[ck2]

Diet soda and artificial sweeteners is a gateway crutch. Took years to stop drinking soda and decade of diet but finally kicked it. Worth the effort and recommended.

Everyone is quick to hand wave "doesn't cause cancer" blah blah but what they hop and skip over is it definitely changes gut microbe for the worse.

[i_cannot_hack]

> definitely changes gut microbe for the worse.

Certainly not 'definitely' true.

"To our knowledge, there are no data on the potential influences of aspartame on the human gut microbiome. It is hard to understand how aspartame influences the gut microbiota because this NNS is rapidly hydrolyzed in the small intestine. In fact, even with the ingestion of very high doses of aspartame (>200 mg/kg), no aspartame is found in the blood because of its rapid breakdown. Upon ingestion, aspartame breaks down into residual components, including aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol and their components, which are readily absorbed so that they do not reach the large bowel."

Effects of Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota: A Review of Experimental Studies and Clinical Trials: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6363527/

[asiachick]

For me, soda scratches my throat in a good way (like having an itch scratched). In way that my life would be worse without. I like tea and water and milk too but there are times I need the scratchiness of the carbonation that non-carbonated drinks don't provide.

As an example, if I have a mild sore throat, carbonated drinks sooth it much more than non.

[josefresco]

Thanks for sharing this anecdote. I've had this same "throat feeling" observation for years (thought I was just weird). I used to drink Coke semi-regularly, and would prefer it over water when I had a sore throat both because of the "scratchiness" but also because it would coat my throat whereas water would "strip" my throat of mucus/saliva.

[pjerem]

Actually, I totally stopped drinking any soda just by replacing it by sparkling water (self made with sodastream). It just worked (for me) and I can’t drink a coke anymore without having nausea due to the high sugar dosage.

[colordrops]

What are your thoughts on soda water?

[mmastrac]

I love soda water but the last study I read suggested it was carbonation that should be avoided. I still drink it.

[JohnWhigham]

I remember reading something that the acidity in sodas was way worse than plain club soda. Something about the sugar reacting with the CO2 acids.

[andi999]

Can you find the source? I doubt that carbonation is a problem.

[mmastrac]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28228348/

Carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages induces ghrelin release and increased food consumption in male rats: Implications on the onset of obesity

[pivo]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17023723/

Apparently some association to low bone density in women.

[andi999]

Well, this one supports the phosphoric acid bad thing, but not the carbonated being bad idea.