Diet Soda: Good or Bad?
Diet sodas are a popular drink around the world, especially among people who want to cut down on sugar or calories.
Instead of sugar, artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin, assalfema, or sucrose are used to sweeten them.
Almost all sugar-sweetened beverages on the market have a "light" or "diet" version: Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Pepsi Max, Sprite Zero, etc.
Diet sodas were first introduced in 1950 for people with diabetes, although they were later marketed for people trying to control their weight or reduce their sugar intake.
Despite being sugar and calorie-free, the health effects of diet drinks and artificial sweeteners are controversial.
Diet soda is not nutritious
Diet soda is basically a mixture of carbonated water, artificial or natural sweeteners, colors, flavorings, and other food additives.
It is generally very low in calories and has no significant nutrients. For example, a 12-ounce (354 ml) Diet Coke may have no calories, sugar, fat, or protein and 40 milligrams of sodium.
However, not all sodas that use artificial sweeteners are low-calorie or sugar-free. Some people use sugar and candy together. For example, Coca-Cola Life contains a natural sweetener, stevia, which contains 90 calories and 24 grams of sugar.
Although recipes vary from brand to brand, diet sodas have a few common ingredients:
Carbonated water. Sparkling water can occur in nature, most sodas are made by dissolving carbon dioxide in water under pressure.
Sweeteners. These include common artificial sweeteners, such as herbal sweets such as aspartame, saccharin, sucrose, or stevia, which are 200-13,000 times sweeter than regular sugar.
Acids. Certain acids like citric, malic, and phosphoric acids are used to add acidity to carbonated beverages. They are related to the corrosion of tooth enamel.
Colors. The most widely used dyes are carotenoids, anthocyanins, and caramel.
Taste. Diet sodas use a variety of natural juices or artificial flavors, including fruits, berries, herbs, and cola.
Preservative. These diet sodas are kept on the recommended shelf. The most widely used preservative is potassium benzoate.
Vitamins and minerals. Some diet soda manufacturers add vitamins and minerals to market their products as healthy, calorie-free alternatives.
Caffeine. Like regular sodas, many diet sodas contain caffeine. Diet Coke contains 46 milligrams of caffeine in one can, while Diet Pepsi contains 35 milligrams.
SUMMARY:
Diet soda is a mixture of carbonated water, artificial or natural sweeteners, colors, flavors, and additional ingredients like vitamins or caffeine. Most varieties have zero or very few calories and no significant nutrients.
The effects on weight loss are Conflicting
Since diet sodas are generally calorie-free, it would be normal to assume that they can help you lose weight. However, research suggests that the association may not be that straightforward.
Several observational studies have shown that the use of artificial sweeteners and drinking large amounts of diet sodas are associated with an increased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Scientists have suggested that diet sodas can stimulate appetite hormones, alter sweet taste receptors, and increase appetite by triggering dopamine reactions in the brain.
Since diet sodas are calorie-free, these reactions can lead to weight gain as a result of consuming high doses of sweet or high-calorie foods. However, the evidence is not consistent with human research.
Another theory suggests that diet sodas may be linked to weight gain, which may be due to poor eating habits. The weight gain experience may be due to your existing dietary habits, not diet sodas.
Experimental studies do not support the claim that diet sodas cause weight gain. In fact, these studies have shown that substituting sugar-sweetened beverages for diet sodas can lead to weight loss.
In one study, overweight participants drank 24 ounces (710 ml) of diet soda or water per day for 1 year. At the end of the study, the diet soda group lost an average of 13.7 pounds (6.21 kg) in weight compared to the 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) water group.
However, to add to the confusion, there is evidence of bias in the scientific literature. Artificial sweeteners have been found to have more favorable results than non-industrial studies in part-funded studies, which may reduce the validity of their results.
Overall, more high-quality research is needed to determine the actual effects of diet sodas on weight loss.
SUMMARY:
Observational studies have linked diet sodas to obesity. However, it is not clear whether the cause of diet sodas. Experimental studies have shown positive effects on weight loss but these may be influenced by industry funding.
Some studies have linked diet sodas to diabetes and heart disease
Although diet sodas are low in calories, sugar, and fat, several studies have linked them to the development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Studies have shown that serving an artificially sweetened drink every day is associated with an 8-10% higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
A study of 4,750 women noted that artificially sweetened beverages were associated with a 21% increased risk of type-2 diabetes, but this was half the risk associated with regular sugary drinks. Other studies have found similar results.
In contrast, a recent review found that diet sodas are not associated with a risky increase in diabetes. Furthermore, another study concludes that any organization can be explained by existing health status, weight change, and participants ’body mass index.
Diet sodas have been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease risk.
A review of four studies, involving 22 studies and 244 people, found that serving artificially sweetened beverages daily increased the risk of high blood pressure by 9%. Other studies have found similar results.
Also, one study linked diet sodas to a slight increase in risk of stroke, but this was based solely on observational data.
Since most of the studies were observational, perhaps this association could be interpreted differently. People who are already at risk of diabetes and high blood pressure prefer to drink more diet sodas.
More direct experimental research is needed to determine if there is a real causal relationship between diet sodas and elevated blood sugar or blood pressure.
SUMMARY:
Observational studies have linked diet sodas to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke, but there is a lack of research into the possible causes of these results. These may also be due to pre-existing risks such as obesity.
Diet sodas and kidney health
Drinking diet soda has been linked to the risk of chronic kidney disease.
A recent study looked at the diets of 15,368 people and found that the number of glasses of diet soda consumed per week increased the risk of end-stage kidney disease.
Compared to those who drank less than one glass per week, those who drank more than seven glasses of diet soda per week had almost twice the risk of kidney disease.
One suggested cause of kidney damage is the high phosphorus content in soda which can increase the acid load in the kidneys.
However, it has also been suggested that people who consume large amounts of diet sodas may be compensated for other poor diet and lifestyle factors that may contribute independently to the development of kidney disease.
Interestingly, research into the effects of diet sodas on the development of kidney stones has yielded mixed results.
One observational study noted that diet soda drinkers had a slightly higher risk of developing kidney stones, but the risk was much lower than those associated with regular soda drinking. Also, this study was not supported by other studies.
Another study reported that the high citrate and malate content of some diet sodas may help in the treatment of kidney stones, especially in people with low urine pH and uric acid stones. However, more research and human studies are needed.
SUMMARY:
Observational studies have found a similarity between drinking plenty of diet sodas and the development of kidney disease. If diet soda is the cause of this, one possible reason may be the increased acid load on the kidneys due to the high phosphorus content.
It is associated with premature delivery and childhood obesity.
Drinking diet soda during pregnancy has been linked to a number of negative consequences, including preterm labor and childhood obesity.
A Norwegian study of 07,661 Norwegian pregnant women found that consuming sugary and artificially sweetened beverages was associated with an 11% risk of preterm birth.
Previous Danish research supported these findings. A study of nearly 1,000,000 women found that women were 1.4 times more likely to have a preterm birth than women who consumed diet sodas daily.
However, a recent study of 8,914 people in England found no similarities between diet sodas and preterm birth. However, the authors acknowledged that the study was probably not large enough and was limited to diet cola.
It is important to note that these studies were only observational and did not provide any explanation for how diet sodas can contribute to preterm birth.
Additionally, drinking artificially sweetened beverages during pregnancy is significantly associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity.
One study found that daily consumption of diet drinks during pregnancy doubled the risk of weight gain in a 1-year-old.
More research is needed to look at the possible biological causes and long-term health risks of babies exposed to artificially sweetened sodas in the womb.
SUMMARY:
Large studies have linked diet sodas to childbirth. However, no causal link was found. Also, babies who drink diet sodas during pregnancy are at risk of being overweight.
Other effects
Diet sodas have several other well-documented health effects:
It can reduce fatty liver. Some studies have shown that replacing diet sodas with regular sodas reduces fat around the liver. Other studies found no effect.
There was no increase in reflux. Despite the narrative reports, carbonated drinks do not make reflux or heartburn worse. However, the research is mixed and more experimental research is needed.
There is no strong link to cancer. Most studies on artificial sweeteners and diet sodas have found no evidence that they cause cancer. A slight increase in lymphoma and multiple myeloma were reported in men, but the results were poor.
Changes in the gut microbiome. Artificial sweeteners can alter the gut flora, reducing blood sugar control and may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. One study found that each of the six synthetic sweeteners tested damaged the gut microbiome in different ways. The other is highly personalized in the way that human gut plants react to artificial sweeteners.
Increased risk of osteoporosis. Regular diet and cola are associated with a decrease in bone mineral density in women, but not in men. Caffeine and phosphorus in cola can interfere with normal calcium absorption.
Dental caries. Like regular sodas, diet sodas are associated with tooth decay due to their acidic pH level. It comes from the synthesis of aromatic acids such as malic, citric or phosphoric acid.
Associated with frustration. Observational studies have found a higher rate of depression among those who consume four or more diets or regular soft drinks a day. However, tests are needed to determine if diet soda is a cause.
While some of these results are interesting, more experimental research is needed to determine whether diet sodas cause these problems or whether the findings are due to chance or other factors.
SUMMARY:
Diet soda can improve fatty liver and does not appear to increase the risk of heartburn or cancer. However, it can lower blood sugar control and increase the risk of depression, osteoporosis, and tooth decay. However, more research is needed.
BOTTOM LINE
Research on diet sodas has produced a lot of contradictory evidence.
One explanation for this contradictory information is that most research is observational. This means you’re looking at trends, but lacks information about whether diet soda intake is the cause or simply related to the real cause.
So while some studies seem quite worrying, more high-quality experimental studies are needed before making any concrete decisions about the health effects of diet sodas.
Regardless, one thing is for sure: Diet sodas do not add any nutrients to your diet.
So if you are looking at replacing regular sodas in your diet, other options may be better than diet sodas. Next time, try alternatives like milk, coffee, black or herbal tea or fruit-infused water.
Article source healthline.com
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