Is Diet Soda Making You Fat?

If you drink diet soda to stay slim, you may be doing yourself a disservice. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Center at San Antonio tracked more than 600 normal-weight adults over seven to eight years and found that, on average, those who drank diet soda- even as little as one can or bottle a day- did not lose weight and were significantly more likely to become overweight than those who drank regular soft drinks or none at all. The more diet soda they drank, the more likely they were to become overweight.

How can that be? Sharon Parten Fowler, M.P.H., a researcher on the study, has a few theories. One is that artificial sweeteners may muddle the body's ability to judge caloric intake by offering a taste of something sweet without providing the calories. Scientists at Purdue University discovered that rats fed a diet including an artificially sweetened liquid ate more than rats given natural high-calorie sweeteners alone. “When the brain senses food coming in, it puts into motion mechanisms to take care of the calories it anticipates," notes Fowler. But when those calories fail to materialize, the body may continue to crave what it expected, which may lead to bingeing. Alternatively, she says, "some people feel that by giving up regular soda, they can justify eating a Snickers bar.” But a can of regular soda is about 150 calories, while a Snickers is 280 calories. A third theory holds that the people in the study were already putting on pounds. "Diet soda didn't cause their weight gain; it just wasn't sufficient to stop it," says Fowler.

So does this study hold any, er, weight? Fowler and her colleagues have now looked at an additional 2000 people and gotten similar results. Jana Klauer, M.D., a New York City physician' who specializes in nutrition and weight reduction, also sees evidence of diet soda causing weight gain: “The more of these fake sweet prod­ucts my patients eat or drink, the more sweets they want.” Klauer observes that they are more successful at keeping their weight in check and staying satisfied when they indulge in small amounts of natural sweets. "I advise them to quell cravings with a small square of rich dark chocolate or a piece of fruit," she says.

The bottom line: If you're trying to lose weight or maintain your weight and you must have diet soda, have only one a day.

WHAT TO DRINK INSTEAD. . .

Boost your energy levels with these four fluids that may also help fight fat.

1. Low- or no-fat milk: Studies suggest that having three servings of dairy a day from food or drinks (not supplements) can dou­ble your rate of weight loss when dieting.

2. Water: You must have at least six to eight glasses a day. Drinking a glass of water before-and in between-meals will help fill you up and tame your hunger.

3. Green tea: Research indicates that green tea boosts the rate at which your body burns calories when it's digesting food. Try six to eight ounces of green tea with breakfast and once again with your afternoon snack.

4. Coffee: Caffeine is a stimulant, so it can help burn calories and decrease appetite. To avoid dehydration, don't have more than two cups a day.