A very common attitude of those who are trying to lose weight is to exchange the regular soda for the zero version in the diet. After all, the option, also presented as diet It contains considerably less calories and sugars, which makes many people think that it is harmless to your health. But is it really? We asked an expert:

From a calorie point of view: is zero soda better than regular soda for the diet?

According to nutritionist Julia Canabarro, when it comes to weight loss, we need to think that one of the most fundamental points of the process is the caloric deficit - that is, consuming fewer calories than you expend every day.

This means that if your body burns 2,000 calories daily, you will need to eat less than that per day.

Therefore, do some healthy exchange For example: instead of fried potatoes, prepare baked potatoes; prefer olive oil and salt to season the salad instead of salt. industrialized sauces And replace the cookies and crackers with fruits and nuts in the afternoon snack.

In the case of soft drinks, the zero version is actually more interesting than the traditional one, since it "has no added sugars and calories", confirms the specialist. In other words, if you are at a social event or restaurant, it does not cost anything to exchange the regular can for the zero version. diet .

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But what about from a health point of view: is zero soda healthy?

However, if you are not used to drinking soda on a daily basis - whether it is zero or regular - it is not a good idea to drink it more often just because you have found out that it does not contain that many calories. After all, it is not considered a healthy beverage.

"It has sweeteners and other food additives that are not natural. Every soft drink is a overprocessed food The ideal is that it is used, yes, as an alternative to the normal soft drink, but with conscience", he says.

Including, one published study on JAMA Open showed that sucralose-based artificial sweeteners can increase appetite in people who are overweight or obese.

Already other item this time from the magazine Cell pointed out that non-nutritive sweeteners (i.e. those that contain no calories) can alter our gut microbiota and even affect glucose (sugar) sensitivity.

Read also: Can too much fiber be bad for you?

Tips to decrease the consumption of soft drinks

If you are on the drinking side, it is possible to drink it in moderation, so the nutrient expert gives you some important tips:

• Limit consumption little by little - If you take it every day, try taking it every other day, for example, and decrease it further over time;
• Buy in smaller portions like cans instead of bottles;
• Try flavored sparkling water or with squeezed lemon - the combination is delicious!

Source: Julia Canabarro, nutritionist at Dietbox.