but may be of general interest anyhow, especially to those of us who drink diet sodas. Latest work directly correlates artificially sweetened soft drinks w/ increasing levels of obesity

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aGIMcubPNuvs

and w/ metabolic syndrome

http://body.aol.com/news/health/arti...06155809990001

metabolic syndrome is known to be a separate risk factor, like prediabetes as a cause of PN.

Alkymst

such as that they are acid and acidify your body, and they contain artificial color and flavorings. This was my first google hit on "soda pop sugar", http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxifi...t/soda-pop.htm .

A teaspoon of sugar has about 15 calories. If a soda has 120 calories (the average 12 oz. can), that equals 8 teaspoons of unbuffered sugar, quite a shock to the liver, pancreas, nerves, and muscles.

BTW, pure fruit juice is just about as bad in this regard.

particularly. Tho in hindsight it's kind of obvious?
Seeing folks tho trying to diet and then go overboard with a fudge brownie sundae WITH their diet drink struck me always as well 'odd'.
I'd not gotten into a diet soda phase I guess because I'd read the list of ingredients? And I'd always thought [correct me here if I'm wrong] that sodium saccharin was a 'salt'? The substitute 'sugars' put into foods these days also scare me. I have and plan to keep most intake as simple and unprocessed as I can. It's not easy. Tho I refuse to give up my meats and potatos!
It is hard and often lifelong work to figure out what is 'really' in anything processed that you eat..or not. I have a friend who is a nutritionist I can call if needed...haven't had to yet [knock wood].
Thanks Alkymst for this information....It truly amazes me how our bodies ADAPT in ways one would never ever think of? It is also kind of scary? IF you are 50 or older [no mention of particular ages here, mind you] you have to really re-think how eating patterns/habits and foods we consume have changed. We are the TV Dinner, and MickeyD generation....but we probably DID get a good start-before all it 'got' us? Kids and most adults these days did not get that good start.
What also gets me, is that most convenience foods either fresh, frozen or from the 'window' are all soo PROCESSED! From cereals, to sandwiches [HotPockets as an example] do dinners [heat and eat!] LOOK at the ingredients! The salts the sugars and the carbs....It's so much easier to burn a burger, chop, steak or fish bit and steam or bake some veggies. Takes as much time and as easy to clean up...and w/PN not burn yourself!
Maybe I am getting off track here a bit, I really don't think too far off?
As many of you know, chemistry and nutritional stuff intimidates me. I struggle to get the basics, I get at least 20-40% of it. I think that's pretty good considering most of this stuff is as confusing as reading a Russian novel!
Me? I'm for eliminating as much of the artificials as I can! Pain-free moments to all! - j

I am trying to cut down on this too and reg sugar. These sweeteners do a number on your stomach too. I feel its true that the more artificial sweetened products one consumes the more they crave. Dahlek it is true about the way we eat have you seen all the varieties of junk we have. It is like how many varieties of hostess do we need?If I were a kid now I would be huge. Even when I was growing up in school they served pizza and french fries together for lunch. This was in the 80 and 90's.

Part of the problem is that the junk, the processed stuff, is much cheaper for the quantity than the healthy food is. That's warped. I can't afford to eat the way I'd like to. I'm able to eat healthy for 2 weeks out of the month and then very little food at all for the last 2 weeks of the month. The only way I can stretch the food for the entire month is by buying what's the cheapest and that's the processed stuff. I think many people have the same issues.

I can't use aspartame. I can't stand the taste and no matter what they do to hide it I can taste it. Now Splenda I can use. And I am using it. For my coffee only. I was using way too much sugar and as soon as I switched to Splenda the weight began to come off. I use honey in my tea and sugar in my cereal. And I occasionally have what I call candy-coffee....coffee with half&half and sugar. Tastes just like those coffeenips candies.

As far as artificial sweetners - never used intentionally (yuck to diet soda) - I dont know about others but if I just eat a few sugraress candies (and this was before I got PN too) the immediate and not so good effect on my guts is really bad.... anything that can cause such a strong rejection by your body cannot be good in any way!!!!