Diet soda is supposed to help people lose weight, but recent research suggests that replacing diet drinks with water helps women with type 2 diabetes lose more weight.
How Did the Diet Soda Study Work?
The study included 81 Iranian women who were trying to lose weight and accustomed to consuming diet drinks. The volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. One group was allowed to drink diet soda after lunch five times a week while the other was asked to switch to water.
They were not allowed diet beverages at any other time of day, and they were asked not to use artificial sweeteners in their tea or coffee. The six-month program gradually increased the exercise of all the participants and held all of them to a reduced calorie diet.
The Results of the Trial:
Both groups lost weight, but at the end of the study, those drinking water instead of diet soda had lost about 2.5 pounds more.
Did Diet Soda Help Diabetes?
Women drinking water also had more improvement in their insulin sensitivity. One researcher noted that these results raise the question of whether diet beverages are truly beneficial for people with diabetes.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, October 11, 2016
This is not the first study to cast doubt on the benefits of diet soda for weight loss. We reported previous research here. There are a number of possible routes to successful weight loss. We talked with Dr. David Ludwig about his book, Always Hungry, in Show 1020.
6/4/18 redirected to: https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/is-stevia-a-safe-sugar-substitute/
