Diet drinks are popular calorie-free beverages. The attraction is the flavor; these drinks are often more enticing than plain water. There are some health risks associated with consuming diet drinks regularly. They displace healthier beverages in the diet, such as milk; are made with unsafe or poorly tested non-nutritive sweeteners; and may erode tooth enamel.
Replaces Healthier Beverages
Diet drinks may be vitamin-enhanced, but they are, for the most part, not as nutritious as other beverages, particularly vitamin A & D fortified milk. Thus, an indirect health problem caused by drinking diet beverages is that they may take the place of milk. Milk is a rich source of micronutrients, such as calcium, riboflavin and vitamins A and D, as well as macronutrients, such as protein and carbohydrates. While fruit juices are high in sugar, drinking 100 percent pure citrus and/or vegetable juices on occasion helps you meet the daily dietary recommended intake for fruits and vegetables.
Sweetener Risks
Diet drinks contain one or more non-nutritive sweeteners, which are used in place of sugar. These sweeteners may include acesulfame potassium, aspartame (Nutrasweet) and/or saccharin. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI, many non-nutritive sweeteners are unsafe and may pose health risks if consumed regularly. They are poorly tested and have not been proven, scientifically, to be 100 percent safe. While CSPI recommends cutting back on sugar, sugar is at least safer to consume in moderation than chemical additives.
Erodes Tooth Enamel
According to the Family Gentle Dental Care website, the average American drinks more than 53 gallons of carbonated soft drinks each year, more than any other beverage. Per this website, it isn't just the sugar content or carbonation that may cause oral health problems. It is the acidity. Many diet drinks have a low pH, which may cause, over time, moderate to severe dental enamel erosion. Water has a neutral pH of 7. According to the Minnesota Dental Association, the threshold pH for enamel dissolution is 5.5. Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet 7-Up and Diet Coke all have a pH of less than 4. Gatorade and lower sugar "light" Gatorade have a pH of less than 3.00. To put this in greater perspective, battery acid has a pH of 1!
