Why Is Diet Pop Bad for You?
If you're trying to lose weight and get healthy, diet pop may not be the best beverage for you. The artificial sweeteners used in these products contribute to a host of health problems and can actually cause weight gain. Choose water or citrus-flavored seltzer water instead.
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Metabolic Syndrome
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Metabolic syndrome is a collection of symptoms resulting from overconsumption of aspartame, the sweetener in most diet sodas. Symptoms include high blood pressure, increased belly fat and erratic blood sugar levels. A New York Times article claims that diet soda drinkers are at a 34 percent greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
Brain Tumors
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Washington University Medical School researcher John W. Olney believes there may be a link between aspartame and brain tumors. There has been a sharp rise in brain tumors that seems to coincide with the proliferation of aspartame-sweetened soda.
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Cyclamates
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After being banned as a carcinogen by the FDA in 1969, cyclamates were removed from all food products. FDA scientists have recently reevaluated the data and now feel that cyclamates are not carcinogenic. A petition is currently pending at the FDA to reapprove cyclamates as a food additive.
Splenda
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Several brands of sodas use sucralose (Splenda) as a sweetener. Splenda is derived from sugar; there have been no long-term studies on the effects of this product, but there is some evidence that it disrupts the healthy balance of bacterial flora in the gut.
Saccharin
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In the 1970s, saccharin was linked to cancer and its use in foods and beverages plummeted. Further studies indicated that the results of the tests---which were performed on rats---did not apply to humans, and it has regained market share.
Safer Choices
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Retailers and manufacturers are beginning to promote the health benefits of foods and beverages that contain natural sugar. Natural sugar is safer than aspartame and other artificial sweeteners, but it will still cause weight gain if consumed in excess.
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