Recently there has been a lot of talk about a study that found that people who drank at least 1 diet soda a day were more likely to gain weight and suffer Metabolic Syndrome.

I know that there is a lot of conflicting information about weight loss and losing belly fat. But if you want to lose weight and decrease stomach fat, keep reading this article.

There are 2 major points I want to make about obesity in the American society. In my opinion...

For some people switching to diet sodas from regular sodas helps them to lose weight because of the decrease in sugar and calorie consumption.

But, for others the chemicals and artificial sweeteners in diet sodas negatively impact the body's metabolism.

There is evidence that suggests that artificial sweeteners are toxic to the body, and this can negatively affect your metabolism. Artificial sweeteners have received the lion's share of attention, but artificial sweeteners may be the lesser of two evils in the assault on our metabolisms and our waistlines.

Sodas have another drawback besides sugar or artificial sweeteners.

And that drawback is... Phosphoric Acid.

Phosphoric acid is a sneaky ingredient in sodas that slows down our metabolisms and may cause belly fat, but no one is talking about it. Phosphoric acid is a chemical used to acidify foods and beverages, and it also provides a tangy taste.

Here's the problem... when you consume acid, your body becomes more acidic. When your body becomes more acidic all of your cells function less efficiently and your metabolism slows down.

Your body has a certain pH level. pH refers to potential hydrogen and ranges from 0-14. 0 is the most acidic and 14 is the most basic (or alkaline). 7 is neutral and around 7.4 is optimal for the blood.

Many weight loss plans (like the book The Ultimate pH Solution by Michelle Schoffro Cook, DNM) focus on correcting pH balance by making your body less acidic, and my take is that the consumption of acid is potentially another reason consuming diet sodas is linked with the development of Metabolic Syndrome and weight gain around your belly.

Phosphoric acid is an irritant to your digestive system and it will slow down your metabolism and negatively affect cell function.

The artificial sweeteners may not be the ring leader in the assault on our metabolisms. Our digestive system is always being bombarded with irritants, such as sugar, chemicals, and preservatives, and constantly adding acid to your digestive system will likely decrease your body's ability to burn fat and keep you healthy.

In a perfect world we would not consume any food or drinks with chemicals or preservatives, but we don't live in a perfect world.

So if you are trying to lose belly fat or lose weight, I recommend that you do your best to avoid chemicals when you can, and try to drink clean filtered or distilled water as often as possible.