Diet soda, like Diet Rite, often seems like a guilt-free alternative to sugary soft drinks. However, despite being low in calories and sugar, it lacks nutritional value and contains artificial sweeteners that have stirred debate regarding potential adverse health effects. While research findings are mixed, understanding the possible side effects of diet soda is crucial, especially for those who consume it regularly.
History of Diet Rite
Diet Rite was introduced in 1955 and initially released as a dietetic product. In 1962, it was introduced nationwide and marketed to the general public as a healthful beverage. The original formula was sweetened with cyclamate and saccharin. After cyclamate was banned in 1969, it was removed from the product. NutraSweet brand aspartame was added upon its introduction to the market, and in 1987 the saccharin was replaced entirely with the complete elimination of caffeine. In the 1990s, several fruit-flavored varieties of Diet Rite were introduced. In 2000, the line was reformulated yet again, this time to replace aspartame with Splenda brand sucralose and Sunett brand acesulfame potassium. It became the first major diet soda in the United States to use neither aspartame nor saccharin as a sweetener.
Potential Side Effects of Diet Soda
Impact on Gut Microbiome
The artificial sweeteners in diet soda might negatively affect the gut microbiome, the community of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in various aspects of health, including immune function, nutrient absorption, and heart health.
One in vitro study of 13 individuals found that aspartame, a common nonnutritive sweetener in diet soda, decreased production of Isobutyric acid, a type of short-chain fatty acid. Short-chain fatty acids play a role in preventing inflammatory diseases and regulating body weight. However, more studies are needed to fully understand how artificial sweeteners and diet soda affect gut health in humans.
Dental Health Concerns
Diet soda, despite lacking sugar, is highly acidic. Damage to dental enamel from acidity is not the same thing as an increased risk of cavities due to sugar content. A 2020 study found that diet soda did not promote dental cavities among children.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Headaches
For some individuals, drinking multiple servings of diet soda daily could trigger headaches, potentially due to artificial sweeteners like aspartame. A review noted that aspartame caused symptoms like headaches and migraines in those who took aspartame pills, particularly in those with neurological or psychiatric conditions. However, it's important to note that these studies used aspartame pills, which release more aspartame into the body than what's typically ingested from diet soda. Some diet sodas also contain caffeine, which could cause headaches for a small percentage of people.
Bone Health
Diet soda contains compounds that may negatively affect bone health and lead to bone loss. Excessive caffeine intake and phosphoric acid consumption have been linked to negative effects on bone health.
Cardiovascular Complications and Metabolic Syndrome
A 2021 study found that regularly consuming artificial alternative sweeteners, present in diet soda, is associated with a risk of developing cardiovascular complications, including glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes. Another study found that consumption of these sweeteners is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of factors that, if left untreated, may increase the likelihood of developing heart disease.
Increased Hunger and Sugar Cravings
Some research suggests that artificial sweeteners may affect the food reward pathway in the brain similarly to regular sugar, potentially making food more palatable and leading to increased hunger and food intake. Because artificial sweeteners are significantly sweeter than regular sugar, they might increase sugar cravings and dependence, making it harder to reduce sugar intake. Nevertheless, research on this topic is mixed, and further studies on diet soda and sugar cravings are needed.
Weight Gain
Scientists have found mixed results on whether drinking diet soda is associated with weight gain. One study found that habitual, long-term diet soda consumption was linked to increased body fat, including visceral fat.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Reducing Diet Soda Intake: Healthier Alternatives
If you're concerned about the potential side effects of diet soda, there are several simple steps you can take to decrease your intake.
Start by slowly swapping it for other drinks in your diet. Here are a few alternative drinks to consider:
- Flavored water
- Herbal tea
- Coconut water
- Seltzer water
- Kombucha
Look for versions of these drinks that either are unsweetened or have a lower sugar content. You can also try adding a splash of juice to water or seltzer. You can make flavored water by adding cucumber slices, fresh or frozen fruit, herbs like basil and mint, or citrus fruits like lime or lemon to plain or sparkling water for a hint of flavor without added sugar.
It may also help to buy less soda when you go grocery shopping and stock up on healthy alternatives instead. This will make it much easier to reach for a different drink in place of diet soda when you feel thirsty. Finally, it may be easier to gradually decrease your diet soda consumption instead of cutting it out all at once. Reducing the amount of diet soda that you drink each week to make long-lasting, sustainable changes may be easier to stick with over time.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
tags: #diet #rite #cordial #ingredients