Diet Drinks And Type 2 Diabetes
Research indicates that sugary soft drinks are linked with type 2 diabetes and research indicates that there may also be an association between artificially sweetened beverages too.
A French study, published in 2013, even indicated that the risk of type 2 diabetes may even be higher for those that regularly consume diet soft drinks than people that consume sugary versions.
The researchers note that information on the participants diets could not be closely monitored and it is therefore not possible to conclude that diet soft drinks were a cause of type 2 diabetes.
Risk: Eating More Calories
Controlling weight is already an issue for many people with diabetes. A 2014 study reported that people who were overweight and drank diet sodas ate between 90 and 200 more calories from food per day. The theory is that you don’t get enough reward from artificial sweeteners, which leads to overeating calorie-rich and sweet foods.
The Downside Of Diet Soda
“The downside is you gain no nutritional value from drinking it,” Hart says. “It is full of potentially harmful additives, and research shows an increased risk of diabetes, weight gain and metabolic syndrome in both diet and regular soda intake.”
According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, diet soda on a regular basis can lead to weight gain. Although the exact reason is not known, it might be that when people drink diet soda, they eat more sugary foods.
Artificial sweeteners in diet sodas may also increase your risk of heart and blood vessel disease. The American Optometric Association says that diet soda is not necessarily a healthier alternative to regular soda. Drinking more than four cans a week may increase your risk of diabetic eye damage, a common diabetic complication called diabetic retinopathy that can lead to blindness.
“Some research has even found that drinking diet soda could cause changes to our gut microbiome. The artificial sweeteners found in these beverages may alter the gut flora, which is quite alarming because healthy gut bacteria play a crucial role in maintaining immune and metabolic balance,” Hart says.
It’s a healthier swap compared to regular soda, but is it the best swap you can make?
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Diet Soda: Good Or Bad
Diet sodas are popular beverages all over the world, especially among people who want to reduce their sugar or calorie intake.
Instead of sugar, artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, cyclamates, saccharin, acesulfame-k, or sucralose, are used to sweeten them.
Almost every popular sugar-sweetened beverage on the market has a light or a diet version Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Pepsi Max, Sprite Zero, etc.
Diet sodas were first introduced in the 1950s for people with diabetes, though they were later marketed to people trying to control their weight or reduce their sugar intake.
Despite being free of sugar and calories, the health effects of diet drinks and artificial sweeteners are controversial.
Risk: Stroke And Heart Disease
Patients with diabetes already face an increased risk of stroke and heart disease. Artificial sweeteners deal an added blow. An American Heart Association/American Stroke Association study found that drinking two or more artificially sweetened beverages per day increases the risk of stroke by 23 percent, and heart disease by 29 percent.
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Diet Sodas Ranked Worst To Best
For those individuals on a keto diet or those who simply want to lower their sugar intake for health reasons, diet sodas are a welcome reprieve from drinking water. If you pick the right diet soda, you will have a tasty beverage at your fingertips that has little to no sugar in it.
While the lack of sugar is beneficial for some people , not everyone agrees that diet sodas are healthy. But as long as you practice moderation, you should be okay.
Health issues aside, the main risk when it comes to diet sodas involves taste. Many diet sodas are gross, and some are so repulsive that you wouldn’t wish the drink on your worst enemy. Pick the wrong one, and you’ll regret it instantly. Luckily for you, we have gone to great lengths to taste test all types and brands of diet soda so that you can hop on over the worst ones and head directly toward the best of the bunch.
Having Diabetes Still Can Go With These Diabetic Foods List
There are some foods that can reduce your tension regarding your blood sugar. Even you can live without medication and control your diabetes with these foods. Now, its time to know about the foods that lower blood sugar instantly.
Glycemic index is a tool with which you can monitor which food is increasing your blood sugar. Foods with the low glycemic index are ideal for reducing blood sugar levels or preventing the rise of blood sugar. You can mix some high glycemic foods with the lower ones to balance your diet.
- The foods rich in fiber or protein or fat such as vegetables, fish, bean, chicken, etc. have a low glycemic load.
- Pumpernickel or stone guard whole wheat bread, sweet yams, some fruits, oats, garlic, nuts, tomatoes, plain yogurt, etc. can be the best supplements to lower blood sugar.
Some questions may arise in your mind regarding if these foods are really able to lower blood sugar or not. So now we are going to tell you the details of some foods. Well, most of the bread is enriched in carbohydrates. So, people with diabetes always avoid bread. But pumpernickel bread has a lower glycemic index so it can reduce or control the sugar level.
Fruits like blueberries, grapes, citrus fruits, apples are good for diabetics. Fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids work very fast to decrease the blood sugar level. A diabetic patient is highly forbidden to eat potatoes as they contain high carbohydrates.
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Drink : A Glass Of Wine
You may find it strange that I am mentioning alcohol. In my article on the avoidance of stress, I discouraged you from drinking alcohol because this will destroy your sleep and with it your blood sugar level.There is one exception.If you eat a big meal and you drink just onetasty glass of wine with it, you’ll be pleased to hear there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Please note, however, that the emphasis is strictly on one. As soon as it becomes half or a whole bottle, you will surely have problems. But I am confident that you are a sensible person.That glass of wine during the meal can have a small advantage:
- It temporarily lowers your blood sugar level so that the blood sugar peak hits you less hard.
One glass of wine, drunk regularly with dinner is a pleasure to look forward to and enjoy. Drinking beer with diabetes, however, is far less sensible because you ingest more sugar with every glass.
The Diabetes-free SecretSoft drinks are, therefore, strictly forbidden when you want to stabilize your blood sugar level. Fortunately, you can avoid becoming dehydrated thanks to my 7 tips for tasty, healthy sugar-free drinks.Just like the sugary beverages you shouldn’t drink, there are also certain things that you should not eat. When you replace these with healthier products, you will live a much healthier life and can even reverse your type 2 diabetes.
Enter your e-mail address below and I will send you the E-book for free.Greetings,Marloes Schuurman
Keep Yourself Accountable For Your Habits
Use an app or a calendar to track when you drink soda, to know when and where youre having trouble meeting your goals. Theres a lot of research that shows having to write down what youre doing gives you pause, Dobbins says. For instance, a review published in January 2012 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggested the use of self-monitoring approaches to diet consistently is linked with health-goal success. You could also consider using a food journal to help you monitor your intake of soda.
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So Is It Better To Just Drink Regular Soda
Not so fast. There is abundant datathat tells us that sugar is not necessarily a sweeter alternative, at least whenhealth is concerned.
If you crave caffeine , you are likely better off with plain coffee or tea. If youre looking for flavor in a drink, try freezing raspberries, cucumber, mint, lemon or lime in ice cubes to add a hint of sweetness. You can even use fruit in soda water to recreate sodas bubbly appeal.
Quitting a habit is never easy, but experts recommend that kicking soda all the way out of your diet can have profound effects on both your weight and your health.
Try Practicing Mindfulness Meditation To Control Cravings
To help kick your soda habit, consider simply slowing down and being present: Research suggests mindfulness practices, like meditation, may help you reduce stress and make better dietary choices. In fact, a study published in June 2017 in the journal Appetite found women who used two mindfulness techniques effectively reduced their craving intensity for chocolate.
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What’s So Bad About Diet Soda
Weve all seen the headlines claiming that Diet Soda Raises Diabetes Risk! Even the American Diabetes Association is touting how diet sodas can lead to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. But that claim and other health claims like it are also frequently debunked or dismissed. For those of us already living with diabetes , does it even matter if diet sodas might cause type 2?
Well since March is National Nutrition Month, were taking a look at some issues around what PWDs consume. And a lot of us consume a lot of diet soda, lets face it.
These drinks are a mainstay for many of us PWDs thanks to their zero affect on our blood sugars. But there may still be cause for concern over some other important health issues.
Right off the bat we should note that research into diet soda consumption and the stuff in them is still in its infancy. Some studies say its bad and other studies say that its well, not exactly good, but not as bad as some think. Heres what we found and well leave the final judgment up to you:
Heart Health Risks + More
Now, this doesnt necessarily show causality, as Dr. Hannah Gardener, one of the researchers at the University of Miami, explained. Further studies, she says, are needed to show what exactly about diet soda is causing cardiovascular disease in these patients. But research would indicate that diet sodas are not necessarily the best daily beverage choice for us PWDs, despite their null effect on blood sugars.
Diet Soda and Weight Gain
What Can Diabetics Drink Besides Water
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Diet Soda’s Been Linked With Weight
Totally counterintuitive, yesbut, despite their zero-calorie content, our source suggests that diet soft drinks may actually cause obesity.
Some behavioral health research has demonstrated that artificially sweetened drinks can lead to over-consuming other foods and beverages, since fake sweetener can leave the brain unsatiated thus, craving more treats.
Research has shown that diet pop may also lead to an increase in body mass index , and abdominal obesity. Plus, in one study, daily “diet” drinkers saw a nearly 70% higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Meanwhile, another study concluded that diabetics who drink more than four diet sodas per week were twice as likely to suffer blindness or other vision problems that can be related to diabetes.
Which Soft Drinks Are Allowed With Type 2 Diabetes
Some people swear by diet coke. Others are keen on sugary soda or Kool-Aid.
But what can you drink if you have type 2 diabetes or are worried that you might develop it?That’s a good question. Soft drinks do not have a good reputation. Most people know they are unhealthy. But if you ask them why, they either say they don’t know or else they give you the wrong answer.
I wouldn’t do that to you, even though I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Yes, the stories are true. Soda really is really unhealthy. And I’ll tell you why.“Consuming soft drinks increases your chances of developing diabetes, and they have truly disastrous effects if you already have the disease.”
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Nutrition Facts For Sugar Free Drinks
As a person with diabetes or prediabetes, counting carbohydrates should be a top priority when it comes to nutrition.
Getting the proper vitamins and minerals from whole foods is also important, but limiting the number of carbs you consume will directly affect your blood sugar more than any other dietary habit.
Drinking plain water day after day can get boring and you may be tempted to reach for a soda, a Gatorade, or an energy drink.
But before you take a sip, consider the amount of carbs in that bottle!
If youre sipping on a regular Monster energy drink or a regular Coke then youll be downing close to 40 grams of carbs per serving
Luckily, there are sugar free versions of many beverages on the market today, and they definitely are far superior to their sugar-filled counterparts.
Consider this nutrition facts label for a Monster Absolutely Zero energy drink.
This drink only contains 1 gram of carbs per serving!
How is this possible?
In this case, the company swapped out cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup for a sugar alcohol called erythritol.
Sugar alcohols taste sweet but they dont raise your blood sugar the way regular sugar does, plus they are completely free of calories.
Some people experience digestive distress from sugar alcohols, however, and those folks should stick to natural plant-based sweeteners like stevia, which has virtually no known side effects.
Are Diet Drinks Safe For People With Diabetes
When you have diabetes, you must constantly be aware of what you eat and drink. Healthy food choices and monitoring of eating habits helps you keep your blood glucose levels in check. Persistent high blood glucose levels may lead to long-term complications, such as kidney- or nerve damage and even sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy.
In a previous blog weve covered some of the trending diets for people living with diabetes. Focus on fruits and vegetables, along with lean meats and plant-based source of protein, seem to be common elements in many of them. The emphasis is also on less processed foods and less added sugar.
What you drink is just as important as what you eat. In fact, its quite surprising the impact a single drink can have on your blood sugar levels. A sugary drink not only raises your blood sugar. It can also account for a good portion of the daily recommended caloric intake, as an average can of a soda drink has around 150 calories. On top of that, sugary drinks add very limited nutritional value, if at all, to your diet.
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What Is The Best Soft Drink For Diabetics
Whether youre at home or at a restaurant, here are the most diabetes-friendly beverage options. Water. When it comes to hydration, water is the best option for people with diabetes. Tea. Research has shown that green tea has a positive effect on your general health. Coffee. Vegetable juice . Low-fat milk .
Diet Sodas May Increase Risk Of Vision Loss
Another study has revealed that drinking diet sodas may increase the risk of diabetic retinopathy, one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the world today. According to the authors, the consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks has long been associated with increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease as well as obesity and hypertension.
The study explored the association between the consumption of regular and diet soft drinks and severity of diabetic retinopathy in a well-defined cohort of Australian adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The results showed that consuming more than four cans of diet soft drinks per week was associated with a more than twofold risk of having proliferative diabetic retinopathy, potentially leading to vision loss.
The authors concluded that as diet soft drinks are perceived as a healthy alternative to regular soft drinks, clinicians and patients should be aware that diet soft drinks may not be without risks of their own.
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Why You Should Never Drink Soda Made With Sugar
If you have diabetes, something’s gone wrong with the way your body deals with sugars.With type 2 diabetes the commoner of the two main types your body is unable to absorb these sugars. This is because the hormone insulin, which gives your body the signal to absorb the sugars, is no longer able to function correctly.
- In a healthy body, insulin ensures that excess sugars are removed from your bloodstream until your blood sugar is again at a healthy level.
This process normally takes place after you’ve eaten something that contains carbs or sugars. If you’re continuously ingesting large quantities of sugar, your body will work overtime to release enough insulin.In the long run, however, your body can only take so much. Eventually, it will reach the tipping point, and you will find yourself the latest victim of type 2 diabetes.
- With type 2 diabetes, your body does not respond well to insulin .
The result is that the sugars in your blood are not absorbed/processed properly. Your sugar level remains too high, especially after you’ve eaten. Fortunately, there is a way to get rid of type 2 diabetes. Find out how you can do that by clicking here.
“And now the question is: can you consume soft drinks if you have diabetes?”
The answer is a straightforwardno.
Watch out!
How the sweet taste of soda makes you fat
Fortunately, you can easily get rid of that sugar addiction:
Why you should avoid light soft drinks too
Why you should stay away from diet drinks