What's your opinion of diet soda?

I'm always getting different opinions on diet soda.

Some people hate it, and say it makes you gain/retain weight. Other people say its fine to drink during weight loss.

I find it easier to lose weight without it, but hard to tell if it's real or in my head.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-sodas-and-weight-gain-not-so-fast

There is another thread in the forum about diet soda that is currently active but has just about reached the end of its useful life. It may have some helpful information in there for you.

The link you posted, however, is a decent summary of the current state of research. Almost all diet drinks have 0 calories. Without any chemical energy that can be metabolized by human cells, diet drinks will not directly contribute to weight gain. If they do contribute to weight gain or interfere with fat loss, they do so indirectly by affecting your consumption of other foods - and on that point, there is no controlled research showing a causal link between diet soda and total calorie consumption. There is some observational research suggesting that there may be an indirect effect, but it is equivocal at best. Until a well-designed controlled study comes along, there won't be a definitive answer.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that when I hold calories constant, the rate of weight loss or gain for me is unchanged regardless of how much diet soda I drink, but that's still just an anecdote. Go with whatever works for you and fits your comfort level.

If you did enough research on this you would know that all diet sodas are extremely fattening, but people do not realise and think they are taking the healthy option heres one link on it http://www.truthaboutabs.com/diet-soda-makes-you-fat.html. It is also full of chemicals that can cause cancer. Every artificial flavour has as least 30 chemicals in it, then add aspartamene and colourings!1
Dont drink them, have water with bubbles, ice and lemon, much better for you!!!

And you always will.

What do you think about diet soda? Do you think it is good/bad for health? Do you think it is good/bad for weight loss?

Take a mental snapshot of how you feel while drinking it and then take a mental snapshot of how you feel after a month of not drinking any. We all have to be our own guinea pig. Let us know how you feel.

I haven't had any in over a year and I feel pretty good. However I've made a lot of changes in my diet so I cannot attribute my health to just the exclusion of diet soda.

Mike - My personal experience is like yours: Cut diet soda out and my food cravings went down. Also feel better mentally: fewer headaches and easier to concentrate.

Not sure about the science, but as you alluded, going to 'go with my gut'. (Literally, in this case.)

Firstly, saying diet soda is fattening is pure rubbish. There is also no conclusive, peer reviewed scientific evidence that there is any increased risk of cancer from artificial sweeteners. Secondly, there is nothing in that (spam blind) link that mentions diet soda.

Please do some research and don't blind link.

Hi Linda, I did try to click the link but my p.c. gave me a warning that the site had a poor reputation, so I haven't read the article you posted.

I feel in my heart that soda pop, diet or other is not a healthy choice. I do feel there is a connection to cancer with chemicals in our food as well as our drinks. However, this is not base on anything greater than my gut feeling. So personally, I stay away from pop. Water's my drink of choice.

Philanddeb - I tend to agree with you 1st. There are a myriad of reasons I believe soda is not good for you, therefore I tend to abstain. If I do treat myself (because I LOVE PEPSI), I figure the ones with actual sugar as an ingredient is the lesser of the two evils, as it is the closest to natural of sweeteners.
Bglrn - I have seen first hand the effects that aspertame CAN have on a body, in addition to personal evidence. I have the opinion that ALL DIET SODA IS BAD FOR YOU. I understand that you do not, & you are entitled, like all the rest of us, to an opinion. No matter how wrong I think you are.
The point I think, is to keep an open mind when doing research, pay attention to your own body, & remember that no matter who or what you believe is responsible for humanity, I seriously doubt we were intended to consume food & drink full of chemicals & sugars AND that are mainly genetically modified.