With obesity on the rise and the negative health effects associated with sugar consumption, many people resort to artificial sweeteners. Diet sodas have often been popular for this reason; however, recent studies are showing it can be just as unhealthy as sugar, if not more so. Soda companies use one or many types of artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin, acesulfame-k, or sucralose.
Even though most of the sweeteners in diet sodas have little to no calories, they can contribute to many health issues. These include health problems such as kidney failure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk of depression.
It can lead to cardiovascular disease.
According to a research study by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, people who consumed two or more servings of diet soda per day had a 23% higher chance of developing heart failure. In addition, the University of Miami and Columbia University researchers also discovered that diet soda drinkers were 43% more likely to suffer vascular events such as strokes, heart attacks, and other vascular diseases.
It puts you at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
A research study by the American Diabetes Foundation found increased risks of developing metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in people who drank diet soda. In fact, they found that diet soda drinkers were 67% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who didn’t drink diet soda daily. In another study, researchers found that daily consumption of diet drinks was associated with a 36% greater risk of incident metabolic syndrome.
Diet soda can be bad for you because it can damage the brain’s antioxidant defense system.
Aspartame is the leading sweetener in diet soda but some manufacturers are reformulating their recipes to include sucralose (Splenda). Unfortunately, the jury is still out on the health effects of consuming Splenda; however, aspartame has many known health risks. One research study found that long-term consumption of aspartame damages the brain’s antioxidant defense status.
It can lead to kidney damage.
Kidneys filter out waste and toxins from our blood. Long-term consumption of diet drinks can eventually lead to kidney damage. A 2009 study found that woman that drank two or more diet soda’s per day had a 30% higher risk of renal decline than those who didn’t.
Diet soda can be bad for you because it puts you at a higher risk for depression.
A 2013 American Academy of Neurology study found that consuming 4 or more cups of diet drinks per day contributed to a 30% higher risk of depression. Interestingly, coffee had the opposite effect. The report states people drinking 4 or more cups of unsweetened coffee per day were 10% less likely to develop depression than those who didn’t drink coffee.
As with anything in life, moderation is key. If you enjoy diet soda or even regular soda, drinking it occasionally instead of daily is one way to avoid these risks.
Please share these 5 important reasons to reduce your consumption of diet drinks with your friends and family.
