"I’m not out to defend aspartame and other diet products. They’re a sorry testimony to the public’s laziness and the willingness of corporate America to pander to it. Most people would be far better off if they gave up diet products and merely ate a balanced diet and exercised. "
Some people are diabetic and appreciate a diet drink from time to time.
While there are lazy obese people, it’s a bit more complicated than you indicate.
Now, finish that banana Moon-pie and diet RC, and go back to watching roller derby.
Honey, can’t you read? Or is it just your reasoning skills that are lacking? Cecil said “most people”, indicating exactly what it says. There are certainly those who cannot drink regular pop. “Most people”, however, can take their choice. And considering the rising rate of obesity in this country, doncha think Cecil has a point? Or are you too busy pontificating to bother to think?
And by the way, I agree with Claudea. I am taking exercise, but still have to be careful about my calories intake. Given the choice, I would rather not take my calories as sugar in soft drinks, since I can enjoy the same taste with the diet versions.
One of the many side effects that have never been shown definitively to be associated with the use of Aspartame (or any other non-nutritive sweetener) is very seldom discussed. That particular cause/effect association is also the most widely assumed to be true. People who use artificial sweeteners show no statistical correlation for weight loss, moderation of weight gain, or medial weight range among similar populations.
How come no one notices this?
Diet drink, my ass.
As an example, examine the average weight of the population of the United States for the period before and after the introduction of Aspartame, and correlate it with amounts of the sweetener consumed. The results do not support the contention that weight loss is associated with Aspartame.
It might not be poison, but it sure ain’t dietetic. Even animals given artificial sweeteners don’t loose weight.
Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment.
Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site.
To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space before and after the text of the URL).
Cecil’s column can be found on-line at the link provided by Dragon Phoenix.
A second point - please remember that we don’t insult people in this forum. Cecil Adams is a public figure and can be discussed more freely than other participants at this board, but in general I would recommend against calling anyone a “pea-brain”.
If I may presume to clarify the master’s point, he’s not recommending you drink regular sodas, just suggesting you don’t drink diet sodas. Diet sodas are sort of like filtered cigarettes. They fool you into thinking they’re healthy, but they still contain acid, artificial colors, artificial flavors, and phosphors. Unlike the cigarette example though, diet sodas throw in the extra variable of an artificial sweetener. Cecil’s point is that rather than finding a chemical substitute for the sugar you crave, you would be better off controlling your cravings in the first place.
Perhaps so, to someone who has a choice in the matter, but not all of us do. For those of us who are diabetic, regular pop is the equivalent of poison–I can’t think of anything that would be worse to consume, except possibly eating sugar directly out of the bowl. It’s diet pop or no pop, and I like pop.
claudea was too insulting, but he or she has a point. Cecil’s statement wasn’t outright wrong, but it was careless.
So if you are diabetic, don’t drink any pop, regular or otherwise. Drink water. Woooo, not complicated folks.
And now, a sample of an actual dialogue overheard.
“Welcome to McDonalds, how can I help you?”
“Uh, I’ll have the double Big Mac, can you put extra cheese on that? Um, large fries, no, wait, EXTRA large fries. Hmmm, and for desert I’ll have an apple pie and a small chocolate shake.”
“And what would you like to drink?”
“Oh, I’m watching my weight. I’ll have a diet coke.”
:rolleyes:
I’m not big on soft drinks - period - but when I do drink them, I drink diet ones. I’m not adverse to sugar either, (I love desserts) but regular soft drinks make me feel sick. I finally figured out it might be that they are sweetened with corn syrup, not syrup. Cokes in Mexico still contain sugar (as maybe they do in Canada, too?) and those I can drink. So when I drink diet drinks in the US, it’s not because I’m trying to lose weight.
I’m with Jill. I don’t give a rodent’s fundament about the caloric content of diet pop. Regular pop is too sticky and syrupy. When I’m just thirsty, I drink water. When I just need caffeine, coffee or tea. When I’m thirsty and need caffeine, Diet Coke.
[[I finally figured out it might be that they are sweetened with corn syrup, not syrup.]] I meant, “not sugar” of course. And yes, Myron, or a nice cold beer.
Thank you for your input, pepper. I’ll be sure and file your helpful advice to diabetics the same place you file my helpful advice to women about sanitary products. :rolleyes:
Ketchup isn’t that much better. Lotsa sugar (corn syrup) in ketchup, y’know. (Besides the taste, corn syrup helps make the ketchup thick.) This applies to catsup, as well.
