Do diet sodas cause belly fat?

It appears as though our bellies poke out a little more and our buttocks flatten a little more. A potential culprit for that protruding belly can be diet soda or beverages with artificial sweeteners. One recent study shows a link between the high consumption of diet drinks and the increase of belly fat in older adults.

Do zero sugar drinks make you gain weight?

And a number of studies in humans (such as this one and this one) have actually found a tendency toward weight gain among people drinking artificially sweetened beverages.

Does diet soda make you gain water weight?

Due to its carbonation and artificial sweetener content, drinking diet soda can cause gas, bloating, upset stomach, and water retention.

Do diet sodas cause belly fat? – Related Questions

How much diet soda is too much?

Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn’t likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals currently used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there’s no credible evidence that these ingredients cause cancer.

Can aspartame cause weight gain?

The groups that drank beverages containing sucralose, aspartame or Reb-A, a derivative of stevia, saw little change in their weight. But people who consumed beverages sweetened with sugar or saccharin, which is marketed as Sweet’N Low, experienced “significantly increased body weight” after three months.

Does soda make you retain water?

“Soda contains caffeine, which is a diuretic,” says Dr. Rodriguez-Lopez. “As a result, drinking soda will actually dehydrate you. This can strain your body to find sources of water — which puts a good deal of stress on your kidneys.

Can diet drinks make you swell?

Diet Soda. You already know that carbonation can cause bloating, but so can the artificial sweeteners found in most diet sodas. Sucralose is the most common culprit. It’s been known to lead to gas and bloating, but it can also reduce the amount of healthy bacteria in your gut which creates extra gas as you digest.

Does diet soda make your face puffy?

One of the main reasons for your face to swell up is the high content of salt in the body. Salt tends to retain water in the body that causes puffiness. Avoid carbonated drinks and always look for the level of sodium content in packaged products.

Does aspartame make you retain water?

Although you might have heard about its alleged dangers, there’s no indication of a link between aspartame and edema. Aspartame has been approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration since 1981 and has been deemed safe by more than 100 studies. Caffeine: You might blame your fluid retention on caffeine.

What happens if you consume aspartame everyday?

Aspartame has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems including learning problems, headache, seizure, migraines, irritable moods, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, wrote the researchers of a 2017 study in Nutritional Neuroscience.

What are the symptoms of too much aspartame?

Aspartame (α-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine-o-methyl ester), an artificial sweetener, has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems. Possible neurophysiological symptoms include learning problems, headache, seizure, migraines, irritable moods, anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

What happens when you stop eating aspartame?

Quitting aspartame (and caffeine, if quitting sodas) can lead to headaches and migraines for many people. Insomnia can be another symptom of aspartame withdrawal, which can also lead to headaches.

What happens to your body when you quit diet soda?

More sensitive taste buds

Once you stop drinking diet soda, you may find that your food has more flavor. Artificial sweeteners in diet soda overwhelm your taste buds with sweetness—aspartame is 200 times sweeter than table sugar. Splenda is a whopping 600 times sweeter.

Which is worse sugar or aspartame?

Both sugar and artificial sweetener are addictive. But artificial sweeteners may be likelier to make you get hungry, eat more throughout the day and develop diabetes. Sugar is OK in limited amounts and in the context of a healthy diet.

What is the healthiest alternative to sugar?

The healthiest alternative to sugar is whole fruits, followed by dried fruits, as they contain added nutrients and fiber. In comparison to table sugar, fruit juices, maple syrup, honey, and molasses are marginally healthier as they contain some vitamins and minerals.

What can I eat in place of sugar?

Fruit. When most people feel sugar cravings, they reach for high-fat, high-sugar foods like chocolate ( 1 ). However, swapping out the junk food for some fruit when you feel like something sugary could give you the sweet hit you need and stop your craving in its tracks.

What should I eat instead of sugar when I crave sugar?

Keep fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. You’ll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. And stock up on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, says certified addiction specialist Judy Chambers. “Have them handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for the old [sugary] something.”

Which is better Splenda or stevia?

Stevia is best used to sweeten beverages, desserts, and sauces, while Splenda is optimal for sweetening beverages.

Is Truvia the same as stevia?

While Truvia is advertised as a stevia-based sweetener and has a name that sounds similar, Truvia and stevia are not the same thing. Truvia is the second-most-popular sugar substitute in the US. It contains erythritol, rebaudioside A and natural flavors.