2023-04-18 11:41:25
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always preferred Diet Coke. I even ordered at the fast food restaurant Cola light – as if I could use it to compensate for the calories in burgers, fries and the like. I try to avoid fast food as much as possible. I still like to drink diet coke, albeit rarely. But is the sugar-free version really healthier than the original? And what’s coming in anyway Diet drinks pure, so that the taste is in no way inferior to the sugary variants?
Cola Light & Co.: What are diet drinks made of?
No calories, same taste At least that’s what the market leader Coca Cola claims about its product Cola zero sugar. The fact that the zero variant was introduced in 2006 shows that the intention mentioned above apparently did not work for the Diet Cola product. And even die-hard coke drinkers like me know: Diet coke just doesn’t taste like “normal” coke. And that’s just as well.
But what is actually in the light drinks? And what is the difference between Diet Cola and Zero Sugar Cola anyway? Instead of sugar are used in the Diet Coke sweeteners and sugar substitutes used. More precisely: the sweetener aspartame and the acidifiers phosphoric acid and citric acid. There is also water, carbonic acid, colourings, aromas and caffeine. The nutrients are therefore hardly worth mentioning: 0.1 grams of protein, sodium and carbohydrates. Due to the composition, Cola light has just 0.2 calories per 100 milliliters.
Cola zero sugar should not be inferior to the taste of Original Cola. But what is the difference to Diet Cola? The manufacturer’s answer: “The Composition of sweeteners and flavors is different.” Cola zero sugar not only contains the sweetener aspartame, but also cyclamate and acesulfame-K. Added to this are water, carbon dioxide, coloring agents, the acidifiers phosphoric acid and sodium citrate, aromas and caffeine. And: no calories.
Are diet drinks a good substitute?
It is well known that sweeteners are not without their problems. True, they have no calories. For that they can variety of side effects trigger like that dr File research group reported. Symptoms range from migraines to fatigue.
The biggest problem, however, is that the sweeteners contained in diet drinks can adversely affect the composition of the intestinal bacteria. This increases the production of the hormone GLP-1. This increases insulin production and leads to a rapid drop in blood sugar. The consequences: tiredness, cravings and increased inflammatory responses in the body. In addition, sweeteners lead to an increased release of leptin, which promotes fat storage in the body.
Body cannot process diet drinks
One shows that the body cannot do anything with light products Study of the University of Texas with over 700 participants. They were regularly weighed, measured and asked about their eating habits. Some consumed diet drinks, others normal soft drinks. The result: The waist circumference increased for all of them and often they gained weight as well.
Reason for this: The artificial sweeteners are identified by the body as sugar because they trick the body into thinking that it is getting sugar supplies. But because no calories are supplied, it comes to food cravings. In addition, the sweeteners seem to ensure that the body fat is redistributed. It accumulates as visceral fat around the organs in the middle of the body. This type of fat is considered particularly harmful because it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
It must be added that the subjects were all over 65 years old. But there are many other studies with younger participants that support the results.
Conclusion: Better normal cola instead of diet cola and other diet drinks
As several studies have shown, soft drinks with the addition “light” or “zero” also promote obesity and unhealthy belly fat. So you are not a healthy alternative. In case of doubt, the following applies: It is better to consume a sugary drink seldom and consciously than to drink light drinks all the time.
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