Saccharin during pregnancy... Diet Coke!

[keepholdingon]

Hi ladies,

I've mostly given up pop (soda) and coffee while TTC and through the pregnancy. I haven't had a full cup of coffee since Feb!!! I am guilty of indulging in a diet coke though once in a while as a treat to myself. I did the research and since it's low(ish) in caffeine I figured small bits of it every once in a while will be fine.

I checked the ingredients on cans of diet coke and it has aspartame, which isn't ideal but is "pregnancy safe" in moderate quantities.

WELL - for anyone who has given in to a bit of diet coke here and there, I just wanted to inform you what I found out. Diet Coke (and possibly other soft drinks) from the fountain, at least in the US, contain SACCHARIN:

Saccharin: (Sweet 'N Low) Although it is not used as much today as in the past, it still appears in many foods, beverages and other substances. The FDA does consider saccharin to be safe to use for the general public. Former studies that had linked saccharin to an increased risk of developing bladder cancer have been dismissed by the National Toxicology program. But studies do show that saccharin crosses the placenta and may remain in fetal tissue, so its use for pregnant women still remains in question. https://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/artificialsweetner.htm

I've drank it from the fountain in small quantities and rarely so I am not overly freaking out about it, but I was shocked to see that saccharin is in the fountain version of diet coke because it helps preserve the drink better. I was amazed that this isn't generally known (or at least, wasn't known to me!) and thought the article I read was interesting (the lawsuit linked below).

I will NOT drink diet coke out of the fountain anymore (and obviously should probably just give it up all together!) and wanted to pass on the information to anyone else who may want to research/change their diet drink habits

https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Business/Coca-Cola-wins-sweetener-legal-battle

https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/artificial-sweetener5.htm

 

[hopefulfor1st]

I'm not sure what "from the fountain" means? And diet coke in the morning is the only thing that eases my morning sickness! I'm not in the u.s though I'm Australian

 

[Bean66]

I avoid nearly all 'diet' or 'sugar free' products.

There is so much research in to saccharin and other sugar substitutes showing how bad it is for us. Fat worse than fats and sugars.

 

[keepholdingon]

I'm not sure what "from the fountain" means? And diet coke in the morning is the only thing that eases my morning sickness! I'm not in the u.s though I'm Australian

From the fountain means like... when there is a machine that has like 10 spouts where you can get coke, diet coke, sprite, root beer or something... you put the cup under it and tap the lever and it comes out of a spout =)

 

[hopefulfor1st]

Oh....we call that post-mix

I was picturing you having a water fountain of coke in the park lol

 

[daisy72]

Not sure about saccharine in particular, but both my ob and dietitian told me that there's no scientific data that proves harm of artificial sweeteners to the baby. In moderation, of course.

 

[Toots4]

I have chosen to give up any low calorie drinks and sugar free drinks that contain aspartame or saccharin, which is nearly all of them. I have the odd sip of diet Pepsi now and again (I crave it) but that's it xx

 

[shocker]

I used to be a total diet coke addict before I fell pregnant and so was sent a lot of these kinds of articles over the years by friends and family, I think its the same as everything really, moderation and its fine, I have one or two glasses of diet coke a week now and I really don't think its anything to stress or worry about

 

[ruby09]

I don't know the exact details about artificial sweeteners, all I know is my doctor told me to avoid them all. She wouldn't even let me have Crystal light bc of the artificial sugar. However she also wouldn't let me have any caffeine, so maybe she's just very strict.

 

[Leilani]

My anti-nausea drugs have aspartame in them (I guess it helps to counter the bitterness of them). I thik so long as you aren't guzzling gallons of the stuff, it's not a problem!

 

[nov_mum]

Aspartame has been proven safe time and time again. It has been used since the 50's and is way better for you than getting diabetes and increasing your weight gain. Diabetics have no choice. Artificial sweetners are part of daily life to a degree for them and you don't see and huge increase in cancers in diabetics. Like others say, moderation is the key. Too much water can kill you after all!

 

[keepholdingon]

Yeah - I guess the point of my post was that artificial sweeteners shouldn't ever be taken in gross quantities by any means, but the specific use of saccharin is NOT known to be safe (or unsafe) and they generally tell you to NOT/DRINK things with saccharin.

Diet Coke has aspartame in the bottle, but from the tap they add in saccharin.

Just letting ladies know that in case they want to change their habits.

 

[Cetarari]

I have tried my best to avoid fizzy drinks and have stuck to squash instead. I would prefer just water but the water here tastes funny (I moved 30 minutes away from where I grew up and the water here tastes foul). I am partial to Asda's No added sugar pineapple and coconut crush though, but we don't get to Asda much so it's not like I get gallons of it.

Unless something is specifically banned (rare meat etc) I go by 'it's okay in moderation'. The Asda fruit crush I like tastes like a cocktail I had at our wedding in the Caribbean (minus the rum) so it's well worth it for the memories it invokes alone

ps. Is fountain soda the stuff that's a syrup and you add the carbonated water, like the Coke toy get from McDonalds etc? It's not a term I've heard used here

 

[Unexpected212]

Everything has chemicals in it. Going outside and breathing the air is bad for you because of all the carbon monoxide.

Like everything in pregnancy it's moderation. Anything my midwife has told me to avoid like mouldy cheese, pate, alcohol etc I've avoided and not touched. With coke/diet coke she told me as long as I don't over do the caffeine intake i'll be fine.

I've probably drank 2 cans of coke zero a day and so far my lil boy is very healthy and growing very well.

I think it's good to be aware of whats in what your drinking/eating but not to scaremonger cos theres so many bad things in nearly everything we eat/drink chemical wise.

 

[sevenofnine]

I usually just stick to beverages sweetened with cane sugar or natural sweeteners. I've read a lot of scary stuff about artificial sweeteners.

But then again, I generally don't eat any processed foods if I can help it. All that stuff is so bad for you! (But like everyone else, I have my downfalls- such as loving fast food very sparingly!!)

 

[TatorMom]

I had NO idea they used Sacchrine in Diet Soda from fountain machines. I always assumed it was aspartame like in the Diet Coke you buy at the store. Glad I know that now. I LOVE diet soda and when preggers I only have 1-2 a week, but I'll make sure to indulge at home from now on. It's cheaper anyway