Buh-bye Diet Coke!
Posted April 20, 2006 at 1:05 pm
It’s time. I hate to do it, but I simply must, must give up Diet Coke.
This is gonna be really hard. I don’t remember when I started the serious Diet Coke habit (probably when I started working at Burger King at 16), but it has been a serious habit for nearly thirty years.
I first knew it was a crutch when I attended college and would line up three smallish (8 or 10 oz…this was long before supersize) cups of Diet Coke and one small cup of ice on my cafeteria tray at every meal, including breakfast. Later on, fasting for five months was palatable because I found (despite advice to abstain) that I could drink just 600 cals a day as long as I could also have my Diet Coke.
Nowadays, my daily Diet Coke fix involves stopping at Wendy’s on the way to work. I buy a small (for the ride) and a large (32 oz) for work. Today, I did lunch at Camilles and bought another large.
It’s just gotta stop, and here’s why.
First, just think of what I could do with the money I’d save. I’ve done the math, and it looks like I spend more than $1,000 a year on Diet Coke!
More important are the health issues. IMO, there’s still a question about whether aspartame is safe. Yes, the FDA recently said that it’s actually okay for humans, but lately this kind of stuff is like New England weather: wait 15 minutes and it will change.
Next, we have the link between diet soda and obesity. Whether this is because people think they can eat more as long as they drink diet soda, or whether we’re screwing ourselves up (re cravings) by having sweet stuff w/o calories, I don’t know.
Regular Diet Coke also has caffeine in it, and the jury is definitely out on how much is too much and whether it’s bad for you.
There’s also a suspected link between phosphoric acid and osteoporosis. Phosphoric acid is thought to either lead to calcium loss or reduced calcium absorption.
But now, I’ve come across the latest doozy. Turns out that sodas that include both potassium benzoate (which according to my can “protects taste”) and Vitamin C (aka citric acid) may lead to unacceptable levels of benzene, a known carcinogen. Okay, yeah, the FDA says this is bunk too, but I’m not sure I’m willing to trust W’s FDA on the subject.
Enough! I give!
I’ve been doing much the same thing with Diet Coke that I did with food a year ago. I tell myself I’ll stop shortly. I said I’d stop after my embolization procedure (in fact, as soon as I could have liquid in the hospital, I asked for, and got, a Diet Coke). Now I’m saying “gee, just wait until you finish your office move.”
Nope. Today is it. The Diet Coke from Camille’s is my last. And I’m going to give the two cans of CF Diet Coke I snagged at a work function away. Starting now, it’s gonna be water at work and iced tea at home (which I’m currently making with one organic black tea bag and one organic green tea bag, lemon, and stevia).
I’ve done this once or twice before, but have always gone back to my little habit. This time, I’m going to pay attention. It’s curious to me how much I actually crave Diet Coke. I’ve noticed in the past that I’ve dropped a noticeable amount of weight (I’ve figured water weight) when I cut it out or back. But there’s also an interesting question about whether this craving may mean something else:
Food sensitivities may cause allergic people to crave those foods to which they are allergic. Just as a drug addict suffers withdrawal symptoms when the drug is withdrawn, allergic people experience discomfort when they lose access to a particular food.
I’m done. Buh-bye Diet Coke. Let the last caffeine-withdrawal headache begin!!
April 20th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
Good for you!
I know it’s hard. I used to have a serious problem with it. Before Diet Coke it was Tab. And I also had a flirtation with Diet Pepsi. If there’s one thing I’m grateful for from my time in the Weight Watchers trenches, it’s breaking myself of the diet soda habit and getting used to drinking water and lots of it. Water with meals and in a bottle at my desk at all times. I also carry a water bottle with me in my bag. It’s the only thing I will drink with meals. Except for red wine, of course.
I’ll have a diet soda now every once in a while, like maybe once every couple of months (and I’ve noticed that the odd craving I get for one now and then usually coincides with PMS and my desire for my own personal salt lick), but I have to say, don’t really miss them.
April 20th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
This is something that’s been on my list for a while, too. I have one a day, and oh, do I love it. I’ve tried to kick it a couple times, but it just never takes. Why am I sad at the thought of giving it up?!?! Perverse!
April 20th, 2006 at 6:58 pm
My naturopathic physician told me two things (1) cut back on sugar and (2) eliminate artificial sweeteners entirely. I too had been hooked on diet soda (it started with diet Pepsi for me), and I too dig the stevia-sweetened tea. Thanks for always your thought ful posts with referring articles and links, you could be a librarian!
April 20th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
I too have given up Diet Coke (its been around 3 months now). I believe the connection between aspartame and depression. On days where I would drink copious amounts of Diet coke (5 cans +) I’d feel like pure crap. The immediate signs were headaches and a generally feeling of yuck. My emotions were all screwed up, I would cry, I’d be angry for no reason. I didnt understand why and was on the brink of seeking medical help (my husband was pretty much begging me..)
I read a few articles on aspartame and there were a few case studies that sounded exactly like me. So I thought I’d experiement. I cut out all artifical sweeteners with the intention of tracking my outbursts - but there have been none since!
Buh-bye Diet Coke indeed!
April 20th, 2006 at 9:02 pm
OK, this is not in the least health conscience but I just wanted to chime in that my body feels a HUGE difference between Diet Coke with aspartame and Diet Coke with Splenda. Diet Coke with aspartame (I didn’t know until I switched) seemed to do something funky to my blood sugar. Made me hungrier.
DC with Splenda DOES taste different and at first I really preferred the familiar refreshingly bite-y taste of DC with aspartame. But, after I started noticing the big difference between the two versions I avoid DC with aspartame like the plague. (I’ve seen negative things about Splenda too but superficially it really helps control my appetite for sugars)
That said, cutting the stuff off entirely is the way to go for all the reasons you said! But for anyone who can’t kick the stuff, or might want to wean off a bit before quitting, I’d definitely recommend giving the version with Splenda a try for a week and see if you notice a difference in how it effects you.
April 20th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
Lynette, you know, I’ve never developed an affection for Splenda…I don’t like the taste! So much so, that before I started using stevia, I actually used saccharin (sweet ‘n low) as my sweetener of choice for things like tea.
BTW, according to Jimmy Moore, they are discontinuing Diet Coke with Splenda in favor of Coke Zero. I hope for your sake that isn’t true!
April 20th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
Well Beth, if it makes you feel any better, here’s yet another reason to quit…but a non-health related one…
http://vergeof30.blogspot.com/2006/04/another-reason-to-drink-more-water.html
Happy reading!
Amanda
April 20th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
I haven’t had a Diet Coke in about 15 years. I used to drink it on occasion when I was on my diet. But I much prefer a citrus taste, so if I have a yen for soda at all, it’s usually for the diet versions of 7-up or Sprite, or for Fresca (my personal favourite soda). The best, most thirst-quenching drink for me is lemon or lime juice in water, with no sweetener of any kind; hot in winter, cold in summer. You can’t beat it!
April 21st, 2006 at 8:22 am
B’wha! Thanks for the advance warning Beth!
April 21st, 2006 at 8:58 am
question: whats stevia?
April 21st, 2006 at 11:51 am
Stevia is an herb from South America that is much sweeter than sugar. Stevia fans talk about how great it is and how they’ve been using it for decades in other countries. But there are stevia detractors who note that it may be problematic in huge doses (like if we turn into a mega-ingredient like high-fructose corn syrup).
This means that stevia is like every other artificial sweetener: you can find fans and foes. But since I don’t care for the taste of Splenda, and I am very suspicious of aspartame (which you wouldn’t know from my ridiculous Diet Coke habit), I tend to use stevia at home and Sweet ‘n Low when out.
I don’t cook sweet things, so I don’t need something for baking…I mostly use it for iced tea, so my use is fairly minimal. Though it may be going up now that I’m off Diet Coke :).
April 21st, 2006 at 12:10 pm
Not to defend diet sodas, but the link to bone problems is pretty much an urban legend. A 1989 study of young women athletes suggested a link, but many more controlled and better designed studies since then have come up empty.
April 21st, 2006 at 12:19 pm
While I’ve had a lot of questionable habits over the years? — thankfully pop, diet or otherwise, never became one of them. Nor coffee either (not that I didn’t try) . I do drink a mean glass of decaffienated herbal tea from time to time though….
In any event, here’s wishing you much luck and success in going Diet Coke free!
April 21st, 2006 at 2:50 pm
Im almost there with you. My nutritionist always said to give it up, but I never saw any harm in it. I didn’t drink diet coke for 2-3 days this week, cause of my cleanse, but then I got some Diet Icea Tea from the varioety store. It had aspertame too. I dont understand it. Is there anything we can still get from a store? Even those flavoured waters have sucralose in it? Is that bad too? Is Splenda safe? Im confused. It seems, everything we like is bad for us!
If you know Beth, can you let me know. You seem very knowledgeable on this!
April 21st, 2006 at 2:58 pm
I’m on day 5 of cutting back from 88+oz of diet coke to one can a day. I never notices that EVERYTIME i would stop somewhere i would buy a diet coke. I do feel a lot better without it, but i also miss the amounts I would drink :( When I get the craving though, i just remind myself that a can has about 6 packets of sweetener in it — at my prior amounts that is a disgusting amount of sweetener. I can just imagine the huge pile of packets I’m putting into my body. That makes it easier to drink water instead.
April 21st, 2006 at 4:16 pm
I myself keep trying to lose weight and am constantly frustrated by the things diets tell me to cut out first. I don’t drink pop/soda more than maybe once a month at most. I already take my tea black, and coffee with one cream, one sugar. I also don’t drink fruit juice, which my dad guzzles even though it’s sugar water as far as I can tell. I haven’t eaten white bread in years, and the other bread products my family consumes are almost all whole grain.
I do have a coca-cola addicted friend, and she’s had to cut it out. She’s had a chronic pain injury in her arm, and while she doesn’t agree, we think her bones must be weaker for some reason. Coke might just be the cause. (Most people’s bones can sustain a university student’s courseload and its required handwriting…)
At any rate, great that you’ve decided to cut it out. I’m still trying to find things to cut out and I really appreciate the skeptism you show for the FDA’s apparent approval of many products which may be extremely carcinogenic. If they actually knew what caused cancer and made an effort to limit the public’s exposure, there might be a lot more whole families today.
April 28th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
I contracted aml luekemia last year. @ the time I was drinking 4, 64ounce fountain diet cokes a day. I know that I contracted this from drinking to much coke. I’m still fighting the disease and would love to talk to lawyers out thier that could help me with my case. I do not have a history of cancer in my family, I’m only 33 years old and have not been hardly sick at all in my life I don’t drink and smoke. You can contact me @ rickracks@hotmail.com