February 17, 2008 - Should you ditch your calorie free beverages?

If you ask those who drink diet sodas, they do so for one reason--to drink less calories, which could help avoid weight gain. But new research is challenging that theory. In fact, research from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio suggested the more diet sodas a person drinks, the more weight they are likely to gain. What gives? Doesn't make much sense, does it?

Why would diet soda make some people gain weight? There are only theories at this point but it may be as simple as people consciously eating more because they think they can. Maybe they are compensating in other areas, like ordering hamburger AND fries because there are no calories in the soda (rather than just hamburger). Of course, none of those options are great, but that's a different story.

The other thought is that diet soda may stimulate appetite causing people to overeat. There are still plenty of questions that researchers need to answer. For instance, are these results associated with all artificial sweeteners? Or just certain ones? Remember, also, that this research was done in rats, not humans, so until it's replicated in humans and on a much larger scale, don't run out to the store and buy high sugar, zero nutrient soda just yet.

Our recommendation? Avoid regular and diet soda and opt for water and tea. Both are calorie free, tea has a ton of nutrients, and they will help hydrate you without adding sugar, chemicals, or anything else into your body.

For other smart grocery tips, check out "Grocery Shopping Made Easy: From Apples to Zucchini", which registered nurse from Jackson Mississippi Suzanne Steele recently noted is "...the absolute most useful tool I have found to give my clients who are trying to change their health behaviors!"

Have a healthy week!

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