Sodas or soft drinks are commonly consumed around the world. Regular soft drinks are full of sugar, and come with a host of health hazards. Consuming beverages with a lot of sugar can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes and tooth decay. To counteract this, many beverage companies have released “diet” versions of their popular sodas. These diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners which do not have any calories. However, diet sodas are by no means healthy. Diet sodas are also associated with a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease, but to a lesser degree than regular sodas. We also do not have a comprehensive understanding of what long-term artificial sweetener consumption can do to our bodies. This aspect still needs further research. Given an option between regular sodas and diet sodas, choose water.
Sodas or soft drinks, whether diet or regular, have become a go-to beverage around the world. While regular sodas are known to be full of sugar and empty calories, diet sodas promise a similar experience without the junk. But health gurus and influencers have been criticising the use of artificial sweeteners in diet sodas, claiming they are as bad as regular sodas. This has led to a significant debate – Are diet sodas actually worse than regular sodas. This is a multi-faceted question, and requires us to do a deep dive into the ingredients of both regular and diet sodas, their potential health impacts and the scientific evidence to prove it.
Regular Sodas – Regular sodas are mostly made of carbonated water, high-fructose corn syrup or cane sugar, food colouring, some type of acid (citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid etc.), flavouring agents and preservatives. The main issue most people have with soft drinks is their high sugar content. A typical 750ml PET bottle sized soft drink has about 65 to 70 grams of sugar. That’s almost 5 and a half tablespoons of sugar that you’re drinking and you don’t even realise it! This sugar digests quickly and floods your blood stream causing a glucose spike. One or two soft drinks a week may not make too much of a difference. However, for people who drink sodas regularly, like with every meal, it adds up very quickly. According to general physicians, consuming a lot of sugar can lead to increased weight gain and a higher risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Diet Sodas – Diet sodas are designed to mimic the taste of regular sodas but cut out the calories. They do this by using artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose or saccharin. Artificial sweeteners taste really sweet so we only need small amounts of it to achieve the same taste as regular sodas. The rest of the ingredients are the same as above. Theoretically, diet sodas are better because they have less calories and less sugar. However, there are concerns about the long-term effects of consuming a lot of artificial sweeteners.
Weight gain and obesity are an epidemic in modern society. One of the main reasons people opt for diet sodas is that they have fewer calories than regular sodas. Some even have zero calories. This makes diet sodas a better alternative for someone looking to lose weight, so they can be in a calorie deficit. However, studies on the relationship between consuming diet sodas and weight loss have been inconclusive. Some studies suggest that diet sodas can be beneficial to weight management by keeping the person consuming them in a calorie deficit, but some studies suggest that they could have the opposite effect. Artificial sweeteners can, in some cases, trigger cravings for sweet, high-calorie foods. This causes the person to binge, and then end up gaining weight anyway.
Consuming high-sugar foods and beverages, like soft drinks, has been linked to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. This is a cluster of biochemical and physical abnormalities, including high abdominal body fat, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and low HDL (good cholesterol). Metabolic syndrome greatly increases your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, stroke or all 3. Most people with metabolic syndrome also have insulin resistance which makes it difficult for cells to utilise the glucose in the blood. The high sugar content in sodas can definitely cause metabolic syndrome, if consumed often.
In theory, diet sodas do not contain sugar, and hence shouldn’t contribute to metabolic syndrome. However, artificial sweeteners appear to have other metabolic implications. Studies suggest that diet sodas are still associated with higher risk of diabetes and heart disease, but lower than the risk associated with regular sugary fizzy drinks.
Both regular and diet sodas are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. The high sugar content in sodas gets absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. However, there isn’t enough insulin to use up the glucose as fast. The glucose stays in the blood and damages the blood vessels. According to heart specialists, diet soda is also associated with an increased risk of heart disease. However, how it damages the heart is still unclear, and requires further research.
Regular sodas and diet sodas often contain phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid in excess is likely to cause a decrease in bone density and increase your risk of developing osteoporosis. Phosphoric acid causes an imbalance in the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in your body. This could result in calcium leaching from the bones. However, this effect is significant only in people who drink a large quantity of carbonated beverages on a daily basis. In this respect, both regular and diet sodas have an identical risk factor.
The sugar contained in soft drinks wreaks havoc on your teeth. It can cause cavities and tooth decay. The bacteria in the mouth feed on the sugar and multiply, covering the teeth in large quantities of sticky, white plaque. The plaque produces acids which damage the tooth enamel and erode your teeth over time. Artificial sweeteners do not contribute to tooth decay in this way. However, that doesn’t mean diet sodas don’t impact your teeth. Most diet sodas also contain acid, as they are a carbonated beverage. The acids in the diet soda can directly erode the enamel on your teeth. This eventually leads to tooth sensitivity and pain. If the diet soda contains caffeine, that also causes some damage. The caffeine dehydrates you and reduces saliva production. Without adequate saliva in your mouth to protect your teeth, they are likely to sustain more damage. In general, diet sodas are almost as bad as regular sodas for your teeth. The only exception is diet sodas which are sweetened with xylitol and don’t contain any caffeine. The bacteria in your mouth can’t digest xylitol, so it doesn’t lead to plaque formation and tooth decay.
The studies on artificial sweeteners at the moment are contradictory in nature. Further research is required to arrive at more conclusive results.
The potential link between artificial sweeteners and cancer has been a topic of debate for decades. Aspartame has dominated headlines since May 2023, when the WHO declared it a possible carcinogen. However, this doesn’t mean Aspartame causes cancer. Further research is required to establish a concrete link between aspartame and cancer. Most studies cited to show that artificial sweeteners are carcinogenic are performed on animals, and haven’t been replicated in a large enough sample size of humans. The American Food and Drug administration maintains that sucralose and aspartame (artificial sweeteners), in the small doses they are present in diet sodas, are safe for human consumption. However, as we all know, anything in excess is bad for you, so you may still want to limit your diet soda consumption.
It really depends on your body, your medical conditions and the amount of fizzy drinks you consume. Both types of sodas have their own risk and health impacts. Neither option is “healthy” by any standard. Regular sodas damage your metabolism, your heart and your teeth with their high sugar content. Diet sodas, despite the lack of sugar, damage these aspects albeit to a slightly lower degree. However, the risk of long-term consumption of artificial sweeteners is still unknown. In addition to this, The studies on artificial sweeteners at the moment are contradictory in nature, as most of them are funded by artificial sweetener manufacturers and have unreliable, unreplicable results. Further research is required to arrive at a more reliable conclusion.
Ultimately, a few sodas or diet sodas once in a while won’t have a major impact on your health. However, you should definitely avoid drinking them every day. If you have to choose between regular soda and diet soda, just choose water and your body will thank you.
In conclusion, neither regular nor diet sodas are conducive to good health. Both pose risks to metabolic, heart, bone, and dental health. While diet sodas lack sugar, they contain artificial sweeteners whose long-term effects remain uncertain. Thus, choosing water is a healthier alternative. If you seek professional health advice, Kauvery Hospital offers comprehensive services across Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli, and Trichy. Their expert medical teams can provide personalized recommendations based on your health needs. Make informed choices for a healthier life.
Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai (Alwarpet & Vadapalani), Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.
Chennai Alwarpet – 044 4000 6000 • Chennai Vadapalani – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801
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