Earlier this week, while dining al fresco with friends, one of my lunch companions ordered me to ditch my soft drink. "Diet soda is bad for you," she said, while waving around her cigarette. "Plus, it makes you fat." Um…excuse me? First of all, ever heard that little saying about the pot and the kettle? Second, science has proven over and over again, that diet soda is NOT bad for you. In fact, it's quite the opposite.
So listen up all you naysayers...Just last month, a study published in the International Journal of Obesity reported that consumption of beverages containing low-calorie sweeteners increases dietary restraint, a key aspect of successful weight maintenance. Researchers analyzed calorie, protein, carbohydrate, fat and beverage intake, as well as the dietary restraint of over 300 individuals. Their conclusion? "Our findings…suggest that the use of artificially sweetened beverages may be an important weight control strategy among WLM [weight loss maintainers]." This research builds upon the findings from a 2002 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which found consumers of sugar substitutes had significantly greater weight loss compared with participants who did not consume sugar substitutes. So take that critics!
Still need more proof? Researchers in Boston recently discovered that, among dieters who were randomly assigned to have liquid calories or "artificially" sweetened drinks for almost three and a half years, the diet drinkers took in 100 fewer calories a day while losing significantly more weight and keeping more of it off.
More than 194 million Americans are consuming low and reduced calorie foods and beverages, according to the Calorie Control Council’s most recent national consumer survey. And that number will likely rise as more begin to understand that "calories count" for weight loss and weight maintenance.
So remember this: cutting just 100 calories a day - which could be the difference between a regular cola and a diet version - can help shave off more than 10 pounds throughout the year. Not bad, ey?
Fortunately for me, diet drinks are calorie-free so I don't have to worry about it impacting my waistline. Oh and in case you all were wondering, I ignored my friend's "warning" and kept the diet soda. No way am I giving that up without a fight.
P.S. Since it's Friday and we're all in a good mood, here is a Diet Coke commercial honoring one of my favorite movies of all time. Have a great weekend!
