Alternatives to diet soda

Dan Ensing · 12-16-2006, 09:11 PM

I was going to give-up diet soda the first of the year, but quit cold turkey on Thursday. My reasons were to avoid caffeine and artificial sweetners.

So, what alternatives do I have, other than water. I'm not a big fan of tea. Any help is much appreciated.

Dan

Jeff Dale · 12-16-2006, 10:05 PM

Good on ya! It will make a huge difference in your insulin spiking by cutting out the soda. I don't think I'll ever give up caffeine though. Try eating a lo GI fruit while drinking water, or add lemon juice to the water.

Mike ODonnell · 12-17-2006, 06:46 AM

Hard to say as I was never addicted to soda. Cold turkey is admirable...but is it more realistic to just may go down to one a day? (depending on how much you drink) Diet sodas dont have the sugar so you dont have to worry about insulin issues. Although artifical sweetners should be avoided as well (hard to in today's world). If you are down to one a day and drinking water with lemon (or some people switch to crystal light mix...but that adds art sweetners as well). But Crytal light may be more a step in the direction of water. Eventually it should come down to a point where before you know it...all you are drinking is water....it happens. Most of it is mental...so just have to get past that and you will be fine.

Becca Borawski · 12-17-2006, 03:03 PM

I had the same problem, Dan - wanted to stop drinking Diet Rockstars and Diet Cokes, but never liked tea. But I found this great brand "Honest Tea" that has a few flavors that I love. I've never been into coffee or tea my whole life, and I really like their stuff. They have sweetened and unsweetened - but no artificial stuff, only cane sugar in the sweetened ones, etc.

Carrie Klumpar · 12-17-2006, 03:50 PM

Mike says, "Diet sodas don’t have the sugar so you don’t have to worry about insulin issues."

But I'm not so sure. I'm not an endocrinologist or anything, but I've heard more and more arguments that artificial sweeteners wreak as much havoc with insulin and the resulting cascade of hormones as sugar does (if not more). The logic is something like this: you ingest the artificially sweetened stuff, your body expects the corresponding food/sugar dose and secretes insulin to handle it, but there’s nothing for the insulin to process so it leaves your body in the elevated-insulin “bad” state that you were trying to avoid by using those sweeteners instead of sugar, and sets off massive sugar/carb cravings to boot.

Maybe that’s not scientifically supportable, but it makes some sense to me, and, along with all the other reports of the problems with artificial sweetener, gives me reason enough to avoid them. (Of course, it helps that I also think they taste horribly ooky.)

Mmmm...water. Sounds better all the time.

Steve VanGilder · 12-17-2006, 06:23 PM

Dan, that's great!

I still have a couple of sodas a year (superbowl), but I have regular ones cause diet ones scare me. I found for myself that quiting cold turkey was the best way for me cause having one a few times a week just made me crave them regularly. Cold turkey after a few days I lost the craving completely and now feel a bit sicky when I drink sodas.

My absolute favorite drink is coconut water. It can be a bit expensive in the US (usually about $2 per YOUNG coconut, but you get to eat the coconut too, so that makes the drink cheaper).

Occasional fresh squeezed juice. Like low sugar juice; orange or grapefruit is nice once in a while.

Have you tried to make your own non-tea herbal teas? Personally, I enjoy licorice root, or pepermint. You can pick up bulk organ herbs cheap at your local health food store/whole foods.

Rod Gates · 12-17-2006, 08:07 PM

Dan, best of luck with the diet soda avoidance. Maybe we can start an end of the year "End to diet soda (Nutrasweet)" campaign. I am prepared to join you, just debating whether to go cold turkey or ease my way out. I've been cleaning my diet up slowly and this is a big hurdle for me to get over. I can't say whether Nutrasweet has had any significant ill effects on my health, but I have enough nagging issues to warrant giving it up just to see what happens. Anyone else care to join us?

Pat Harker · 12-17-2006, 09:18 PM

This is a tough one for me. I work the Graveyard Shift, AKA "Hoots", think Owls, the only thing awake.

I did this once before when working Graveyard but it was tough. Easy to fall back into the rut.

After reading this thread, I too am needing to dump the "Diet Dr. Pepper" for the new year.

So bad, but at times, it is so good. I don't have an addiction...no really I can quit anytime. Well not yet.

(Message edited by Paddy on December 17, 2006)

Dan Ensing · 12-17-2006, 10:34 PM

Rod- the reason I quit cold turkey rather than ease off is, well, it seemed easier I guess. I've screwed around in the past with the, "I'll have one diet soda a day for a month and then I'm done," thing, so this was my final straw. I was a little edgy for the first 72 hrs., but I feel better and have been sleeping better.

Pat- I feel your pain. I work 12 hr. shifts (5:30pm to 5:30am) 2 on/2 off, 3 on/2 off, 2 on/3 off, with some court time mixed in. One week I work Mon/Tues/Fri/Sat/Sun, and the next week I'm off those days. Pretty cool to have a 3 day weekend every other week, but the nights get loooong when it gets cold.

Everyone- thanks for the advise to date. Some really cool ideas out there. So far I've been drinking GALLONS of water with lemon or lime juice. I'm going to try some of the tea sugestions, too.

Also, FWIW, CrossFit has beat me into submission with the Zone way of thinking.:bangin: I've bought a couple of books and plan on making that my permanent way of eating starting 12/18/06. Hey, it might be difficult over the holidays, but if easy was the way to go I'd never be on this board.

Thanks again.

Dan

Joshua Hass · 12-18-2006, 02:35 AM

Between Diet Cokes, Diet Rockstars, and Diet Redbulls, I'd say I consume about a total of 4-6 cans per day. Good for me? Nope. Could I quit? Probably not. Should I? Yep.

For me, I think it just becomes something of a routine, consuming one at certain parts of the day, much like when I was smoking a pack of cigarettes a day back in college. I was able to quit that cold turkey, and June 1st it will be 7 years without a smoke.

I think it was much easier to quit smoking due to the obvious health risks. For me, quitting the caffeine is much harder, because I don't see the inherent health risks, and I have no issues w/ falling asleep or gettin 7-8 hrs a night.

As for replacements for diet soda, I'd say that Crystal Light would be my suggestion, especially the little single serving packs you can buy and take anywhere, not to mention the fact that they mix perfectly w/ a 20 oz bottled water. However, given my habits, I probably wouldn't listen to me either!!

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12-16-2006, 09:11 PM	#1
Dan Ensing Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Oak Forest IL Posts: 204	I was going to give-up diet soda the first of the year, but quit cold turkey on Thursday. My reasons were to avoid caffeine and artificial sweetners. So, what alternatives do I have, other than water. I'm not a big fan of tea. Any help is much appreciated. Dan

12-16-2006, 10:05 PM	#2
Jeff Dale Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 308	Good on ya! It will make a huge difference in your insulin spiking by cutting out the soda. I don't think I'll ever give up caffeine though. Try eating a lo GI fruit while drinking water, or add lemon juice to the water.

12-17-2006, 06:46 AM	#3
Mike ODonnell Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,566	Hard to say as I was never addicted to soda. Cold turkey is admirable...but is it more realistic to just may go down to one a day? (depending on how much you drink) Diet sodas dont have the sugar so you dont have to worry about insulin issues. Although artifical sweetners should be avoided as well (hard to in today's world). If you are down to one a day and drinking water with lemon (or some people switch to crystal light mix...but that adds art sweetners as well). But Crytal light may be more a step in the direction of water. Eventually it should come down to a point where before you know it...all you are drinking is water....it happens. Most of it is mental...so just have to get past that and you will be fine.

12-17-2006, 03:03 PM	#4
Becca Borawski Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Portland OR Posts: 1,231	I had the same problem, Dan - wanted to stop drinking Diet Rockstars and Diet Cokes, but never liked tea. But I found this great brand "Honest Tea" that has a few flavors that I love. I've never been into coffee or tea my whole life, and I really like their stuff. They have sweetened and unsweetened - but no artificial stuff, only cane sugar in the sweetened ones, etc.

12-17-2006, 03:50 PM	#5
Carrie Klumpar Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle/Redmond WA Posts: 461	Mike says, "Diet sodas don’t have the sugar so you don’t have to worry about insulin issues." But I'm not so sure. I'm not an endocrinologist or anything, but I've heard more and more arguments that artificial sweeteners wreak as much havoc with insulin and the resulting cascade of hormones as sugar does (if not more). The logic is something like this: you ingest the artificially sweetened stuff, your body expects the corresponding food/sugar dose and secretes insulin to handle it, but there’s nothing for the insulin to process so it leaves your body in the elevated-insulin “bad” state that you were trying to avoid by using those sweeteners instead of sugar, and sets off massive sugar/carb cravings to boot. Maybe that’s not scientifically supportable, but it makes some sense to me, and, along with all the other reports of the problems with artificial sweetener, gives me reason enough to avoid them. (Of course, it helps that I also think they taste horribly ooky.) Mmmm...water. Sounds better all the time.

12-17-2006, 06:23 PM	#6
Steve VanGilder Member Profile: Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Villa Los Almacigos Santiago Rodriguez Posts: 36	Dan, that's great! I still have a couple of sodas a year (superbowl), but I have regular ones cause diet ones scare me. I found for myself that quiting cold turkey was the best way for me cause having one a few times a week just made me crave them regularly. Cold turkey after a few days I lost the craving completely and now feel a bit sicky when I drink sodas. My absolute favorite drink is coconut water. It can be a bit expensive in the US (usually about $2 per YOUNG coconut, but you get to eat the coconut too, so that makes the drink cheaper). Occasional fresh squeezed juice. Like low sugar juice; orange or grapefruit is nice once in a while. Have you tried to make your own non-tea herbal teas? Personally, I enjoy licorice root, or pepermint. You can pick up bulk organ herbs cheap at your local health food store/whole foods.

12-17-2006, 08:07 PM	#7
Rod Gates Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Harrisonburg VA Posts: 69	Dan, best of luck with the diet soda avoidance. Maybe we can start an end of the year "End to diet soda (Nutrasweet)" campaign. I am prepared to join you, just debating whether to go cold turkey or ease my way out. I've been cleaning my diet up slowly and this is a big hurdle for me to get over. I can't say whether Nutrasweet has had any significant ill effects on my health, but I have enough nagging issues to warrant giving it up just to see what happens. Anyone else care to join us?

12-17-2006, 09:18 PM	#8
Pat Harker Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Tulsa Ok Posts: 61	This is a tough one for me. I work the Graveyard Shift, AKA "Hoots", think Owls, the only thing awake. I did this once before when working Graveyard but it was tough. Easy to fall back into the rut. After reading this thread, I too am needing to dump the "Diet Dr. Pepper" for the new year. So bad, but at times, it is so good. I don't have an addiction...no really I can quit anytime. Well not yet. (Message edited by Paddy on December 17, 2006)

12-17-2006, 10:34 PM	#9
Dan Ensing Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Oak Forest IL Posts: 204	Rod- the reason I quit cold turkey rather than ease off is, well, it seemed easier I guess. I've screwed around in the past with the, "I'll have one diet soda a day for a month and then I'm done," thing, so this was my final straw. I was a little edgy for the first 72 hrs., but I feel better and have been sleeping better. Pat- I feel your pain. I work 12 hr. shifts (5:30pm to 5:30am) 2 on/2 off, 3 on/2 off, 2 on/3 off, with some court time mixed in. One week I work Mon/Tues/Fri/Sat/Sun, and the next week I'm off those days. Pretty cool to have a 3 day weekend every other week, but the nights get loooong when it gets cold. Everyone- thanks for the advise to date. Some really cool ideas out there. So far I've been drinking GALLONS of water with lemon or lime juice. I'm going to try some of the tea sugestions, too. Also, FWIW, CrossFit has beat me into submission with the Zone way of thinking.:bangin: I've bought a couple of books and plan on making that my permanent way of eating starting 12/18/06. Hey, it might be difficult over the holidays, but if easy was the way to go I'd never be on this board. Thanks again. Dan

12-18-2006, 02:35 AM	#10
Joshua Hass Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Appleton WI Posts: 87	Between Diet Cokes, Diet Rockstars, and Diet Redbulls, I'd say I consume about a total of 4-6 cans per day. Good for me? Nope. Could I quit? Probably not. Should I? Yep. For me, I think it just becomes something of a routine, consuming one at certain parts of the day, much like when I was smoking a pack of cigarettes a day back in college. I was able to quit that cold turkey, and June 1st it will be 7 years without a smoke. I think it was much easier to quit smoking due to the obvious health risks. For me, quitting the caffeine is much harder, because I don't see the inherent health risks, and I have no issues w/ falling asleep or gettin 7-8 hrs a night. As for replacements for diet soda, I'd say that Crystal Light would be my suggestion, especially the little single serving packs you can buy and take anywhere, not to mention the fact that they mix perfectly w/ a 20 oz bottled water. However, given my habits, I probably wouldn't listen to me either!!