Is diet soda okay on a ketogenic diet?

(Empress of the Unexpected) #1

I’m not a soda drinker, but think my husband and son are overdoing the Pepsi. Pre-enlightenment (pre first ritual!) I assumed that while sugar wasn’t all that great, the chemicals in the perfect storm of diet soda were way worse. But I notice many forum members drink diet soda. I also note there is a Powerade zero. Can someone convince me that diet soda is okay? I thought the emphasis was on moving away from “diet” products, and embracing whole foods. They won’t give up the tortillas, but if taking a baby step drinking diet sodas will help, I will be on board.

(Terri) #2

I am sure there are rather varied responses to this question here. To me, it totally depends on your overall goals and your level of metabolic derangement. I stay away from the chemicals as much as possible, so don’t consume diet drinks. I rarely use artificial sweeteners, so again, avoid diet drinks. I am a former T2D, so I know the importance of minimizing my insulin level is key to my health and longevity. So, no, diet soda isn’t worth it to me. And I should note, I used to consume about 3-4 20oz bottles of diet soda and several more diet flavored waters EVERY day, so I am someone who used to accept them as just fine.

(Chris W) #3

In a practical sense there are some people that have insulin reactions to some sweeteners, so they may or may not be good on this WOE person to person.

As for if you should or should not drink it based on what else is in it I think personal opinion plays into this more than anything else. I view soda as a gateway, I avoided it as well as all sweet things, but mainly it for many months. I now have a good control over my intake and I do drink it, right now quite a lot(caffeine), but it does not effect my ketosis to my knowledge or at least to any noticeable extent. “diet products” is a broad term and i think you need to weigh each product for its own merit and application towards the WOE, much like some people believe the only true calling is to only eat meat, or others to only eat vegetables.

So now the part I don’t understand is why you drinking diet soda will make them stop eating tortillas, it sounds like rationalization to me. Not trying to undercut you motive, but it really from my frame of aspect makes little sense.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #4

You misunderstood. I am not drinking diet soda. I am asking if they should switch from regular pepsi to diet pepsi. One small way of taking sugar out of their diet.

(Chris W) #5

I see,
Well my opinion is mixed, if you are trying to get them to be ketogenic its all or nothing I think you understand that by now.
As for making them drink it, or asking them, personal opinion is that will backfire but I suppose that is just my take. Men tend do what we are not supposed to, and try harder at it. I think a better approach is if you have control over the purchases, make sure only diet is bought, but don’t make a point of it. Only offer it as an option with no alternative, they will probably start to drink it. Just my take.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #6

That was my idea - I am in control of the groceries. We are not talking keto here, but isn’t less sugar better than more sugar?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #7

Let 'em see how great you look in your robe, that’ll get 'em to go keto! Tell your hubby we’ll even let him light the candle. He’ll be so excited he won’t even realize you’ve slipped him a diet soda . . . :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

(Empress of the Unexpected) #8

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: So true!

(Empress of the Unexpected) #9

But from what I’ve heard, diet soda tastes like shit.

(Chris W) #10

Just remember, men try to reach a decision based on what is front of them or deduction(generally speaking of course) . We generally don’t put too much of our emotions into things like that, which I think makes women upset sometimes. Women in my experience tend to induce the answer, often by emotion, and arrive at it in a different route.
So if you limit the ability to make a decision down to one or two items, one of two things will happen. First he will consume what is on hand, or second he will consume an alternative like water also on hand. If you push the issue and tell him that this what you are now drinking, he will find away to get the normal soda. Either subversively or really right in front of you to make a point either way you will know. That I think would depend upon your spouse.

I don’t mind the taste of diet soda, but its not regular by any means.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #11

You are so right! Right now he is eating plantains and black beans. Not keto, but a step above soda.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #12

and a giant ribeye. God, how can men eat that much!

(Terence Dean) #13

Get them to sit down and watch the documentary, “The Magic Pill”, every time they want a soda… I used to drink a lot of soft drinks too before Keto but to be honest its all part of the sugar addiction problem we had from consuming so many carbs. In hindsight Soda is just a craving for more sugar, so it probably doesn’t really matter whether they drink diet or regular, its not going to solve anything. Drop their carbs back to 20g a day and you’ll certainly get their attention!! :stuck_out_tongue:

(Terence Dean) #14

Its considered an art form. :art:

#15

Personally I think most convenient drinks ranging from full sugar sodas, right through to juice (orange juice containing more sugar than some sodas) are all extremely bad for you if consumed regularly over the long term.

Due to Keto I started checking ingredients more carefully; many many products contain massive amounts of things (as you say) to keep them stable and also make them palatable. ‘Diet’ items are the worst; they take stuff out but then they often put worse things in to add back the taste.

Just like many things such as refined carb foods; they have become normalised as part of a ‘normal’ diet; when decades ago they were ‘treats’ and only consumed occasionally, or didn’t even exist!

All this crap has been allowed to become a normal part of the diet; and full or diet sodas should not be part of the ‘normal’ drinking (just as juices should not);

In my opinion if Keto teaches you anything, it teaches you we have allowed our diets to be compromised and allowed foods that kill us to be ‘normalised’; and we justify this due to our addictions or just because others around us are doing the same (and getting fat or ill).

What a person in this situation is education and wake up call (just as I did), not transference from one bad product to a variation of that same product. Sorry for the rant :slight_smile:

(Jodi) #17

My husband has recently faced the reality he has blood sugar issues. He is not ready to go full on water, so he is giving things like Powerade Zero a try. Ideal? Nope, but a big change for him from Mt Dew, Coke & Gatorade.
Not everyone is ready to make a big sweeping change, I’m keeping my fingers crossed he just keeps going, even if it’s a step at a time. At least he is starting to listen, and even ask some questions. He has even agreed to try a few keto recipes which is pretty much a small miracle.

(Diane) #18

I think one many of the positive aspects of eating ketogenically is that eating can be both a wonderful source of fuel and unbelievably unanticipated (by me) pleasure. Being able to add back in healthy fats to my diet means I don’t have to see food as just fuel. I don’t have choose between eating for health or eating for satisfaction.

I don’t see a problem with making choices along the way that are slightly better than previous choices. This whole process has been a journey for me. It may be that diet sodas are a step on the journey that works for some.

(Edith) #19

I think for now, diet sodas would be a good transition. Substitution is a good way to change a habit. The substitution helps but isn’t as good at the original item so eventually the habit goes away.

I did that with Diet Coke. I really like McDonalds Diet Coke but decided I needed to stop drinking it. I switched to unsweetened iced tea so I could still get my “treat” but not have the DC. It’s worked. I’m not drinking the Diet Coke, and I enjoyed my substitute for a bit but since it’s not as good as Diet Coke, I’m not drinking it nearly as much.

(karen) #20

Oh! That’s different, I thought you were saying diet soda vs. no soda. My thought: they are two different evils. Regular soda is the devil, might as well hook yourself up to a glucose IV. But diet soda, in addition to the chemicals and the potential insulin reaction, seems to cause people to eat more. And if that “more” is regular flour tortillas, also the equivalent of a glucose drip with some industrial oil added in for good measure, then maybe they might as well just drink the loaded soda and be done with it. Sorry, but I think soda might be a no-win, regardless of how it’s sweetened.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/07/18/diet-drinks-are-associated-with-weight-gain-new-research-suggests/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.6c0d0a17a88c

ETA: I’m the shopper in our family, too. I find that when I “forget” to buy crap, hubs will eventually resort to consuming what is available - or go buy his own stuff, which isn’t any better for him but allows me to do what I think is best, which is something at least.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #21

May be a coincidence, but. Bought my husband the diet pepsi and got curious and took a swig. (or two) 30 minutes later I was vilely abusing an innocent ATT chat person. Usually I am polite and patient, knowing the chat person is not the person that has sent three techs to my door in as many months, who were meant for other customers. And claimed my pin number was incorrect, etc., etc. But I was very rude. I may try the experiment again. (with a punching bag standing by, not a person.) It felt like the chemicals literally went to my head.