Metabolic Syndrome Tied to Diet Soda

[BocaLady]

Researchers have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and metabolic syndrome -- the collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes that include abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood glucose levels -- and elevated blood pressure.

The scientists gathered dietary information on more than 9,500 men and women ages 45 to 64 and tracked their health for nine years.

Over all, a Western dietary pattern -- high intakes of refined grains, fried foods and red meat -- was associated with an 18 percent increased risk for metabolic syndrome, while a "prudent" diet dominated by fruits, vegetables, fish and poultry correlated with neither an increased nor a decreased risk.

But the one-third who ate the most fried food increased their risk by 25 percent compared with the one-third who ate the least, and surprisingly, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34 percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none.

"This is interesting," said Lyn M. Steffen, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota and a co-author of the paper, which was posted online in the journal Circulation on Jan. 22. "Why is it happening? Is it some kind of chemical in the diet soda, or something about the behavior of diet soda drinkers?"

Copyright © 2008 The New York Times Company

[BocaLady]

In New York, where I grew up, we called it "soda." I lived in Cleveland most of my life, and I learned to call it "pop," but now that I live in Florida, we're back to calling it "soda" again.

Seriously, though, I gave up drinking carbonated diet beverages several years ago. I like your idea of mixing a small amount of juice with water. I also like drinking water with a slice of lemon in it. I like green tea, which is healthy because it has antioxidants in it, but I can't drink unsweetened tea, so I buy the sugar sweetened green tea mix. It has about 70-80 calories per 8 oz. glass, and I have one glass with lunch and one with dinner. I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I'll have a cup of instant decaf with breakfast once or twice a week.

Thanks for your suggestion about adding a small amount of juice to a glass of water. I'll have to try it.

[Dasiavue]

When I was a kid, I did a science experiment by putting one of my baby teeth in a glass of coke. It dissolved! Can you imagine what it does to your internal organs? So many people drink diet soda to lose weight. It might not be such a good idea.

[BocaLady]

That experiment proves that regular cola has the same bad effects as diet cola. I stay away from all artificially sweetened products as well as carbonated beverages.

Irene

[BocaLady]

Barbara

Thanks for the valuable information on the harm Cola does to your body and the other uses for it. I don't use any diet sweeteners, and I don't drink carbonated beverages. None of it has any nutritional value, and Cola is high in caffeine, which I avoid.

I have an oven baked brisket recipe that calls for a can of beer. I dislike the taste of beer, but the brisket tastes wonderful. I wonder how the ham would taste if it was made with beer instead of cola.

Irene

[BocaLady]

I'm not an expert, so I can't answer your question about whether the carbonation or the cola causes the problems described. I'm not sure I would like cola syrup added to water, but 450 calories per serving is a lot of calories. I clicked on the link you included with your message, but I'll have to go back to it later when I have more time.

I know that cola has a lot of caffeine in it, which I try to avoid, although I drink green tea which has caffeine in it because it has antioxidants. I don't know if green tea comes decaffinated.