Switching to diet drinks and losing weight seems like a reasonable cause and effect. However, things are not that simple. While reducing your intake of sugars will positively affect your diet, the pounds may not come off as easily as you think. According to Missouri Families, the sweet flavor of diet drinks makes it easy to drink large quantities, rather than stopping at just one glass. Because most people think that diet drinks will not affect their weight, they're also less likely to control ingestion.
Nutritional Value
A can of regular soda contains an average of 145 calories and 39 grams of sugar, according to Coca-Cola's official website. There are no protein or nutrients in soda. Diet sodas, on the other hand, contain no calories and no sugar. Some juices or diet energy drinks might contain added vitamins, but in general you're only getting water and flavoring.
Weight Gain
According to a 2010 study published in the "Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine," diet drinks might actually cause weight gain. This might be due to the artificial sweeteners used to replace sugar. While they don't contain calories, they do seem to affect blood sugar and might increase cravings. So while you won't be getting any calories from the drinks themselves, you are more likely to overeat.
Weight Loss
If you're switching from regular soda to diet soda, you will be saving lots of calories. This is likely to result in weight loss. Soft drinks contain empty calories. These are calories that you rarely account for. They don't provide any nutrition and they don't fill you up. According to Missouri Families, you're likely to eat as much as you normally would but would be ingesting a lot more calories than you would if you chose to drink water. You will also be consuming less sugar. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends limiting your sugar intake to 12 teaspoons a day. A 20-ounce bottle of soda contains 15 teaspoons. Diet drinks contain none.
Sweeteners
According to a 2008 article in Scientific American, sweeteners can alter the chemistry of your brain and your body. This is because anything sweet triggers a brain signal that makes you want to eat. It doesn't matter if this sweetness comes from real sugars or artificial sweeteners, as your brain cannot tell the difference. Ups and downs of blood sugar also cause havoc in your energy levels, making you less likely to exercise and be active.
Water
Drinking water is essential to weight loss. However, if you're drinking large quantities of diet drinks, you are likely drinking much less water than you should. This can lead to dehydration. According to HealthGuidance, the brain areas that control hunger and thirst are closely connected, so dehydration can trigger feelings of hunger, rather than thirst. This can make you eat more, but since you're actually thirsty, not hungry, you won't get satisfied and might continue to eat and gain weight.
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