At face value, diet drinks and weight loss seem to go hand in hand, especially when you compare the calorie count to a regular can of soda. A diet soda will save you almost 140 calories and it gives you the illusion you are satisfying your sweet tooth without increasing your overall calorie count. But there’s more to this bubbly drink than meets the eye.
It’s Not a Healthy Choice After All
The artificial sweeteners found in diet sodas have a more intense flavor than actual sugar which eventually dulls our senses to naturally sweet foods such as fruit.
What’s worse is these artificial sweeteners have the same effect on our blood sugar levels as real sugar does. This means the sweetener raises insulin levels and signals the body to store fat, which leads to weight gain.
Increases Risk for Diabetes
A study conducted by the University of Minnesota showed that drinking diet soda every day increased the risk of type-2 diabetes by 36%. Also, people who drink more than one can of diet soda everyday gained weight over time than people who didn’t. The sweeteners actually cause metabolic syndrome which creates conditions that induce high blood pressure, elevated glucose levels, large waist circumference and high cholesterol levels. These conditions increase the risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and not to mention, obesity, which diet drinks and weight loss don’t go together.
Zero Nutritional Value
Diet sodas have absolutely nothing valuable to offer, except for satisfying your urge to drink something bubbly. Drinking plain old water is a much healthier choice and you will easily escape the health risks associated with diet drinks. It you still want something fizzy, go for sparkling water.
Bad for Teeth
A study published in General Dentistry compared the teeth of a methamphetamine user, a cocaine user and a diet soda drinker. It turns out all three sets of teeth were experiencing erosion in the same manner. The common ingredient among these products is citric acid which is known to weaken and destroy tooth enamel overtime.
Makes Alcohol Consumption Dangerous
Research conducted by the Northern Kentucky University showed that mixing alcohol with diet soda actually makes the drinker get drunk much faster. The researchers find artificial sweeteners are absorbed faster by the bloodstream and thus, it makes the person more intoxicated.
Even though the label claims to have a lower calorie count, it doesn’t make diet drinks and weight loss come together. The effect artificial sweeteners have on your health make diet drinks a poor choice. Plain old water is the way to go!
