Sure, the idea of being able to have all your favourite sodas and sweet treats without any of the calories may be appealing. But is it a reality? And what are they really adding to replace the sugar?
The answer is artificial sweeteners like aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin, acesulfame-k or sucralose. All of which are synthetically produced with a long list of harmful side effects.
Here’s a few examples of what they’re really doing to you:
The spike it causes in your blood sugar can trigger hormone fluctuations, breakouts from inflammation & dehydration, as well as mood swings and a decrease in concentration. .
It can also cause lower bone mineral density which can set you up for osteoporosis later in life.
It largely increases your risk of metabolic syndrome – a disorder that leads to diabetes, heart problems, weight fluctuations, and even death.
It damages your kidneys which are vital for natural detoxification.
It causes your teeth to erode at a rapid rate.
Phosphoric acid can disrupt the nutrient absorption process in your body, preventing skin and muscles from getting the nutrients they need, speeding up the aging process.
In a nutshell, diet products have been linked with depression, preterm delivery, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes (by almost double), high blood pressure and even degenerative disorders like alzheimer’s disease, dementia and stroke.
Worst of all, when you digest aspartame, it creates a by-product called methanol. Methanol is a toxin, so your liver converts it into formaldehyde. But here’s the thing — formaldehyde is a carcinogen. So drinking diet soda could potentially release cancer-causing chemicals into your body.
If the reason you find yourself drawn to these products is part of your weightloss plan, we’re sorry to say that in a study of 3,682 individuals from San Antonio, Texas, consumption of diet soda was associated with double the risk of becoming overweight or obese.
The addiction is real, Dopamine and glutamate, two neurotransmitters in the brain’s reward center, are released from the caffeine and aspartame. So giving it up may not come easily, but we can assure you it will be worth it!
So if you are ready to really take control of your health, it’s time to cut the diet soda and opt for healthier options like naturally carbonated kombucha, cold-pressed juice, tea, or get creative with some sparkling water and add your choice of berries, citrus fruits, mint/herbs & food grade essential oils. Your body & skin will thank you enormously!
Here’s a couple of our favourite combinations:
Blackberry Sparkle
1 litre mineral or still water (opt for naturally sparkling mineral water over soda water)
5 blackberries
5-10 mint leaves
1 tsp orange peel zest / 1 drop food grade orange essential oil
Spiced Iced Tea
1 litre still water
2 black tea bags (steep in 1 cup hot water first)
5 strawberries
5-10 tarragon leaves
3 cloves
1 cinnamon quill / 1 drop food grade cinnamon essential oil