The sodium in Diet Pepsi and similar soft drinks is actually quite negligible compared to the amount of sodium you get from other beverages. According to the Australian Beverages Council, the term "soda water" is a bit misleading, as it implies that diet and regular pops are laden with a mineral you want to keep in check. The sodium in Diet Pepsi is less of a concern than its artificial sweeteners, which can dupe your brain into thinking you've consumed sugar -- and make you crave the real thing.
Sodium and You
You need small amounts of sodium to keep your body fluids in balance. But according to MayoClinic.com, most people in American get more than 3,400 mg of sodium daily, which is far more than you need. Most healthy adults shouldn't get more than 2,300 mg sodium a day. Those over the age of 51, as well as African Americans and people with kidney disease, high-blood pressure and diabetes, should restrict sodium to 1,500 mg a day or less. Processed and prepared foods are particularly high in sodium; however this mineral occurs naturally in foods like vegetables, milk and meat. The sodium in Diet Pepsi and other soda pops comes from the local water supply used to make the beverage, states the Australian Beverage Council.
Diet Pepsi Facts
Diet Pepsi has only a modest amount of sodium compared to other foods and beverages. A 12-oz. can of Diet Pepsi gives you 35 mg sodium, or 2 percent of your daily value, or DV, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Regular Pepsi contains 30 mg sodium, or 1 percent of your DV.
Sodium in Other Drinks
The sodium in Diet Pepsi doesn't contribute to your overall sodium intake compared to some other beverages. An 8-oz. serving of a popular name brand reduced calorie sports drink has 110 mg sodium, slightly more than the same serving of low-fat milk. Eight ounces of canned tomato juice has 650 mg sodium, making this a very salty beverage, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. When shopping for food and beverages, there's an expedient way to see if your purchase is high in sodium and other undesirable nutrients, such as cholesterol and fat. Look on the Nutrient Facts panel; according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, if one serving gives you 20 percent of your DV or more, it's high in sodium. Choose beverages that give you 5 percent of your DV or less.
Diet Soda Concerns
Diet Pepsi is sweetened with aspartame, which is 180 times sweeter than sugar, states Harvard School of Public Health. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners like acesulfame-K, saccharin, sucralose and neotame don't add calories to your drinks; however, a concern about diet drinks is that they might cause weight gain rather than weight loss. Harvard explains that your brain responds to sweet tastes in part by telling you when to stop eating. Artificial sweeteners, lacking calories, may confuse your body and make you want to eat more. MayoClinic.com indicates that one or two diet soft drinks a day won't hurt you, but encourages you to make healthier beverage choices, such as a small glass of fruit juice, milk or water.
References
- Australian Beverages Council: Sodium
- MayoClinic.com: Sodium-How to Tame Your Salt Habit Now
- Linus Pauling Institute; Sodium Chloride; J. Higdon, PhD; February 2004
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Panel
- Harvard School of Public Health: Sugary Drinks or Diet Drinks: What's the Best Choice?
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