I was surprised that a client ended our session last week by asking me, “Do you have a diet soda in the studio? I am so thirsty, I’ve got to have one!” I smiled and told him I was sorry, that all I had was bottled water. He motivated me to write a post on diet soda, since hydration is not only an essential part of our workout lives, but also of our daily lives.
Did you know that according to a recent study by Harvard Medical School, drinking diet soda every day is associated with doubling your risk of kidney decline? Or that the acidity of the soda may be causing dental erosion? And the American Academy of Neurology says that if you are drinking four or more cans a day, you are 30% more likely to be suffering from depression.
The November 2013 Prevention Magazine not only mentions the above facts, but also says that stroke and heart attack can increase by as much as 43% if you are downing more that 1 can a day. There are other articles being written about metabolic syndrome, and diet soda is linked to a 34% higher risk.
And neither do diet sodas help you lose weight! A study at the University of Texas found that drinking two or more sodas a day increased waistlines by 500% because the brain feels tricked into thinking it is eating sugar so the body just craves more and more.
A final note, just about all diet sodas contain mold inhibitors. Most regular sodas do not. These inhibitors can cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they inactivate it according to MSN Healthy Living. Some companies are replacing these mold inhibitors, but the new preservative, potassium benzoate, is still a mild irritant to the skin and the eyes and the mucous membranes.
By the way, there are many studies showing that drinking from the soda can itself can be harmful. The MSN post states that the cans have a coating of the endocrine disruptor bisphenaol A (BPA), which has been connected to heart disease and reproductive problems.
So, please consider some other options when whetting your whistle!
