Avoid sugar-free soda | Natural sweeteners are processed | All sweeteners are bad for intestinal health | Diet soda will forever instill in you a love of sweets | Sugar-free soda interferes with fluid absorption | Drink food with plain water or tea | Dietary soda for diabetes affects bowel health | Should I drink soda without sugar
The debate about “healthy” and “bad” foods will never subside. Especially when it comes to high blood sugar. Fast carbohydrates are known to be the diabetic’s worst enemy. And one of the most controversial questions: is it worth it to drink diet Coke with such an illness?
The American Diabetes Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Diet take a fairly neutral position with respect to sweeteners in diet soda, stating that there is some place for low-calorie carbonated drinks in the diabetic diet. However, as a nutritionist, I take a more conservative position when I give recommendations to my patients. Nutrition science is still a relatively young field. Even some hundred years ago, products of a high degree of processing were practically not on the human menu, so we have a lot to learn about their long-term effects on the body.
The American Diabetes Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Diet take a fairly neutral position with respect to sweeteners in diet soda
In general, I, as a nutritionist am for natural food: the fewer stages of processing it goes through – the more useful substances are stored in it. If you adhere to this approach, then diet soda should be treated as a product with low nutritional value and generally useless. Compare with what we ate for centuries, and you will understand that for the human body this is more a novelty than a familiar product.
If you are still willing to add sugar-free Coca-Cola and other diet soda to your diet, then think about some things.
Diabetic should avoid sugar-free soda
The thing is that the human body does not distinguish ordinary glucose from a sweetener. Therefore, when it enters the bloodstream, the pancreas begins to actively produce insulin. As a result, instead of newly received glucose, it begins to break down those reserves that are already in the blood.
For a diabetic who has constantly increased blood sugar, this is even beneficial at first glance. But, alas, the opposite is true. His own body produces too little insulin, and during the intake of any carbohydrate food, glucose will be injected into the blood more and more. This is how the compensatory mechanism works. So, regularly consuming your favorite Coca-Cola without sugar in diabetes, you obviously are not doing better for your body.
There are other reasons why diet soda is bad for diabetes.
Even “natural” sweeteners are processed
In many diet sodas, stevia has been declared the main sweetener – this plant has been used by the guarani tribe in South America for more than a thousand years as an alternative to sugar. However, unfortunately, the current stevia and products based on it are the cousin of that natural stevia from the diet of the Indians. It is rather a chemical processing product, as most nutritionists define.
Other sweeteners, such as xylitol (xylitol) or arhat extract (monk’s fruit), are also positioned as “natural” sugar substitutes. Some product descriptions even state that they have health benefits. However, even though most low-calorie sweeteners were once a component of a natural product, the final substance is still more often synthesized in the laboratory. There are clinical studies that confirm that many of these sweeteners, when used regularly, cause gastrointestinal upsets. In particular, they have a laxative effect and provoke flatulence.
All sweeteners are bad for intestinal health.
Research has already been carried out, which showed that any sugar substitute is toxic to the intestinal microflora. Only 1 mg / ml is enough for the beneficial gastrointestinal bacteria to begin to die. Well, this chain will affect the digestibility of food, and overall immunity.
Diet soda will forever instill in you a love of sweets
Do not think that if you replace Coca-Cola without sugar with regular sweet soda, then someday it will be easier to avoid chocolate and your favorite cinnamon rolls. Everything is exactly the opposite.
As already mentioned, the human brain does not distinguish real sugar from sweetener in any way. And stopping being a sweet tooth is much harder. This is especially true for diabetics, given that sugar for them is actually poison.
Instead of changing the usual cola to diet cola in the same volumes, it is better to completely remove them from the diet. Drink mineral water or green tea. This will allow your body to overpower addiction to sweets and minimize cravings for sugar.
Sugar-free soda interferes with fluid absorption
Dehydration is a serious risk for diabetics, because constantly elevated sugar causes the body to actively produce urine. That is why chronic thirst is one of the first signs of diabetes.
Many of my patients drink sugar-free soda for diabetes with at least one daily meal. At the same time, they do not realize that diet soda, especially with caffeine content, acts as a diuretic.
If possible, drink food with plain water or tea.
If you still decide to drink some of your favorite Coke Zero for your diabetes, then be sure to compensate for this with plenty of water throughout the day. One standard glass (0.5 L) should account for at least one and a half liters of ordinary water.
Dietary soda for diabetes affects bowel health
Any nutritionist will explain that the general condition of the body directly depends on the health of the digestive system. It is responsible for the internal microflora of the gastrointestinal tract. It helps maintain overall immunity and resist infections. And this is especially important to remember for diabetics or people with metabolic syndrome.
However, if you regularly drink diet soda, it will kill all the beneficial intestinal microflora. A number of recent clinical studies have shown that artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame or xylitol) lead to digestive disorders and glucose intolerance.
Despite the fact that so far there is not enough long-term data on the effect of diet soda on the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, the chances are no longer in favor of Coca-Cola without sugar.
Conclusion. Should I drink soda without sugar?
Clinical studies, lack of nutritional benefits over other drinks – all this says that drinking diet soda regularly is not worth it.
As the saying goes, “everything should be in moderation.” If the stake for diagnosed diabetes is your episodic weakness, then there is nothing to worry about. Enjoy and be proud of yourself for endurance and willpower. But if you drink diet cola like ordinary water, it’s time to reconsider your views on this drink.