WHAT?!? New Study Says Diet Drinks Can Actually Trigger Weight Gain

As thousands of people across the Mid-Columbia and millions across the nation begin the annual January trudge to the gym, or take up exercise programs and try to cut back on eating, a new report suggests perhaps not ALL forms of diet nutrition are helpful.

A new study published in the British Newspaper the Daily Telegraph says some of the contents in diet drinks can actually trigger MORE weight gain.

According to researchers at Britain's Imperial College, there's no firm or decisive evidence that drinking diet soda or other sugar-free alternatives helps lead to weight loss.

The researchers began by going back over 30 years of study after study, and carefully compiling the results into a large database.  The reasons were rather simple.

Although the diet sodas had fewer calories, they still activate the same sweet receptors in a person's brain, often causing cravings for more sugary or fattening foods.  This can be difficult to overcome, often causing more eating and weight gain.  The Imperial College researchers say there's virtually no difference on the senses and brain between sugar and sugar-free sodas, although for decades the perception is they are healthier.

The researchers say any claims of weight loss, or including diet soda in a weight loss program has largely come from beverage companies. But their study did not show any conclusive evidence that diet soda contributes noticeably to a weight loss program.

One of their solutions? Drink fruit juice that's known to be lower in sugars in moderate amounts, and a LOT MORE water.  Even coffee, they say, will 'hurt' your diet less, especially if consumed without creamer.

We're in agreement with this study, but for different reasons. In our opinion, diet soda tastes awful compared to it's sugar counterparts. Yikes!