Written by: Olivia Shakespear, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Drinking copious amounts of diet drinks if you want to lose weight is a common practice. I used to do it! But firstly, does it work? And secondly, are there any drawbacks? As an online binge-eating recovery coach, I’ve found that many of the people I’ve worked with drink a fair amount of diet drinks, and it seems a hard habit to change. In this blog I'm going to explain why you might want to avoid the diet drinks, especially if you have disordered eating habits or are a binge eater.
1. They contain aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener added to diet drinks to make up for the lack of sugar. As it is basically calorie free, this can give diet drinks a high appeal. Slight problem, aspartame has just been categorized as possibly carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is a branch of the World Health Organization.
Possible links to cancer aside, there have been various studies over the years that point towards potential links between aspartame and other health problems, such as headaches and poor blood sugar control. Although these things can be hard to definitively prove, try having a diet drink after a couple of years of going without and you might find yourself with a sore head and feeling pretty rotten. Sometimes, if we are having something all the time, our body gets used to it and we don't feel the effects, but that doesn't mean that there isn't something going on internally.
2. Diet drinks do not support weight loss and may promote weight gain
This is one of the main reasons people have them, so the fact that they not only don't support weight loss but may actually be associated with weight gain, is not a great selling point.
Whilst the science isn't fully agreed on this point (when is it ever!) the study appeared to add to the evidence that drinks made with sucralose may stimulate the appetite, especially in women or people with obesity.
3. Diet drinks and type II diabetes
We all know that drinking too many fizzy drinks on a regular basis can contribute to poor blood sugar control, which over time is a precursor to diabetes, but when diet drinks first came out it was assumed they would be fine for diabetics, as they were sugar-free.
But actually this may not be the case, as research indicates diet drinks may also be linked to diabetes. In fact, a French study in 2013 even indicated that diet drinks may have an even stronger link to diabetes than regular fizzy drinks.
4. May cause depression
A large study presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th annual meeting looking at the effects of various drinking habits over a 10 year period showed that people who drank 4 cups or more of fizzy drinks were 30% more likely to develop depression than those who didn't drink any. The risk appeared to be greater for those drinking diet vs regular fizzy drinks.
5. They are a chemical soup of additives
Diet drinks have no nutritional value whatsoever. They are classed as ultra processed foods which are becoming increasingly known for having poor effects on our health.
The concoction of additives, preservatives and artificial sweeteners are linked with issues include damaging tooth enamel, causing headaches, they may also cause bone mineral density loss to name but a few!
6. Damages our gut microbiome
The same chemical soup is thought to damage our delicately balanced gut microbiome and once you do this, the health consequences go far and wide. Around 70% of our immune system resides in the gut, so when you muck around with the microbiome you essentially disrupt the immune system.
As a nutritional therapist, I see so many problems associated with gut damage - including in my clients who binge eat and have disordered eating habits.
7. They don't even taste nice
Okay, so I know this one is subjective and maybe at the moment you still think they taste absolutely delicious. Once you've been off them for a while, and then try a diet drink, you'll find that your taste buds will have adapted and they don't taste quite as good. In fact, the first time I had one after a couple of years it tasted so grim I only had a few sips. I can't promise this will happen with you, but I would be willing to bet that you wouldn't find them quite as delightful as you do whilst you're hooked on them.
Whilst a central premise of my work as an online binge eating coach is that it’s best to avoid dividing foods into good and bad, as this triggers problematic urges to overeat. At the same time, as a nutritional therapist I understand that different foods have a different effect on us, and that certain foods and drinks really are best avoided. Diet drinks are my number one here! I do this in a slow and gradual way, with no rules and regulations, just increased awareness that helps people come to that decision on their own.
If you’d like to know more about how I work, do feel free to download my free ebook.
Olivia Shakespear, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Olivia Shakespear is a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist specialising in support for people with binge eating disorder and those who have an unhappy relationship with food. After many years of her own struggles, she created a unique method that is incredibly successful with moving people into a balanced way of eating. Olivia uses nutrition within a truly holistic framework, understanding that problems with eating occur due to multiple physical and psychological factors. She understands the pitfalls of applying a "clean eating" approach, whilst appreciating the incredible power proper nutrition has in healing the mind, body and soul.
