Here’s what you should know about diet soft drinks
Siddhartha Jana
Many people are drinking less sugary soft drinks than in the past, which is beneficial for public health given the risks of high sugar diets.
Source: Canva
Intake of diet soft drinks has increased over time and is now regularly detected in wastewater, reflecting their widespread consumption.
Source: Canva
The World Health Organisation advises reducing daily free sugar intake to less than 10% of total energy, with a further reduction to below 5% (roughly 25 grams or six teaspoons) providing additional health benefits.
Source: Canva
Diet soft drinks are sweetened with artificial or natural sweeteners, such as aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, and monk fruit extract, which mimic the taste of regular soft drinks without the sugar.
Source: Canva
Despite being marketed as healthier alternatives, awareness about the broader health effects of diet soft drinks remains limited among the public.
Source: Canva
Regular consumption of diet soft drinks is linked to a higher likelihood of developing metabolic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, even after accounting for other dietary and lifestyle factors.
Source: Canva
Diet soft drinks are not strongly linked with weight management; observational studies suggest that frequent consumers have an increased risk of higher body mass index and a 76% increased likelihood of obesity.
Source: Canva
Artificial sweeteners may irritate the digestive system lining, leading to inflammation and symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome, and high consumption of diet soft drinks is also associated with dental erosion due to phosphoric and citric acids.
Source: Canva
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