The Risks of Drinking Diet Soda

The unhealthy effects of soda consumption is probably not news to you. Soda has no nutritional value, is full of sugar, and is terrible for your teeth and digestive tract. The added calories leave you bloated and tired (of course after the short-lived caffeine surge wears off). Furthermore, soda is addictive. Companies spend millions researching the “bliss point” of soda, adding just enough sugar (real or artificial) to get your taste buds and brain hooked. If you have recently decided to quit the soda habit, I am virtually sending you 100,000 thumbs up! Cutting out soda is one of the best changes you can make to your diet. However, are you planning to replace that habit with another one? Is diet soda a good choice?

Transitioning to life without the sugary stuff may feel easier if you replace it with something that seems to be a healthier option. If you are thinking of using diet soda as a replacement, here is what you need to know.

Research has shown that diet soda is linked to many health problems, including:

KIDNEY PROBLEMS

A Harvard Medical School Nurses’ Health Study reported that drinking a lot of sugar-free cola beverages or other carbonated soft drinks affect the kidneys. According to this study, kidney function declined over two decades in women who drank several diet sodas a day. In fact, compared with women who did not drink diet soda, soda-drinking women had a 30% greater reduction in kidney function in 20 years. More than 3,000 women (all nurses) have participated in the study for 20 years or more.

Even more interesting: Since kidney decline was not associated with sugar-sweetened sodas, researchers suspect that the diet sweeteners are responsible. At the start of the study, all the women had healthy kidney function, according to Julie Lin, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Drinking one diet soda a day did not appear to cause these problems in this study. However, with all of the unknown effects, is it really worth it to create a diet soda habit? I personally say no.

WEIGHT GAIN

But diet soda is calorie free, right? Yes, but not so fast. A University of Texas Health Science Center and Harvard Medical School study found that aspartame has been associated with altering metabolic pathways leading to weight gain. A 34% increase in the risk of metabolic disturbances was shown in the study involving 10,000 diet soda drinkers. Read more on the study here . Additionally, researchers at the center followed 474 diet soda drinkers, 65 to 74 years of age, for almost 10 years. They found that diet soda drinkers’ waists grew 70 percent more than non-drinkers. Specifically, drinking two or more diet sodas a day increased waist size five times more than people who avoided the stuff entirely (CBS News).

Excess weight gain increases risk for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other issues. Not to mention, it doesn’t make you feel sexy. The healthiest goal is to learn to adjust the taste buds so they don’t crave sweetness. If you are drinking diet soda to get the sweetness you crave, but not getting the calories from it – you are still going to be hungry for something to satiate you. If you love sugar, it is likely you will choose something sweet again. Bust out of the sugar habit completely by limiting your exposure and looking for healthy options, not substitutes for poor choices.

A KILLER HANGOVER

You know alcohol has calories. Vodka has an average of 95 calories in one little shot. You would think it would be better to mix the vodka with diet soda so you stay at 95 calories per drink, versus bumping up to 200+ calories by adding regular soda. Unfortunately, that is not a good decision. Cocktails made with diet soda get you drunker, faster, according this study out of the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia. Sugar-free mixers allow liquor to enter your bloodstream from your stomach much quicker than those with sugar, leaving you with a bigger buzz.

Instead, try adding tonic or water to your vodka, and sweeten with fruits or veggies. The extra water will do you good anyway since you urinate an extra 120ml every time you go to the bathroom after drinking. Really, no lie! Alcohol reduces anti-diuretic hormone in your body, meaning you pee more. So drink up! Vodka & tonic with a lime please!

CELLULAR DAMAGE

Ever look on the back of your diet soda and see Sodium Benzoate?

This substance is a mold inhibitor and in my opinion should not be used for consumption. According to Peter Piper, a molecular biology and biotechnology professor at University of Sheffield in the U.K, “These chemicals (referring to Sodium benzoate and Potassium benzoate) have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it”.

The preservative has also been linked to hives, asthma, and other allergic conditions, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi have replaced Sodium benzoate with another preservative, potassium benzoate. Both sodium and potassium benzoate were classified by the Food Commission in the UK as mild irritants to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Potassium benzoate and sodium benzoate produce benzene (read a known cancer causing chemical) when combined with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) or erythorbic acid. Yet this toxic combination is still found in soft drinks. This article from the BBC states the levels found so far are not cause for concern, however Benzene has been linked to leukemia and other blood cancers.

Of course the research from soda companies is going to dwell on the low cause of concern due to low levels in parts per million. However with the skyrocketing cancer cases and health issues, is it worth it to take the risk? No. It is not.

TOOTH DECAY

Acids, sweeteners, and carbonation all have negative effects on your teeth. All of these substances wear down your enamel leaving your teeth vulnerable to bacteria decay. Citric and phosphoric acid contribute a high amount of acidity to soda products. Switching to diet soda makes no difference in the matter. Sweeteners, whether natural or artificial feed bacteria not only in the gut, but starting with your mouth and teeth. Dentists often recommend brushing immediately after soda consumption to eliminate plaque build-up. I say, get rid of the stuff altogether. Water, on the other hand, helps to prevent cavities and tooth decay by washing away harmful bacteria. You can’t replace teeth, right? (Well, unless you spend a fortune).

Your best bet is to increase your water intake to keep yourself hydrated. Get fancy with fruits & veggies! The possibilities only end with your creative imagination, however here are some combos to consider with your next glass of H2O:

Pineapple & Mint

Strawberry & Cucumber

Lemon & Lime

Blueberry & Rosemary

Apples & Cinnamon

Pear & Pomegranate

Cheers to your good health!

-AJ