[jjsheridan5]

So what are they saying? That diet soda actually causes you to get fat? Typical shallow article that doesn’t delve into causation vs. correlation.

I am going off of memory, so I could be way off. But apparently the problem with artificial sweeteners is that they are a favorite food of some bad bacteria, and not processed by good bacteria, so, over time, a diet soda consumer will undergo a change in their gut flora that will cause all kinds of digestive problems, including those that lead to obesity. Personally, I think diet sodas would be a very bad choice, even if they "worked" (which they probably don't, anyway). In addition to obesity, a diet soda consumer can also expect their stomach to become riddled with bacteria, leading to low acid production, and the GERD/NERD that inevitable follows.

[Swordmaker]

I am going off of memory, so I could be way off. But apparently the problem with artificial sweeteners is that they are a favorite food of some bad bacteria, and not processed by good bacteria, so, over time, a diet soda consumer will undergo a change in their gut flora that will cause all kinds of digestive problems, including those that lead to obesity. Personally, I think diet sodas would be a very bad choice, even if they "worked" (which they probably don't, anyway). In addition to obesity, a diet soda consumer can also expect their stomach to become riddled with bacteria, leading to low acid production, and the GERD/NERD that inevitable follows.

There isn't enough material in artificial sweeteners to provide sustenance for any bacterial growth. Such bacteria would be overwhelmed by normal bacterial flora and fauna fed by regular sugars from carbohydrates. The amount in any soda is very minimal amounts. . . even in packets for sweetening coffee and tea most of the material is filler. Most artificial sweeteners are at least a thousand times sweeter than sugar.

The one exception would be the left-handed sugars, molecules identical to sugar but with structures built backwards, but they are completely non-digestible and pass through. Then there are the sugar alcohols which can give some gassy effects on some people. . . but not causing any weight gain.