Another reason to skip diet soda

It's the perennial question: How healthy is the concoction of chemicals and coloring in your favorite diet soft drink? Is it a harmless alternative when you're trying to control calories?

The downsides of diet soda have become increasingly apparent over the years. Not only does it have little-to-no nutritional value, research has linked regular consumption to excess calorie intake, weight gain, and a raised risk of multiple health conditions. That said, some evidence suggests that the occasional diet soft drink is likely okay in the context of an overall balanced, wholesome diet.

With that in mind, here’s what we know now.

Diet soda pros and cons

The potential disadvantages of a diet soda habit are numerous. For one thing, it may lead to consuming more calories overall. For example, a 2019 study in Pediatric Obesity found that children who drank low-calorie sweetened beverages, including diet soda, took in almost 200 calories more a day and 15 more calories of added sugar than children who drank water.

Why this happens is uncertain, but experts have posed that:

• Carbonated beverages, in general, may increase the production of ghrelin, a hormone produced in the gut that increases hunger.
• Eating and drinking sweet things, in general, may increase appetite or make you want more sweet things.
• When your body takes in sweet-tasting things, it assumes it will also be receiving calories. When it doesn’t, it’s not fully satisfied and will remain hungry.

Drinking diet soda on a regular basis has also been linked to an increase in the risk of metabolic syndrome, a collection of conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, low levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and a large waistline. Metabolic syndrome raises your chances of heart attack and stroke, and contributes to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and even some forms of cancer.

That’s not all. A 2019 study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that drinking two or more artificially sweetened soft drinks increased participants’ risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease.

What about the potential upsides, though? As experts have tried to understand how diet soda affects the body, some research suggests that it may not be wholly detrimental. For example, a 2012 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who replaced caloric drinks with non-caloric drinks—including diet soda—lost more weight than people who didn’t make the replacements.

Making healthy choices

Drinking diet soda may seem like a good way to decrease calories and still enjoy something other than water. When consumed in moderation, it likely won't cause you much harm. But too much—even having one or two a day—could not only foil your weight loss goals but increase your risk for health complications.

If you love a soda now and then, do a quick whole-health inventory before cracking one open. Make sure you're not doing anything else that could harm your blood pressure, blood sugar, waist size, triglycerides, or cholesterol.

Try to maintain a balanced diet focused on 100 percent whole grains, healthy fats, low-fat or nonfat dairy, fish, fruit, and veggies. Go easy on saturated fats and refined sugars, as well. This way, an occasional diet soft drink won't do much to raise your risk of metabolic syndrome.

If it’s the caffeine you’re seeking, for an everyday low-cal pick-me-up, consider tea or coffee. Hot or iced, both are overflowing with heart-healthy antioxidants, too. Sparkling water is a great alternative to soda if you crave bubbles; add a wedge of lime or lemon for flavor.

Of course, for the ultimate in thirst quenching, nothing beats water.