Does diet coke actually mean “diet” coke? Is it just a marketing gimmick to sell you more coke? If not, does it affect your blood sugar?
In this article, you’ll discover everything we currently know about it.
Diet Coke is the third most popular carbonated drink in the world, and a lot of people believe it’s actually healthier than sugary drinks such as Coca-Cola Classic and Pepsi. And that’s due to it’s low white sugar content.
However, it still has its side effects.
So, is Diet Coke good or bad for you?
However, let’s consider the effects of both regular and diet soft drinks. Regular soda is manufactured using many different ingredients. The most common products contain high amounts of artificial flavors and colors, and sodium benzoate – a preservative that has been shown to cause neurological damage. (1)
And of course they also contain unhealthy, high levels of sugar that could raise your blood glucose significantly – increasing your risks of developing diabetes.
Diet Coke on the other hand contains aspartame — a controversial ingredient that has been linked to many health issues like severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, joint pain, seizures, irritability, and other symptoms. (2)
Another ingredient that’s used in Diet Coke is Sweet ’N Licious — a mixture of aspartame and acesulfame potassium. This is supposed to be fully safe for consumption because it contains only one-third the amount of aspartame as regular soft drinks.
However, there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the safety of these artificial sweeteners. In addition, as noted earlier, artificial sweeteners have been linked to neurological damage.
What’s more, a recent 14-year study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition linked both sugar-sweetened beverages and artificially sweetened beverages to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. (3)
Considering the fact that there are no significant health benefits to drinking diet coke, it’s better to avoid it.
And if you’re already taking it, one way to cut down on the negative effects is by reducing your consumption of other sugary foods. Because the body needs many vitamins and nutrients to function correctly, consuming too much sugar can lead to serious health issues such as diabetes.
Conclusion:
The best thing is to stay away from soda entirely. But if you can’t do that, then just be sure to drink in moderation and be responsible about your drinking habits.
If you choose to drink regular soft drinks, make sure you read the ingredients label because what may seem like a healthy beverage could actually be loaded with chemicals that could contribute to serious health issues.
