Who believes all these "facts" about diet soft drinks causing either weight gain or cancer?

Question

I have heard this repeated time and time again; about diet soda having this hugely damaging effective and was curious who actually believes these theories.

Answer 1

Weight gain is absolutely true, the amount of sugar that most soft drinks have is bordering on the ridiculous and most definitely unhealthy. Still is not through drinking them very occasionally, but drinking them too often that makes you gain weight.

As for causing cancer, the jury is still out there.

Answer 2

I don't because they are usually rumors spread by the uninformed masses.  And I don't even drink diet soda.  I believe (based on extensive reading and learning from my professors) that the artificial sweeteners are safe in small amounts.  Even cyclomate which have been banned in the us since 1960's have not resulted in a massive increase in cancer in other populations.

I think most of the scare tactics we hear about and from some wacko scientists or the press extrapolation some very small study to a larger population.  

I think the general rule "all things in moderation" is probably the best advice I can give you.  So don't go overboard with diet drinks just like one doesn't go overboard with alcohol, grapefruit juice or any other extreme program promoted by some quack trying to sell a book.

PhD   Food Chemistry and Nutrition

Answer 3

Aspartame has been shown to be a carcinogen (and tastes horrible too) .... if you consume more than 2 carbonated drinks per day, it will inhibit weight loss (but won't cause weight gain)

Answer 4

I don't.I drink diet soda and I don't weigh anymore than i ever have.I haven't heard about it causing cancer.Maybe it's the splenda!

Answer 5

I don't know about diet soda causing cancer, so I won't speak to that.

However, most, if not all diet soda include and ingredient called aspartame.  Aspartame will actually make you hungry.  Hence, diet soda causing weight gain.  The soda itself doesn't make you gain weight, but it makes you hungry, causing you to eat more and thereby, gain weight.

Hope this helps some.

Answer 6

I can tell you this much.  I sure haven't lost weight drinking them.