WHAT’S IN A DAME : Diet soda: Here’s to our new unhealth
Posted on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Dear Diet Soda,
I adore you. You’ve always been there for me. Ever since I, a perpetual dieter, was the young child of perpetual dieters in the 1970 s, and you tasted all sorts of nasty.
While I never necessarily thought all your unpronounceable ingredients were great for me, I never believed you were as dangerous to my well-being as some other habits.
After all, I don’t down sugary, syrupy regular soft drinks. I don’t smoke. I don’t shoot up or snort up. I rarely drink or gamble. Heck, I hardly ever even do the caffeinated version of you anymore. Your bubbly artificial sweetness is the only “vice” I really have (save for bad television... and maybe chocolate... and maybe celebrity gossip... and maybe shopping... ).
You’re legal. You’re caloriefree. No one ever died from second-hand fizz.
So why does it seem that everyone is trying to convince me to dump you ? Two recent studies have linked you to potential health problems.
A Purdue University study released in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience indicates that you and other artificially sweetened beverages and foods could be hazardous to sippers ’ waistlines.
In the study, those who consumed food made with fake sugar gained more weight than those who consumed foods made with real sugar.
All a person can say to that is “rats.” Literally, rats. This study involved only a relative few rodents, and saccharin was the only artificial sweetener tested.
According to research published online in the journal Circulation, those who quaffed even one diet soda a day (you know, what you and I like to refer to as “breakfast” ) were more likely to experience metabolic syndrome. According to the American Heart Association, this syndrome’s symptoms include everything from abdominal obesity and high cholesterol to elevated blood pressure and insulin resistance.
No rodents this time. This more extensive study involved 9, 000 adults.
The problem, research suggests, is not so much the artificial sweetener, but rather our response to it.
Sweet tastes alert bodies that high-calorie food will be com- ing. When that doesn’t happen, our systems are confused and therefore putting us at risk of eating more and perhaps using less energy.
But drinking you doesn’t mean our weight and health have to suffer, right ? Now that we’re aware there could be unwanted consequences, we can pay more attention to serving sizes and satisfaction levels. We’re not lab animals; we’re intelligent, evolved humans who are capable of making choices and exercising self-discipline.
Like me, for example. I could totally quit you. Easily. I could give you up. No problem. I’m keeping you around because I want to. Not because I have to. Or because I’m hooked or anything.
I’m totally in control.
In control and thirsty.
Love,
Jennifer E-mail: jchristman@arkansasonline. com What’s in a Dame is a weekly report from the woman ’hood.
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