Ahhh… Yet another highly debated question within the keto community. Is diet soda ok on a keto diet? This can be simply addressed in two ways, the question above is ‘can you?’. The question so commonly debated is “should you”.
Simply put, one major goal of a ketogenic diet is a stable blood sugar. Spikes and swings in blood sugar, at the least important end of the scale may cause feelings of hunger, resulting in overeating.
If you always feel satiated, you are far less likely to binge eat.
Many people on a keto diet report their hunger cravings drop significantly, which of course makes it far easier to stick to a meal plan. If you always feel satiated, you are far less likely to binge eat or be tempted by a piece of cake or a cookie!
“People with diabetes liVES literally depend on stabilizing their blood sugar”
How does this all lead back to if you can drink diet soda? Well, many would argue that artificial sweeteners, while absent of the calories still effect your blood sugar – and those same people would be absolutely incorrect. But, don’t take my word for it.
The American Diabetes Association on their own website endorse the majority of artificial sweeteners available in America today. People with diabetes lives literally depend on stabilizing their blood sugar – and I don’t think the American Diabetes Association would make such a careless mistake. You can find the information on their website here: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/artificial-sweeteners/
Answering the first question asked, yes… it’s perfectly fine to drink diet soda and maintain a keto lifestyle. Diet soda, sugar-free iced tea, artificial sweeteners in coffee, sweeteners in baked goods, etc. None of these will have any effect on your blood sugar, your ability to produce ketones, or anything fundamentally associated with being on a keto diet.
“what’s in a diet soda?”
The next question is “should you drink diet soda?”. You can read fake news horror stories or we can apply a little common sense – what’s in a diet soda? Water, citric acid, caramel flavoring and sweetener. It’s pretty simple to look at each ingredient, and the two that could potentially be flagged for some type of negative health effect is citric acid and the sweetener.
Google ‘saccharin’ or ‘aspartame and read endless end-of-the-world (or at least life) predictions
Google citric acid, and you’ll find most articles support it’s perfectly safe, and even has many positive health consequences. Google ‘saccharin’ or ‘aspartame and read endless end-of-the-world (or at least life) predictions – then remember people have been drinking diet soda for nearly 40-years – and no real links or correlation between artificial sweetener and death.
It’s understandable if you wish to err on the side of caution and avoid any artificial sweeteners, but please don’t do so if the temptation for ‘sweets’ will drive you eat real sugar. Real ‘natural’ sugar has been linked, correlated, and proven causative to endless diseases, including diabetes and obesity! Your choices are trust the unscientific rumor and speculation around artificial sweeteners, or ingest refined sugar which is universally disapproved among health professionals, dietitians, and scientists!
