This week, we learned that former President Donald Trump reportedly believes that Diet Coke is beneficial for his health because it can kill grass, suggesting it might also be effective against cancer cells.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was involved with Medicare and Medicaid under Trump, simply stated, “I’m not even going to argue this right now.” Meanwhile, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center chose not to comment, which could say a lot.
Still, many people enjoy diet soda and might consider its health effects. There are reasons people drink it—sometimes it’s just the taste, or maybe they appreciate that it’s sugar-free. At least you’re avoiding the high-fructose corn syrup typical of regular sodas.
However, it’s crucial to keep an eye on how much you consume. Recently, rapper Fat Joe revealed that he drinks between 30 to 40 cans of Diet Pepsi every day. This raises a question: how much diet soda is too much? To figure that out, we consulted some experts about the potential impacts of excessive diet soda consumption.
Examining Artificial Sweeteners in Diet Soda
“Artificial sweeteners are lab-made, while some plant-based ones derive from natural sources,” said registered dietitian Vanessa Rissetto. Despite their origins, they undergo processing. “They vary in sweetness, which is why only small amounts are used.”
According to Rissetto, diet sodas typically contain one or a combination of the following sweeteners:
- Aspartame: Around 200 times sweeter than sugar and breaks down into amino acids after digestion.
- Sucralose: Derived from sugar, but not processed by the body in the same way.
- Saccharin: One of the oldest artificial sweeteners and a common sugar substitute.
- Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K): Often combined with other sweeteners to enhance taste.
- Stevia: A plant-based sweetener that minimally affects blood sugar levels.
- Monk fruit: Another plant-derived option typically mixed with additional sweeteners.
Are some sweeteners better than others? Rissetto maintains that all of them are deemed safe in reasonable amounts. Some individuals prefer plant-based varieties like stevia or monk fruit because they seem ‘more natural’ and might affect gut health differently. Taste and personal tolerance vary, and there isn’t one definitive healthiest choice.
In fact, Dr. Adam Perlman, chief medical officer at Pendulum Therapeutics, noted that these sweeteners are not classified as “healthy,” although they can be milder on your system. “Certain artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose or saccharin, have been linked to changes in gut bacteria, which could affect blood sugar management,” he explained.
Effects of Diet Soda on Your Body
“Even without sugar, several cans a day have been associated with increased risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke,” Perlman stated. “Over time, excessive intake can contribute to weight gain, cardiovascular issues, and blood sugar complications.”
When it comes to type 2 diabetes, sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose can alter the body’s response to glucose. “They activate sweet taste receptors, getting the body ready for calories,” Rissetto explained. This disconnection over time can reduce insulin sensitivity, complicating blood sugar regulation. Furthermore, these sweeteners may disrupt gut bacteria, promoting inflammation that increases diabetes risk.
Changes in gut flora and insulin resistance might lead to a rise in systemic inflammation, “which is a fundamental factor in heart disease,” Rissetto added.
Those who consume too much diet soda face heart disease risks, as hormonal and metabolic impacts from artificial sweeteners can elevate triglycerides and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. This creates a situation where chronic exposure to sweeteners could harm blood vessel linings, raising blood pressure and atherosclerosis risk.
Frequent consumption puts your vascular health at risk, potentially leading to small-vessel disease and poor vascular function. Despite the common belief that diet soda doesn’t harm the body since it lacks calories, its biological effects may contribute to weight gain, hypertension, and diabetes—all significant stroke risk factors.
Do Artificial Sweeteners Lead to Increased Food Intake?
It’s also suggested that artificial sweeteners can encourage greater consumption of food later. Even though they don’t add calories, drinking diet soda can confuse your brain’s food reward system. “Once you taste sweetness without any energy, it might result in heightened hunger signals,” Rissetto said.
Moreover, a sweet taste triggers a dopamine release in the brain’s reward center. “Without the actual energy intake, the ‘reward’ is incomplete, prompting increased snacking, especially on sugary or high-carb foods,” she noted.
“Over time, high intake may contribute to weight gain, heart issues, and blood sugar problems,” Perlman said. “Some sweeteners can alter the composition of gut bacteria, which might impact metabolism and inflammation.”
Diet soda is acidic, too, which means it can cause tooth erosion. And then there’s caffeine. “It could lead to jitters, headaches, or sleep disturbances,” Rissetto mentioned. Plus, carbonation and the sweeteners may cause bloating or stomach discomfort, which could increase cravings for sweets.
So, How Much Diet Soda Is Too Much?
Most experts recommend limiting yourself to one a day or a few per week, opting for water or unsweetened beverages as your primary choices.
Rissetto agrees: “Think of it as an occasional drink rather than your primary source of hydration. One a day is likely fine for most, but fewer per week is even better. Mix it with water, sparkling water, or other unsweetened drinks to avoid dependency.”
The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.
