Diet Coke: Friend or Foe? Sweet without calories. Is this terrible aspartame suitable for the Cola Light diet?

Pepsi Light is a non-alcoholic highly carbonated drink with a low sugar content, the first release of which took place in 1964. In 1980-90s. the drink began to be delivered to the territory of the countries of Western and Eastern Europe, where in a short period of time it gained popularity among the population. In the UK and the US it is known as "Diet Pepsi". As of 2010, Pepsi Light's sales share of all carbonated soft drinks is 5.3%.

In Russia, the main manufacturer of the drink is PepsiCo Holdings LLC.

Calorie Pepsi Light per 100 grams is 0.3 kcal

According to the manufacturer PepsiCo Holdings LLC, the calorie content of Pepsi Light per 100 g is 0.3 kcal, while a regular Pepsi drink has 43 kcal.

The composition of Pepsi Light includes water, carbon dioxide, colors, sweeteners, caffeine, preservatives and acidity regulators.

Impact on human health

The use of the drink has a number of restrictions, due to chemical composition product.

Pepsi Light is forbidden to drink to persons with diseases of the digestive tract: acute or chronic gastritis, stomach or duodenal ulcer, mucosal erosion, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, duodenitis and others. Otherwise, an exacerbation of pathologies is possible due to direct tissue damage and stimulation of the production of hydrochloric acid.

Phosphoric acid, contained as an acidity regulator, causes calcium to be washed out of the bones, leading to osteoporosis, urolithiasis and cholelithiasis.

Prolonged use of the drink contributes to the development of an allergic reaction, accompanied by itching, burning, redness of the skin, rash, swelling of soft tissues. Pathology lasts an average of four weeks, even with antihistamine therapy.

The dye, which contains methylimidazole, was recognized in 2011 as a carcinogen that promotes the formation and growth of malignant neoplasms. However, the company insisted on reviewing this decision, calling into question the objectivity of the data obtained.

In 2012, the manufacturer announced a change in the composition of the drink, as new manufacturing standards appeared in California. However, according to the latest data, the concentration and type of dyes remained at the same level.

Pepsi Light also contains citric acid, sweeteners and preservatives, which adversely affect the teeth, reduces the thickness of the enamel and contributes to carious lesions.

The history of the drink

Pepsi Cola was created by Caleb Bradham, an American chemist, in the late nineteenth century. Then he called it "Brad's Drink", in which he added an extract from cola nuts and the enzyme pepsin. The manufacturer talked about useful qualities product and positioned it as a tool that promotes better splitting and absorption nutrients. The drink got its real name five years later.

After the First World War, the company began to operate at a loss due to high sugar prices, so production had to be closed and assets sold. At the same time, the secret of the preparation of the drink was revealed, as a federal court demanded information about the composition of the syrup. Then the rival company Coca-Cola opened.

After the 1930s, Pepsi Cola regained its popularity through lower prices and active advertising from manufacturers. During World War II, the product became the No. 2 drink after its main competitor, overtaking other popular companies.

In 1964, the company's first slogan "You are the Pepsi generation" appeared. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Pepsi Co created a new logo, which consisted of a smile that increases depending on the volume and composition of products. For example, the emoticon on the Pepsi Light packaging had a slight smile. But soon they abandoned the idea and returned to the classic version.

Calories or energy value - this is the amount of energy that accumulates in the human body due to food and is consumed due to physical activity. The unit of measurement is the kilocalorie (the amount of energy required to raise one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius). However, a kilocalorie is often referred to simply as a calorie. Therefore, when we say calorie, in most cases we mean kilocalorie. It has the designation - kcal.

The nutritional value- the content of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the product.

Chemical composition- the content of macroelements and microelements in the product.

vitamins- organic compounds needed for large quantities to sustain human life. Their deficiency can have adverse effects on the health of the body. Vitamins are found in food in small quantities, so to get all the vitamins that a person needs, you need to diversify food groups and types.

Cans of Diet Pepsi with the inscription “NOW ASPARTAME FREE” appeared on the shelves in the USA, but we will not see such cans in Russia.

The Diet Pepsi formula is changing. Instead of the usual aspartame as a sweetener, now in the recipe for blends of sucralose and acesulfame. What's wrong with aspartame? Why do banks write “now aspartame free” (“now without aspartame”). And why does the recipe for Pepsi Light remain the same in Russia?

By the way, the Washington Post wrote that over the past 10 years, sales diet cola from Pepsi fell 35% and that PepsiCo attributed it to aspartame.

“Diet Coke drinkers in the US have repeatedly told us they want an aspartame-free Diet Pepsi,” Seth Kaufman, Pepsi senior vice president, was quoted. PepsiCo North America Beverages). Pepsi hopes to bring back consumers with the replacement of aspartame with sucralose.

A previous version of the Diet Pepsi recipe also contained a certain amount of the artificial sweetener acesulfate K. (Ace-K). This sweetener is also retained in the new recipe.

What is aspartame / criticism of aspartame

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener 160-200 times sweeter than sugar, a sugar substitute also known as an additive. E951. 1 gram of aspartame contains 4 kcal (as well as 1 gram of proteins or carbohydrates), however, in order to sweeten a drink, it needs negligible, so its calorie content in the drink is not taken into account.

The safety of aspartame was confirmed by the FDA in 1981, and so far the official scientific position on this sweetener remains unchanged: aspartame is safe for health. Which, however, does not prevent further research, which is discussed below.

In the body, aspartame decomposes into 2 amino acids and methanol. It was in connection with methanol that criticism of aspartame was previously associated, because methanol in large quantities is toxic to the body. However, with aspartame in drinks, the chance of getting an overdose is zero: scientists have considered a safe level. Today, the officially safe level is set at up to 50 mg per kg of body per day, which, for example, corresponds to 27 liters of Diet Coke for a 70-kg person, or about 270 tablets of an aspartame-based sweetener.

The only scientifically based critique of aspartame we could find: In an analysis published in April 2008 by the European Journal diet food”, South African scientists evaluated the potential effect on the brain of not only one of the components of aspartame - methanol, but also other elements (phenylalanine and aspartic acid). In the analysis of the impact of phenylalanine, the authors describe in detail the ability of this amino acids disrupt brain chemistry, including its ability to lower levels of key brain chemicals, such as serotonin (which can adversely affect various areas including mood, behavior, sleep and appetite). The authors also draw attention to the fact that phenylalanine has the ability to disrupt amino acid metabolism, nerve function, and hormonal balance in the body. They claim that aspartame can destroy nerve cells, and this can in turn cause Alzheimer's disease.

What is sucralose

Sucralose molecule. Sucralose is not found in nature - this element is synthesized chemically from sugar.

Sucralose is 3 times sweeter than aspartame (respectively, 600 times sweeter than sugar), known as food additive E955.

Sucralose was discovered relatively recently - in 1976, trying to create chemical compounds for insect control. According to legend, Professor Leslie Hugh's assistant, whose name was Shashikant Phadnis was asked to test one of the resulting chlorinated sugar compounds. Phandis confused the word test (check) and taste (try) and tasted the future sucralose and found the substance extremely sweet.

After decades and hundreds of toxicity tests on sucralose (which did not reveal any harmful side effects on human body systems), in 1998, sucralose was allowed in the United States. Now sucralose is made from sugar, the sweetener is marketed under the Splenda brand and is the top-selling artificial sweetener in the US market.

Of the criticisms of sucralose, only some media warned against the consumption of sucralose, which allegedly weakens the immune system and leads to the development of cancer. However, this has not been confirmed by any scientific research.

The proven safe dose of sucralose is 16 mg per kilogram of body weight (which already corresponds to the same tens of liters of diet cola per day), and the maximum allowable level without health risks is 100 times higher - 1500 mg, so much sucralose with cola is physically impossible to consume.

Pepsi in Russia is not going to change aspartame for sucralose

Zozhnik contacted the official representative office of Pepsi in Russia with a request to clarify whether the recipe for dietary Pepsi in Russia will change and whether a similar transition from aspartame to sucralose will be made.

The official answer is negative:

“Recipe for Pepsi Light in Russia remains the same. Consumers in our country love Pepsi Light carbonated drink for what it is. We believe that everyone can find a drink to their liking. PepsiCo is committed to offering a wide range of refreshing beverages that meet changing consumer demand, individual taste preferences, market needs and relevant local tastes. Pepsi uses a wide variety of approved sweeteners to create great-tasting cola, including aspartame, which is still an important sweetener in some Pepsi drinks around the world, including Pepsi Light in Russia. ”

With great pleasure, when we go on a diet, we suck on cola and Pepsi light. Naturally: when a regular cola has 42 kcal per 100 ml (+ a huge amount of sugar), sugar-free is just a salvation. Dr. Dukan even directly recommends it to everyone who loses weight according to his method. But is this method of getting rid of hunger really good?

Infographic: instead of a thousand words

That terrible aspartame

Diet Coke retains its sweet taste thanks to the sweetener aspartame. Incidentally, aspartame holds the honorary title of the most studied food additive in history. Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sugar, so very, very little is needed. At the same time, aspartame can harm health only if a single safe dose of 40 mg per 1 kg of body weight is exceeded. Simple calculations show that a person weighing 68 kg needs to drink more than 20 cans of Pepsi Light per day for this to somehow harm the body.

(However, this only applies to aspartame. In general, do not abuse light soda - when consuming more than 3 cans per day, due to the high acidity of the drink, the risk of caries increases significantly. Study)

However, aspartame also has another danger. It consists of amino acids, and one of them, phenylalanine, is not absorbed by people with phenylketonuria. So far, the reason why some people develop intolerance to this particular amino acid has not been clarified.

Despite being proven safe, Diet Coke is not considered healthy. The Coca Cola recently introduced a new variation - Diet Coke Plus, a cola enriched with vitamins and minerals. But even this step did not force Canada, for example, to allow the sale of Diet Coke on its territory.

Diet soda composition and other dangers

In a diet cola - 0.3 kcal per 100 g. But nevertheless, a recent study by the American scientific community CSE (Council of Science Editors) proved that diet drinks may not help to lose weight, but rather contribute to weight gain. It's all about how the carbon dioxide contained in soda affects the walls of the stomach. It provokes the secretion of gastric juice. And this secretion causes a serious appetite in a person. As a result, you either pounce on food and overeat, or endure to the last, which is fraught with stomach ulcers.

Another disadvantage of diet cola is phosphoric acid in its composition. It promotes the excretion of calcium from the body, literally washing it out of the bones. As a result, the bones become brittle, which can lead to the development of osteoporosis.

And don't forget the BBC experiments: TV reporters successfully wiped old stains with "light" soda, used it as a windshield wiper, etc.

From a jar or a bottle?

If, despite the above, you're not ready to give up soda for good, opt for canned soda. It is known that plastic has a very bad effect on the drink contained inside. Bottles contain

Calories, kcal:

Proteins, g:

Carbohydrates, g:

Calorie cola light

The calorie content of cola light is 0 kcal per 100 ml of drink.

The composition and useful properties of cola light

In the composition of the product: purified , natural color (), acidity regulators ( , ), sweeteners ( , ), natural flavors, caffeine (calorizator). The presence of so many artificial sweeteners negates the zero calorie content, so it makes no sense to seriously hope for a dietary effect of cola light.

Sweeteners, unlike the usual ones, are not food for brain cells, they only increase appetite. Phosphoric acid contained in the drink actively destroys bone tissue leading to osteoporosis. Caffeine has a diuretic effect, therefore, trying to get drunk on a drink that is supposedly harmless to the figure, in fact, we lose fluid.

Another component of cola is. Of course, it is present not only in it, but harmful actions enhances other components. Irritating the gastric mucosa, causes increased production of hydrochloric acid. And this is already fraught with at least gastritis.

Cola light in cooking

Cola light is one of the carbonated drinks that are used as an independent drink or as an addition to lunch, dinner or afternoon tea.

For more information about Coca-Cola, see the video clip “Deceiver products. Diet soda” TV show “Live healthy!”.

Especially for
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In 2013, the film "Dallas Buyers Club" directed by Jean-Marc Vallee was released. The picture tells real story Texas electrician Ron Woodroof, who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1985. To play a terminally ill man, actor Matthew McConaughey had to lose 23 kilograms. He told reporters that he managed to achieve such a result with the help of a special diet.

For several months, the actor ate only egg whites, chicken, and Diet Coke. Also, Cola Light is allowed to be drunk by those on the popular Pierre Dukan diet, which involves an almost complete rejection of carbohydrates and sugar. People who miss sweets drink Diet Coke by the liter. Internet forums are full of stories that "Cola Zero" in conditions of severe food restriction is the only outlet.

"When you want to lose weight, Cola Light is my only salvation.) There is at least some taste in it.) So they came up with a sugar substitute, why not come up with a salt substitute? :)" - writes user FlyWithMe.

"I drink when I really want sweets, and feasts," adds fantazia.

Nutritionists interviewed by Life agreed that this product is not suitable for dietary nutrition and that diet soda is generally unhealthy.

unsweetened sugar

Let's take a closer look at the composition of this drink - it contains the sweeteners aspartame and potassium acesulfate, as well as phosphoric acid (gives a sour taste), sodium citrate (to regulate acidity) and phenylalanine (flavor additive).

Among these substances, of course, there are no prohibited additives, but as for sweeteners, the issue remains controversial, as the researchers on this topic are divided into two camps: supporters of sweeteners and their opponents, says nutritionist, nutrition specialist Tatyana Korzunova.

However, some argue that the components listed on the bottle are far from all that Cola Light hides in itself.

Former head of Rospotrebnadzor, assistant to the Prime Minister Gennady Onishchenko: ">

Ex-head of Rospotrebnadzor, assistant to the Prime Minister Gennady Onishchenko:

No one knows the final recipe for this food product, because it is almost the intellectual property of this company, although one rule always applies to food products - there must be a 100% open recipe">

content

Of the officially confirmed components, the most questions from nutritionists are the synthetic sweetener aspartame. The rest are considered relatively harmless. A number of studies by European and American scientists prove that if the daily dose does not exceed 40–50 mg per kilogram of body weight, aspartame is not harmful. A person weighing 70 kg can drink up to 25 liters of Cola Light per day and include it in her diet.

Other researchers argue that not only aspartame causes harm to the body, but also other components of Diet Coke.

Sweet deceit

The main disadvantage of sweeteners (including aspartame) is that they are non-caloric, ”said nutritionist, founder of the beauty and health clinic Svetlana Titova to Life.

The pancreas does not respond quite physiologically to artificial sugar - the sugar level does not rise, but insulin is still released. This leads to the fact that blood sugar decreases and appetite increases sharply, - said the "star" nutritionist Margarita Koroleva. - Receiving a signal about the intake of sweets, the body is waiting for fuel - calories. If there is no energy, the "deceived" brain gives a signal of hunger, many times stronger than the original one. As a result, after Cola Light with a sweetener, a person begins to eat more than usual, she noted.

This is why drinking diet soda while on a diet is fraught with relapses. I drank "Cola Light" - I felt a strong hunger and ate cakes and dumplings. Also, one of the reasons for increased appetite can be the very bubbles for which Coca-Cola is so loved.

Carbon dioxide irritates the gastric mucosa, gastric juice is secreted, as a result of these processes, a serious appetite can break out in a person, says nutritionist, nutritionist Tatyana Korzunova.

Nutritionist Tatyana Yuryeva: ">

Nutritionist Tatyana Yuryeva:

Due to the regular consumption of Diet Coke, problems with the skin, hair and nails, as well as with internal organs: the liver, stomach, intestines, can begin.