Today I’ll be going into a much-asked question, “Is diet soda bad for you?
Many people choose to drink diet sodas because they want to avoid all the sugar and calories in regular soda but get drinking tasteless water. It has flavor and can make your taste buds happy without adding to your waistline.
But wait, does diet soda really cut down on weight gain? Let’s first understand what it actually is and then draw conclusions on if diet soda is bad for you.
What is diet soda?
Diet sodas are popular all over the world for people who want to reduce their calorie or sugar intake.
Instead of sugar, they use artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin, acesulfame-k or sucralose, to achieve the same sweet taste.
If you look around, you can probably find a “lite” or “diet” version of some of your favorite sodas. They provide the same flavor as the real deal and claim to “not make you fat”
However, when we analyze diet soda and its possible benefits vs. risks we need to take a deeper look at the chemicals within them.
Is Diet Soda Bad For You?!
Despite being free of sugar and calories, the health effects of diet drinks and artificial sweeteners are controversial. [1]
A continuously growing body of research suggests that diet soda consumption correlates with an increased risk of a wide range of medical conditions. Some includes:
- heart conditions, such as heart attack and high blood pressure
- metabolic issues, including diabetes and obesity
- lower bone density
According to Medical News Today, researchers behind a 2017 study gathered data that showed a link between diet soda and the risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. The results indicated that “drinking one drink per day almost tripled a person’s risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease“.
One stat even reveals that 22% of obese adults are diet soda drinkers!
“The body interprets that sweetness as sugar coming in, and blood sugar levels are affected due to a release of insulin,” Whittel says, which can morph into binge eating.
The School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio also found that two servings, specifically Diet Coke, increased waistlines by over THREE INCHES.
In comparison to non-users, diet soft drink consumers had a 70% increase in “waist circumference”
In addition, studies have shown that in the short term aspartame will not raise blood sugar or insulin levels but over time it will change our gut bacteria.
In the long term, this will cause our bodies to stop reacting appropriately to sugars ingested from regular carbohydrates. Saccharin, acesulfame-k, and sucralose HAVE been shown to raise insulin levels following consumption. This is the same effect sugar has on the body.
So why is raised insulin bad?
Insulin assists our cells in absorbing sugar.
When we drink a diet soda and eat food with it the artificial sweeteners raise the insulin levels which helps our bodies absorb the food we are eating and convert it to fat.
In effect, these sweeteners are no better for you than actual sugar when consumed with food. When consumed without food the sweeteners still pose a long term risk to our ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin due to how they harm our gut bacteria.
Other health risks of consuming diet soda:
- A 38%-78% increased risk of having a pre-term delivery [2]
- More likely to suffer abdominal obesity [3]
- Liver problems including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [4]
- Brain conditions, such as dementia and stroke [4]
- Interference with natural gut bacteria [5]
- A decline in kidney function
- Brain damage
- Increase in headaches
They assist the body short term in storing fat and in the long term they harm our ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels which can again lead to storing more fat.
Let’s Recap:
Is diet Pepsi better than regular Pepsi?
Uhhhhh, negative. People choose to drink it because it has fewer calories with the same taste. This does not make it better. In fact, research shows that diet sodas have a multitude of negative effects.
Is diet soda good for you?
Not really! It leads to weight gain. Also, that’s kinda what this whole article is about …. :O
Are there health benefits to diet soda?
Drinking diet soda does not provide any direct health benefits. It may, however, help some people reduce their sugar consumption.
People who are used to drinking soda can wean themselves off it by drinking diet soda. Slowly they can transition to healthier drinks like seltzer.
Does diet soda make you fat?
The jury is still out on this one. More research needs to be conducted, but from what I’ve seen so far, it definitely won’t HELP with weight loss.
Did you know…
- Just one drink a day increases your risk of a heart attack
- Over time diet soft drinks can cause your muscles and skin to wither
- Drinking diet soda can cause problems during pregnancy
- Diet sodas are linked to bad dental health including an increased risk of developing cavities and yellow teeth [6]
In summary diet sodas, while having fewer calories than regular soda, are still harmful to the body.
Are you trying to kick your bad diet soda habit?
Lucky for you I created an Insanely Simple Guide to Breaking Bad Habits.
Ditching drinks with unhealthy sweeteners for good doesn’t have to be difficult! Take it one step at a time and you’ll be able to eliminate it totally from your diet!
Good luck! I believe in you!
Additional Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325919.php https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/tips-for-managing-insulin-weight-gain https://www.healthline.com/health/aspartame-side-effects#outlook
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/artificial-sweeteners-blood-sugar-insulin#section3
