8 'Healthy Drinks' That Are Actually Terrible for You

[Lsbcal]

The article touched on diet Cokes. Often I drink one can of diet Coke or Pepsi at lunch. The specifics on what's so bad about them seems to elude me. Maybe I should dial it back to a few times a week?

 

[audreyh1]

The article touched on diet Cokes. Often I drink one can of diet Coke or Pepsi at lunch. The specifics on what's so bad about them seems to elude me. Maybe I should dial it back to a few times a week?

I doubt 1 can a day is a problem.

Apparently diet drink may mess with the body's ability to detect satiation since these drinks taste sweet but have zero calories. Somehow, paradoxically, consumption of diet sodas is more highly correlated with weight gain. A few searches should get you the specifics.

Just an example - http://www.sciencenews.org/view/gen...iet_sodas__may_confuse_brains_calorie_counter

I guess the idea is, you might not really be helping your long term weight maintenance by drinking a diet soda instead do a regular soda.

 

[NW-Bound]

It's also made from vegetables, which proves it has healthful properties.

That's right. I forgot that the 80-proof stuff, whether made from grain or fruit, is [-]distilled[/-] concentrated veggie. The French don't call it eau de vie for nothing. A shot counts as what, 3 or 4 servings of fruit?

Talk of that, I would go pour myself a shot, if not for the fact that it is only 8 in the morning (I usually do that as an after-dinner dessert, the "fruity" type). Besides that, I am also sitting in a jury waiting room. They call me in again, right on 2 years after I served the last time.

PS. Because Cognac is concentrated grape, which is already in the wine that I drink for dinner, I often rotate to pear or apricot eau de vie for dessert. A balanced diet is also important, lest one forgets that in the quest for reduction of dihydrogen monoxide intake.

 

[Lsbcal]

...(snip)...
I guess the idea is, you might not really be helping your long term weight maintenance by drinking a diet soda instead do a regular soda.

I looked at the link, thanks. Have occasionally read about diet drinks but haven't been convinced they are really bad for me. I don't have any problem with weight and use the lowered calories from the drinks to eat things like dark chocolate and maybe chocolate chip cookies .

The only concern I'd have are the artificial ingredients so every once in awhile I go on a kick of reducing consumption ... which lasts for a week or two . Maybe I'll try buying some bottled, flavored sparkling water. But then there are the plastics to wonder about ... this goes on and on. Tea works OK on cold days.

 

[MichaelB]

Talk of that, I would go pour myself a shot, if not for the fact that it is only 8 in the morning (I usually do that as an after-dinner dessert, the "fruity" type). Besides that, I am also sitting in a jury waiting room. They call me in again, right on 2 years after I served the last time.

Waiting shows good sense, especially when it comes to alcohol and courtrooms.

That's right. I forgot that the 80-proof stuff, whether made from grain or fruit, is [-]distilled[/-] concentrated veggie. The French don't call it eau de vie for nothing. A shot counts as what, 3 or 4 servings of fruit?

That's cheating. You must consume your full ration of veggies and fruits, so one serving is one serving, be that veggies and fruit on the plate or in the glass.

 

[W2R]

Just curious W2R. You've mentioned this often over the years and I've wondered why not even a glass of wine? If you'd prefer not to answer, please ignore this inquiry. Otherwise, I'd be interested in your reply.

There are so many reasons why I choose not to drink, but here are some:

1. My brother is an alcoholic who went to AA and has not drunk anything for a couple of decades. Considering that alcoholism has a big genetic component, I would be taking a pretty big risk for very little reward. I used to drink years ago, but never really liked it that much. I mostly drank to seem cool, I suppose.

2. I have enough of a weight problem without it!

3. What a waste of good money!

4. I have seen so much anguish and misery caused by alcohol, that I'd rather not contribute any more of that to the world. Not drinking is a form of protest, to me.

5. I was so lucky, and found my beloved F who does not drink either. So, I do not feel pushed to drink.

Bottled water or (*gasp*) tap water?!?

Tap water! Tap water in Kailua was, I think, the best water in the universe when I lived there. Tap water in New Orleans tastes very nearly as good, due to our high rainfall, I think. People worry about it being treated Missiissippi River water, but the key word is "treated".

Before I retired, I worked with one of the best water quality experts in the world IMO, honestly. Margaret and I worked together closely so I know her well and have great respect for both her scientific work and her judgment; sometimes in life you meet someone whose expertise you truly trust, and for water quality, I trust Margaret's more than anybody's. I asked her what water she gave her KIDS, who she loves dearly, and she told me that actually our New Orleans tap water was best. She gave some excellent reasons for not giving them bottled water.

Now, when I lived in San Diego, I drank bottled water because the tap water tasted disgusting. The same was true to a lesser extent in rural Mississippi (probably due to rusted pipes, in that case), and in College Station, Texas.

 

[Purron]

We have well water treated with a high end system to remove the iron and other stuff. Love it. It's much better than the city water we had at our old place. Our well produces 65 gallons a minute. Because it has such good flow, it had to be registered with the authorities who deal with disaster planning in the DC area. Not sure who that is - our well driller mentioned it plus it had to be inspected by our county so they know about it. Wonder how that would work if the DC area water system was attacked by terrorists. Hope we never find out.

 

[audreyh1]

I looked at the link, thanks. Have occasionally read about diet drinks but haven't been convinced they are really bad for me. I don't have any problem with weight and use the lowered calories from the drinks to eat things like dark chocolate and maybe chocolate chip cookies .

The only concern I'd have are the artificial ingredients so every once in awhile I go on a kick of reducing consumption ... which lasts for a week or two . Maybe I'll try buying some bottled, flavored sparkling water. But then there are the plastics to wonder about ... this goes on and on. Tea works OK on cold days.

Like I said. I doubt one soda a day will cause any problems. The "soda abusers" likely drink way more than that.

I find sodas, whether diet or regular, to be just way too syrupy sweet for my taste. If I ever do buy a soda, it will likely be a fruit italian style soda which I water down greatly with sparkling water. I find sparkling water with a splash of fruit soda or fruit juice over ice to be really refreshing. I enjoy the carbonation with just a hint of flavor/sweet. It may simply be a matter of training the taste buds.

These days we often buy the 100% pomegranate juice (no sugar added) by POM. This stuff is intense, so a little goes a long way. A splash of it in some sparkling water is a very nice drink. This super dark juice must contain a lot of antioxidants!

 

[FUEGO]

I drink water all the time during the day. Maybe 1 small 8 oz glass of diet soda during a typical week. And ~ 8 oz coffee most mornings (just switched to real half and half creme instead of the powdered stuff due to it probably being healthier). I'd rather get my junk calories from real food, like potato chips, candy bars, cheese steaks, pizza, etc.

I have sold my kids on this too. I put a glass of fruit juice and a fun size candy bar in front of them and told them they have roughly the same nutritional value. They prefer the candy bar oddly enough.

I think drinks are the easiest way to let dead calories slip into your nutrition. The fancy sweet coffee drinks that McDs and Starbucks sells (frozen frappes for example) are the worst. I'd rather have a cup of coffee with a touch of half and half and maybe a taste of sugar, then eat a big bowl of ice cream. Roughly the same nutritional value and much more indulgent to my taste buds and you know you're eating something delicious but bad for you.

 

[Lsbcal]

...(snip)... I find sparkling water with a splash of fruit soda or fruit juice over ice to be really refreshing. I enjoy the carbonation with just a hint of flavor/sweet. ...

This sounds like a good idea.

Today I had a low sodium V8 (70 calories) with my lunch.

 

[rodi]

Now, when I lived in San Diego, I drank bottled water because the tap water tasted disgusting. The same was true to a lesser extent in rural Mississippi (probably due to rusted pipes, in that case), and in College Station, Texas.

As a native of San Diego who's lived in several other states, I can agree 100% that San Diego water is terrible and disgusting. You can often smell the chlorine.

We filter it (brita) which makes it tolerable...

When I lived in Philly - tap water was just fine.

Best water of anyplace I've lived was Bellingham, WA. Basically cascade snow melt, stored in Lake Whatcom. At the time I lived there (early 90's) they tested it - but only treated it when they had a bacteria bloom (rare). It was sweet and tasty.

I hate having to spend $$ to get my tap water to a non-yucky state - but the water here in San Diego is so gawd-awful it has to be treated.

 

[freebird5825]

Thank goodness scotch and soda aren't on the list.

What about light beer and red wine ?