Neither is the lesser of two evils
Many of my patients think they're doing themselves a favor by choosing a diet cola over a sugary soft drink.
I tell them not to be too hasty.
While no one needs the amount of sugar that's packed into one can of soda, I certainly don't think the chemicals and additives that are put in diet soda are much better. And now there's a new report that shows there may be another repercussion of drinking a diet drink: An increased risk of metabolic syndrome, which can lead to heart disease.
A study was done that looked at the risk of heart disease for people who drank sugary sodas, and those who drank the diet versions. Using the Framingham study, which has been following the heart health of the residents of Framingham, Massachusetts, since 1948, the researchers looked at 9,000 middle-aged men and women. They were amazed to see that there was no difference in the level of heart risk between the two categories of soda drinkers.
Prior to beginning the study, the folks who reported drinking one or more sodas per day had a 48 percent greater likelihood of having metabolic syndrome than those who didn't drink as much soda. And those who began the study with no signs of metabolic syndrome but drank one or more daily sodas had a 44 percent higher risk of developing it when looked at again four years later.
Metabolic syndrome is an umbrella term actually encompassing multiple symptoms that increase your risk of heart disease. These can include a large waistline, a high cholesterol level, a higher level of triglycerides, high blood pressure, a higher blood-sugar level, or some combination of these symptoms.
The research team fully expected that drinkers of diet soda would fare better than those who indulged in regular sodas, but they didn't.
How can one account for such a finding?
One suggestion has been that diet drinks, with their artificial sweeteners, could cause you to crave more sweets—just as regular sodas do. Another suggestion was that folks who drink sodas of any kind probably don't eat a very healthy diet to begin with.
Whatever conclusion is reached on the subject of diet sodas vs. regular ones: Nix them all. Really, back to my original point: Those chemicals in diet sodas aren't something God meant for us to put into our bodies, and you sure don't need the extra sugar from the regular versions. They're essentially useless products foisted on the public by huge corporations who couldn't care less about your health and welfare.
Personally, I don't think there's anything more refreshing than a simple glass of water with a wedge of lemon, orange, or lime for taste.
