Diet Sodas and Weight Gain
July 7, 2011 by Dr. Harvey
Filed under Articles of Interest
A new study has been released from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio concerning the use of diet soda and weight gain. Subject were followed for a decade, and their height, weight, and waist circumference was measured and analyzed. For each can of diet soft drinks consumed per day, the risk of obesity went up by 41%, and those who drank diet soda grew 70% more than those who avoided them.
The bottom line with this study is that even if the soda have no calories, they still contain aspartame. Aspartame triggers the hunger response in the brain that causes people to eat more. How many people do you know who use the consumption of diet drinks as an excuse to eat more?
The only downside I see to this study, is that there is no mention of what the individuals ate, or if any of them have any genetic predisposition to obesity. Those are legitmate critiques of the studies. However, it doesn’t change the fact that aspartame stimulates the hunger center of the brain, and this may cause a person to eat more. And this data supports one of my basic philosophies – stay away from Man Made Molecules. If you can’t pronounce it, and you don’t know what it does, you don’t want it!
The articles that talk about this study are here and here.
If you have any questions about this, please feel free to contact me.
To Your Health!
Dr. Harvey
