Intro
Every now and then, you want a little something different to drink than water. This is often when someone may reach for a soda or other sugary beverage. However, these can be extremely high in liquid calories, as well as added sugars. These are things you’ll want to avoid when trying to stay healthy and in good shape.
However, there is the option of a diet soda. These drinks are still sweet and provide you with that desired carbonation, but they don’t contain calories or sugar. This in turn, means that you won’t have to worry about going over on your calories.
Now, even though they are zero calorie, there are some that will argue against drinking them.
So, what’s the truth here? Are they bad for you? Can you still drink them and lose weight? That’s what we’re going to be looking at in this post.
What’s the Point?
The point of a zero-calorie drink is to be able to have something special without the concern of weight gain. Liquid calories are sneaky, and you may not realize how quickly they can add up to your daily total. In general, you’re looking at 140 calories per 12oz can of regular soda. Having three of these a day is an extra 420 calories on top of what you’re normally consuming.
Now, the point of a zero-calorie soda is so that you can still enjoy something sweet in your day without the concern of those 140 calories. This is great for someone who’s looking to lose weight because it may help keep their cravings low, while avoiding the excess calorie intake. Most of weight loss comes down to your mental state, and if having a diet soda helps you get to the next milestone, then have at it!
Is it Zero Calorie?
So, are these drinks really zero-calorie? They are, and they often sweeten them with an artificial sweetener that our body won’t digest. These sugars don’t breakdown and are excreted from our body without providing calories. There are some that people are concerned about, like aspartame. Then there are other zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia, that are made from a plant. This really comes down to how you feel about your sweeteners, as there are tons of options on the market now. If you want something more natural, then go for an option that is sweetened with stevia instead a sugar alcohol.
Regardless of what you choose, these diet sodas will still be zero-calories at the end of the day. In turn, this won’t add to your total caloric intake.
When is Diet Soda Not Okay to Drink?
Of course, everything can be bad in certain amounts. Just because diet soda is zero-calorie doesn’t mean it should be the only thing you drink. This isn’t necessarily a green light to just go nuts on the diet soda. I would recommend that you keep it at 2-3 diet sodas maximum in a day. Any more than this and you might be overdoing it.
This could be something that bothers your stomach or may be taking place of water that you need to stay hydrated.
They’re more of a treat in your day, versus the only source of fluids that you’re getting in.
Drink responsibly.
Conclusion
While everyone wants to paint a bad picture for diet soda, they can actually be helpful in a sense. It’s nice to have something different in your day to spice up lunch or your break at work. Keeping your cravings at bay is great, and diet soda is a zero-calorie way to do so. Now, there are some with more artificial ingredients and some with a more natural source of sweetness, but that’s totally up to your discretion.
You can drink diet sodas and avoid the insane amount of sugar and excess calories that would come with a regular one. If it keeps you on track, then by all means, go for it.
Now, you should practice responsibility here as well. Just because they’re okay doesn’t mean you should only drink diet soda. Keep it to about 2-3 diet sodas a day to keep things under control. You can always have too much of any given thing.