Dietary Juices Make You Fat? Truth Or Myth?

Dietary juices now replace many sugary juices and other beverages. Taking care not to gain weight causes many people to opt for drinks with a lower calorie content. But have you ever wondered if diet juices also make you fat?

Under no circumstances should soft drinks replace water as a source of hydration for the proper functioning of the body.

Does dietary juice make you fat?

Risks of consuming dietary juices

Sugar-free juices are soft drinks that do not contain sugar. Instead, they contain alkaline sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin or cyclamate. Although sugar-free soft drinks do not contain calories, sweeteners promote the absorption of sugar in the intestines.

In addition, sugar-free juices cause insulin secretion in the same way as sugar juices. Therefore, the blood sugar level decreases, thus causing the feeling of hunger.

Sweeteners also affect the intestinal flora, changing the structure of beneficial bacteria in the body. They can cause intestinal dysbiosis and glucose intolerance.

Sugar-free juices and weight gain

Researchers are increasingly studying the relationship between dietary juices and body mass. They are trying to find out if sugar-free soft drinks can cause weight gain, as there are many controversies and uncertainties.

The most recent published study, Drinks with and without sugar and obesity: a systematic study and meta-analysis, shows a direct link between dietary juice consumption and obesity.

However, it is important to clarify that this study does not distinguish between sugary juices and dietary juices without sugar. The results show that people who suffer from obesity consume more soft drinks, regardless of their sugar content.

Other studies show that sugar-free drinks, in addition to increasing the risk of obesity, may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. But there is no clear evidence of how this happens.

There are other studies, such as the one conducted by Plos One, which show the link between the consumption of dietary juices and a higher amount of abdominal fat. According to this study, consuming sugar-free juices is not an effective strategy to control weight.

Dietary juices make you fat. Why?

The compensating effect

Sugar-free drinks may not cause weight gain on their own, but they are related to unhealthy lifestyles.

You probably think you can eat more high calorie foods because you saved calories from drinks. For example, you will not do anything positive for your health and weight if you choose to consume sugar-free juice, but next to it you put a hamburger and french fries.

They can increase the feeling of hunger

The sweet taste can be addictive

It has been scientifically proven that the intake of very sweet foods, whether they provide calories or not, activates the brain areas related to pleasure and reward, which leads to addiction to certain flavors and intense sensations. The effects of sweet foods on the brain cause the same sensation as the use of a drug, so you tend to eat more and more sugar.

Conclusion

If you want to lose weight, it seems logical to replace sugar juices with sugar-free juices. To date, it has been shown that these, consumed in small quantities, are safe for health.

However, science shows that drinking diet juices regularly does not help with weight control, as it can make you eat more and accumulate abdominal fat.

Weight gain is a complex process. You can’t blame a single food group or just sugar. The main drink you eat both at meals and outside of them should be water.

However, what if you want to drink diet juices? Does dietary juice make you fat? What to choose, sugar juice or sugar-free juice? Occasionally, you can opt for dietary juices because there are no side effects when they are consumed in small amounts. In the long run, rely on water for hydration.