Studies show those who drink diet soda every day are three times more likely to develop dementia or have a stroke. So, can you really call it “diet” soda? Not exactly. Essentially, diet sodas are fizzy blends of harmful chemicals, including:
- Saccharin (a sugar substitute)
- Acesulfame-K (another sugar substitute that can cause several negative side effects)
- Aspartame (yet another sugar substitute)
- Artificial colorings
As you can see from this list, manufacturers replace sugar with chemical sweeteners that are no better for your health than sugar is. Clearly, this is a lose-lose situation because there is no redeeming quality to drinking regular soda either.
In a previous post, we talked about how foods marked as “low fat” and “fat free” omit fat and add harmful ingredients like sugar and salt instead. The same goes for diet soda, except manufacturers take out real sugar and replace it with harmful chemicals and sweeteners. Anything that would normally have sugar or fat but doesn’t will always have something just as bad (or worse) in its place.
We understand that this can be difficult information to process. If you have been drinking diet soda to lose weight, you may have been surprised to learn that diet sodas are just as bad as (or worse than) regular soda. Diet soda has played a huge role in making people overweight and prediabetic. This is because diet sodas distort the composition of gut bacteria in a way that promotes obesity and diabetes. Additionally, evidence shows that sugar sodas come with their own health risks, including diabetes, COPD, and heart disease, to name a few.
The best thing to do is to get organic foods and check labels for the ingredients you are concerned about. But whatever you do, ditch the soda! Sparkling water has become increasingly popular and available. If you’re looking to find a refreshing, fizzy drink that is not soda, simply opt for sparkling water. Some sparkling waters even contain magnesium, which is excellent for headaches, muscle relaxation, and sleep quality. Magnesium can also prevent high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
If you need help cutting out soda (diet or otherwise), contact our office today. Breaking habits is never an easy task, and that’s why we provide comprehensive programs to come alongside our patients to heal bodies and minds.
