Diet sodas provide a calorie- and carbohydrate-free alternative to classic sugar-packed sodas. Although replacing high-calorie sodas with zero-calorie diet sodas can help you cut calories, it will not necessarily help you lose weight or improve your health. Diet soda should not replace water or nutritious beverages such as skim milk.
Sodium
Although diet sodas contain no sugar or calories, they do contain sodium. Classic diet sodas such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi can contain as much as 40 mg of sodium per 12-oz. serving, and diet root beers, ginger ales and citrus sodas often contain even more sodium. A 12-oz. serving of Seagram's Diet Ginger Ale contains 55 mg of sodium, and a 12-oz. serving of Diet Mug Root Beer contains 65 mg of sodium.
Diabetes Risk
Data from studies such as the Framingham Heart Study have linked frequent soda consumption to an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Although some studies have also linked diet soda consumption to increased diabetes risk, a 2011 study conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health contradicted this theory, suggesting that diet soda does not increase diabetes risk. Instead, people who choose diet sodas are more likely to already be diabetic or overweight.
Phenylalanine
Aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in many diet sodas, contains phenylalanine, a type of protein. Diet sodas containing phenylalanine must provide a warning on the container stating that the product contains this protein. For people suffering from phenylketonuria, a rare genetic metabolic disorder, phenylalanine can cause serious health problems, including brain damage and seizures. If you don't have phenylketonuria, however, phenylalanine does not pose a threat to your health. However, aspartame may not be safe in high amounts for individuals with sleep disorders, tardive dyskinesia or anxiety disorders or those taking certain medications, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors, neuroleptics and medications with levodopa, according to MayoClinic.com.
Artificial Sweeteners
Food and Drug Administration-approved artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas include aspartame, acesulfame, saccharin, sucralose and neotame. These sweeteners taste far sweeter than sugar. Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar; saccharin, 300 times sweeter; and sucralose, 600 times sweeter, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. High amounts of artificial sweeteners, which provide sweetness without calories or energy, may interfere with the way the brain processes sugar and calories and estimates caloric intake, suggests the Harvard School of Public Health. Those who drink diet sodas frequently may even begin to find unsweetened beverages or foods bland, leading to increased intake of unhealthy foods packed with added sugars.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Phenylalanine in Diet Soda: Is It Harmful?; Katherine Zeratsky; February, 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Diet Soda: Is It Bad For You?; Katherine Zeratsky; November 2009
- Harvard School of Public Health: Diet Soda Does Not Appear to Boost Type 2 Diabetes Risk
- Harvard School of Public Health; Sugary Drinks or Diet Drinks -- What's the Best Choice?
- Coca-Cola: Nutrition Connection
- Pepsi Product Information: Info by Category
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