The Femme Files

Ditch the Doke

I know for a lot of you food savvy girls your nemesis….Achilles heel…crack…(whatever you so choose to call your poison) comes in the form of a fizzy can of Diet Coke (aka Doke)  Now I am not denying that this choice is not AS damaging to your waistline as it’s sugar ladened counterpart and I am also sure you are aware that you’re nixing the 10 teaspoons of sugar found in a regular fizzy beverage. However, you really should understand the whole body effect of fake sugar on your metabolism. It really isn’t as innocent as it seems. (I know, I know…you’ve heard this before…but I am going to be straight and put it in lay mans terms….)

Sweet foods, regardless of whether they are artificial or real, are meant to be metabolised by the body with insulin. Humans, evolved to function like this. All artificial sugars do then, is trick the body to release insulin in preparation for the oncoming sugar that is apparently arriving. When the sugar doesn’t emerge…..it makes itself cosy in your fat cells. Sorry to bust anyone’s artificial bubble. 

 Another problem with any fake sugar is that it doesn’t halt your craving for something sweet. In fact, while your taste buds detect something sweet, your body doesn’t actually receive the sugar, stimulating more cravings for diet fizzy…or perhaps the next level…the real thing. (How often do I see women, nixing their afternoon sugar hit with a Doke and packet of Starburst Jelly Snakes to share?) The end message…you can’t fool your taste buds. And for those who feel it fills you up to the next meal…. Yeah, it might, but you will also sport a rather nice swelled abdomen in the process. You will also find concentrating on any given task somewhat difficult given that you are so preoccupied with either; the protruding cavity of the flat belly you work so hard for or what you’re going to eat next.

 Now if you think a straw is going to help save your precious teeth from wearing away your tooth enamel, you might want to reconsider. Citric and phosphoric acid are still being absorbed by your body, regardless if they do or don’t touch your teeth and will affect the integrity of all your bones in your body, including your pearly whites.

The solution?

Meet my friend Stevia. An herb that is 30 times sweeter than sugar, calorie free, natural and while it does register as a sweet something by your body it doesn’t cause your body to release insulin and become a fat hoarder.

I purchase my stevia in little glass dropper bottles online. A few drops of this and a dash of lemon juice put into my water bottle for the day, means if I ever want something sweet and can’t handle the thought of guzzling neutral water I simply fill up my bottle instead. Saves me money and tastes like old fashioned lemonade. 

And if you still want to buy fizzy drinks, apparently they make a great car degreaser…