Can Sugar Free Soda Make Me Fat?

Does diet soda make you fat? Are sugar-free soft drinks just as bad for your health and your weight loss as the full-sugar alternative? Find out here...

First off, I'm going to ask you if you can do me a little favor. Can you raise your hand if you believe diet soda is a "healthy" alternative to full-sugar soft drinks?

Yep, that's quite a few hands I see raised in the air.

Now, hands up if you've ever been standing at a vending machine, out for a meal or in a store and heard somebody else comment on their choice of diet soda.

"I'm dieting. Only diet soda for me!"

Or maybe this little classic:

"I can drink as much diet soda as I like because it is calorie and sugar free!"

Just as I thought, even more hands waving at me!

Thanks guys, you can put them down now. I don't want to tire you out!

Well it might surprise you, and all of those other diet soda drinkers you were just thinking about, to learn that there is absolutely NOTHING even remotely healthy about diet soda.

Artificial Sweeteners Can Be Fattening

It might sound crazy, but even though the artificial sweeteners in sugar free drinks have no calorific value (zero calories) there is evidence to show that they cause you to gain weight.

But that's not all. There is good evidence to support the theory that "diet" drinks are even more fattening than those loaded with sugar!

Wait a minute, what the deuce!?

Hormonal Response To Artificial Sweeteners

You're probably already aware of this fact, but it's not necessarily the number of calories that you eat in a day that can cause you to get fat. It has more to do with the type of calories you eat and your body's hormonal response to them.

Even though diet soda contains virtually no calories at all, the artificial sweeteners inside trick your body. This results in a hormonal response similar to eating a ton of sugar!

One of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners is Aspartame (just check your ingredients). This little bad boy will actually prevent your body from producing serotonin (responsible for controlling appetite amongst other things).

A lack of serotonin levels has a negative effect on your body. It causes you to crave the type of foods that will kick-start the production on serotonin once more.

And guess what, this just happens to be the waistline expanding, high-calorie, carbohydrate-rich, processed "junk" foods that every dieter fears!

So sugar free sodas are actually fueling your sugar and junk food cravings. Not good.

Your Insulin Response

Scientists have recently concluded that artificial sweeteners trigger the release of insulin, much like regular sugar does. Your pancreas produces insulin to help your cells absorb blood sugar.

However, artificial sweeteners contain no sugar (of course). So your body is left feeling tricked with no food to feed your cells. Not to be outdone, if there is no food for your body to process, it had better go out and get some! And of course, this triggers your appetite!

And again you'll be craving sugary foods that produce a quick "spike" in blood sugar levels, quickly followed by a "crash". This is how we get into a hunger-craving-snacking cycle that adds on the pounds.

Just think about how many time you've told yourself "man, I need a sugar hit". You know that candy bar is bad for you, but you NEED it! Wouldn't you like to get rid of these cravings or control them if you had the chance?

Drinking Diet Soda Causes Obesity?

A study conducted at the University of Texas has proven some very frightening links between drinking diet soft drinks and obesity.

The study was based on 8 years of data and looked at the links between soft drinks and weight gain. The study was managed by Sharon Fowler.

"What didn't surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity," Fowler tells WebMD. "What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher."

The researchers made a shocking discovery when it came to diet soda.

"There was a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day."

So there you have it. Diet soda is not as healthy as the advertising campaigns would have us believe. If you are serious about getting in shape then you really need to say goodbye to all types of soda. Believe me, you'll feel much better for it and your physique will thank you for it!

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