a question.
Have any of you noticed an increase in bg if you ingest something containing Splenda?

lisa821

01-24-2008, 06:53 PM

Of course, there's this spookiness:

The Claim: Too Much Cola Can Cause Kidney Problems

By ANAHAD O’CONNOR
Published: January 22, 2008, The New York Times

It is well known that too much soda can increase the risk of diabetes and obesity. But when it comes to kidney problems, is there a difference between colas and other kinds of soda?

Colas contain high levels of phosphoric acid, which has been linked to kidney stones and other renal problems.

Much of this conclusion stems from anecdotal and circumstantial evidence. So last year, a team of scientists at the National Institutes of Health took a closer look.

In a study published in the journal Epidemiology, the team compared the dietary habits of 465 people with chronic kidney disease and 467 healthy people. After controlling for various factors, the team found that drinking two or more colas a day — whether artificially sweetened or regular — was linked to a twofold risk of chronic kidney disease.

But drinking two or more noncola carbonated drinks a day, they found, did not increase the risk.

The authors of the study say more research is needed, but their findings support the long-held notion that something about cola — the phosphoric acid, for example, or the ability of cola to pull calcium from bones — seems to increase the risk of kidney stones, renal failure and other conditions affecting the kidneys.

THE BOTTOM LINE

There is good evidence that cola beverages can increase the risk of kidney problems, more so than noncola sodas.

jerryn

01-26-2008, 01:47 PM

Do yourself a favor.. read the ingredients.

Hmm... Phosphoric Acid dude... not good

I have sparkling water with a lime wedge or brewed unsweetened ice tea with a lemon to drink.

Coffee... But really good coffee.. you won't need sugar or sweetener.

I like a good italian roast coffee, strong, a little half & half and I'm good.

Richard157

01-26-2008, 03:15 PM

Caffein, aspartame, splenda, cola, etc have no affect on my blood sugar level. I also like fruit flavored drinks. The Polar brand is great with grape, black cherry, ginger ale, cola, and several other flavors. Polar has aspartame but you can get the same flavors from the Waist Watchers brand, sweetened with splenda. I also drink at a gallon of Crystal Lite each week, many flavors to choose from and no fizz.

Richard

Dewey

01-26-2008, 03:44 PM

Now I'm curious, I don't intend going back to the diet coke (it was the only "fizzy" drink I liked) but I am wondering why he said to cut it out, must remember to ask him next week.

Has anyone else been told to do this?
I haven't been told to do it (cut out the Diet Coke), but chose to do it myself (I once drank a 6 pack of Diet Coke in my teens & got sick as a result - headache & vomiting).

Could it be due to the sodium content in the "fizzy drinks" (as the reason the doctor told you to cut it out)? Sodium can cause fluid retention, and from my understanding, make it more difficult to lose weight if one's trying. Now, I may be wrong (as I haven't recently read the ingredients of Diet Coke), but it's just a thought.

I usually to go with the thought of 98% of the educated establishment and not with the 2% of those who hold a contrary point of view. That goes for how to treat diabetes, heart disease and all my other ailments.
I think your last sentence says it best. To each his or her own on different things, and what may work for one, may or may not work for others. Some may experience allergic reactions to drinks like Diet Coke & the like (possibly due to the Aspartame/Nutrasweet), and others may drink a Ton of the stuff & never experience an issue.

I'm in the 2% that has a different point of view when it comes to Diet Coke, but it's directly due to personal experience. As with everything else, we're all entitled & just cause one's views don't align with the majority, doesn't mean that they're any less intelligent than anyone else (it just means they've learned differently or adopted a different point of view).

aqualimestar

02-08-2008, 11:34 PM

Diet Coke has been my lifesaver. Without it, I don't know what I would do. I love soda. I admit, it probably isn't great that I only drink Diet Coke and nothing else, but I haven't had any problems. My diabetes educator tried to get me to cut back, and for a short period I even cut it out all together, but there was no change in my blood sugar levels. If anything, I felt worse without my soda! I didn't lose any weight when I stopped drinking soda, something else I was told would happen.
In my opinion, for those of us who love soda, Diet Coke is the best thing to ever happen! I would much rather drink a diet soda than a high calorie, high sugar beverage!
Considering I drink more than one 12 pack a day and nothing bad has happened yet, I think its okay.

Kryton50036

03-09-2008, 06:59 PM

I usually drink 2 liters of Diet Mountain Dew a day with a can of Diet Pepsi for lunch, and haven’t seen any difference on my BG. As for the caffeine, they both are less than half of most regular coffees at around 35mg per serving, and the sodium is the same. When I was hospitalized for mu foot ulcer, they let me have all the Diet MD I could drink, same when I was in for observation after an arrythmia attache.

Ginette

03-09-2008, 08:55 PM

Thought this might help explain why some doctors are starting to steer people away from diet soft drinks.

Below is a quote from a recent study published in a AHA journal. This study showed that drinking soft drinks, whether regular or diet at the rate of more than one a day was associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, including poor BG control.

If you enjoy that fizz, sparkling mineral water has been given the thumbs up by a few studies.

Hope this helps...

Dhingra et al., Circulation. 2007;116:480-488In the present study, we observed a significantly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome among middle-aged adults who consumed 1 soft drink per day. This association was consistent for intake of both regular and diet soft drinks. Our prospective analyses corroborated the cross-sectional findings; we observed an increase in the incidence of metabolic syndrome among adults consuming at least 1 soft drink per day, regardless of whether it was of the regular or diet type. Additionally, consumption of soft drinks daily was associated with a higher incidence of each metabolic syndrome component. The present study extends results from prior studies that reported that a greater intake of soft drinks is associated with increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome,28 higher risk of obesity,4–6 high blood pressure,7 and diabetes mellitus.5 The similar metabolic hazard posed by both regular and diet soft drinks is noteworthy given the lack of calories in the latter; however, other studies have also reported associations of diet soft drinks with weight gain in boys29 and with hypertension in adult women.7

alicat61

03-10-2008, 08:28 PM

:) Hi
I'm sure i'm adicted to diet coke. I can easially drink a 2 litre bottle a day. I think as I hardly ever drink coffee whats the difference, I try to cut back at times and at the moment try to only have up to one litre a day. it makes no difference to my blood sugars.
I hate the taste of all the other diet drinks (I will have pepsi max if nothing else)
Plus I was under the beleif if you ate something really naughty like fish and chips or a mars bar Drinking diet coke made them calorie free !!(ONLY JOKING):D
It's an indavidule thing. Your choice your body
take care from Alicat61:)