How artificial sweeteners and diet drinks cause weight gain.

A very controversial subject among the community is whether or not artificial sweeteners and diet beverages cause weight gain.  The answer is NO they do not, but they can contribute.  Artificial sweeteners and diet beverages are nearly 0 calories.  If a food or drink does not contain calories it cannot cause someone to gain weight.  However, the affect these things have on the body can contribute to overeating.  


When you drink things with artificial sweeteners you body wants to use it for energy (the calories are the energy source) but because there are no calories present the body makes you want more and more.  Since the body is looking for calories (because of the diet drinks and artificial sweeteners) it causes you to feel hungry which can lead to over eating/ extra calories and then causes weight gain.

Diet drinks can also cause bloating because of the carbonation and because of the sweeteners themselves.  This bloating causes you to look bigger than you actually are.  For example I recently started drinking diet coke. After 2 weeks I looked like I had gained 5 pounds around my mid-section.  After 2 days of only drinking water all that “gained weight” had gone away and I was back to normal. Diet drinks cause bloating which gives you the appearance that you are carrying more weight than you actually are. The artificial sweeteners and sodium in these drinks also cause water retention which gives the same appearance.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.