Beverages

“Diet” Artificial Sweeteners may Actually Expand Your Waistline

In a new analysis of studies involving more than 406,000 patients, researchers found that people who substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar – even the natural kinds – actually gained weight, instead of losing it. [1]
Published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the study looked at the long-term effects of artificial sweeteners on heart health, weight, stroke incidence, and blood pressure levels.
The researchers wrote:

Avoid These Drinks to Help Prevent Brain Shrinkage, Dementia, and Strokes

One of the keys to keeping your brain nice and plump and in proper working order is avoiding soda – and not just the sugar-sweetened kind, either. Drinking sodas, whether regular or diet, is bad for brain health, 2 recent studies show. [1]
One study showed that people who drank diet soda every day were three times more likely to have a stroke or develop dementia over 10 years compared with those who didn’t consume any diet soda.

If You Want to Get Pregnant, Avoid Soda, New Study Says

New research shows that women who regularly consume sodas may be lowering their chances of getting pregnant.
For the study, researchers interviewed 524 women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment about their food and beverage consumption. They found a link between low-calorie sweeteners, such as saccharine and sucrose, and reduced fertility rates. [1
Source: Time
The study was presented on 17 October 2016 at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine congress in Salt Lake City, Utah.

PepsiCo Sued for Allegedly Misleading Buyers of Naked Juice

PepsiCo is being sued by buyers who claim the company misleads shoppers into believing its Naked juices and smoothies contain “high-value” ingredients that make them healthier than they really are. [1]
Source: Business Insider
According to the complaint, filed on 4 October 2016 in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, Naked labels feature images of healthy fruits and vegetables, and trumpet how the drinks have “no sugar added,” when they actually contain about as much sugar as a can of Pepsi – more, in some cases.

Do You Agree with Soda Taxes? Sugar Consumption Down in Berkeley Due to the Measure

You might love the idea of a soda tax or hate it, but for better or worse, the tax is being instituted around the country. A new analysis released by researchers at UC Berkeley shows that Berkeley’s soda tax seems to be working
Kristine Madsen and her colleagues surveyed people in low-income communities before and after the tax was voted for in 2014, making Berkeley the first California city to impose a 1 cent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks. [1]
Madsen said: