Which soda do you prefer: diet soda or regular soda? Is your preference based on taste, or that one may be healthier than the other? Is diet soda healthier for you, or did the marketing of the word “diet” pique your interest? Well, let’s debunk diet soda.
Diet soda is a new version of regular soda, where it is typically “zero sugar and zero calories”. But, how does diet soda taste even sweeter than regular soda? Well, diet soda still contains sugar, it is just a sugar substitute. When sitting at a restaurant, we typically see the sweetener container with all different colors of sweeteners. Those, besides the white or brown ones, are sugar substitutes! These are typically branded as Equal, Sweet’n low, Stevia, Splenda, and more. So, let’s go through some of the sugar substitutes!
· Aspartame (Equal and NutraSweet Natural)
o 200 times sweeter than sugar
o Seen in yogurt, pudding, chewing gum, and soft drinks
· Saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low and Sugar Twin)
o 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar
o Some may experience an aftertaste
o Seen in canned fruit, chewing gum, baked goods, and soft drinks
· Sucralose (Splenda)
o 600 times sweeter than sugar
o In thousands of processed foods such as soft drinks, juices, sauces, syrups, candy, etc.
These are just a few of the many different kinds of sugar substitutes. According to the FDA, all are generally recognized as safe (GRAS). As mentioned above, all of these sugar substitutes are noted to be seen in soft drinks. Therefore, each brand of soda uses a different substitute or sometimes a combination of them! With that, let’s get back to if diet soda is a more nutritious option.
The sugar substitutes, as mentioned above, are a lot sweeter than regular sugar, which explains why diet soda can taste sweeter than regular soda. With this comes the possibility that our brain could react to sweet foods differently by craving more high-calorie and sweeter foods, possibly due to the higher sweetness level in the diet sodas.
Next, the word diet is strongly associated with the term weight loss. When drinking diet soda and seeing zero sugar and zero calories, you assume that it’s a “free food” (which are zero calorie foods), which technically it is! But, some research has shown that diet soda can cause weight gain. This is not due to the drink itself but the possible increase in cravings for high-calorie and sugar foods due to the chemicals in the sugar substitutes.
Lastly, it can lead to some heart problems, including strokes. This is due to the high sodium levels found in diet soda. Each soda ranges from the amount, some being 12 milligrams and some being up to five times more than that. One can is not harmless, but for those who drink multiple cans a day, this is when there could be a potential problem.
In a perfect world, diet soda would be just as it is marketed, healthier and guilt-free! However, with new research always coming out it is best to stay informed on how to treat your body the best you can now, so it will thank you later! For those who love soda, don’t feel the need to cut it out completely! At the end of the day, we want to live happy, fulfilled lives, and sometimes a refreshing soda just does the trick! The key is always moderation, as you’ve heard before. So if you drink multiple a day, try to set a goal of only one a day, or if you drink it a few times a week, limit yourself to one can a week. There are always other options, such as sparkling water, water with fruit, fresh-squeezed lemonade, coconut water, and unsweet tea.
I hope you learned something new today! Thanks for reading as always come back to read the next article next Wednesday!
References
Boch, B. (n.d.). Sugar substitute packets in a glass container on a white, painted… Getty Images. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/sugar-substitute-packets-in-a-glass-container-on-a-royalty-free-image/1206084181
Diet Soda. Pennmedicine.org. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2017/march/diet-soda
Staff, F. E. (2021, October 21). Sugar Substitutes. familydoctor.org. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://familydoctor.org/sugar-substitutes/
Team, W. (2021, December 10). Just how bad is Diet Soda for you? Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-you-should-kick-your-diet-soda-habit/
Prepared by: Keeley Wooddell, Nutritional Assistant
For Questions: Mindy Diller MS, RDN, LD Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Eat at Texas Tech 