Zero sugar. Zero calories. 100% taste. Seems like winning doesn’t it? But, as with most things in life, when it sounds too good to be true, it usually is! And the same goes for diet soft drinks. Just because a can of Coke Zero doesn’t have any calories, doesn’t mean it’s as good as water. Some even think it’s worse for you than a regular can of Coke with 9 teaspoons of sugar. So, if health and/or weight loss is your goal, here’s why you should avoid diet soft drinks.

Drinking Diet Soft Drinks Can CAUSE Weight Gain

You might have heard that soft drinks are as good as water when it comes to weight loss. However, look a bit further and you’ll probably find that the research this was based on was actually funded by soft drink manufacturers, sugar producers or other companies who stood to benefit. One study even went as far to say that soft drinks were BETTER than water for weight loss. It was funded by the American Beverage Association.

In contrast, numerous studies have proven that people who drink soft drinks are more likely to become overweight or obese. Although there’s debate about the actual cause for this weight gain, some believe that artificial sweeteners even encourage your body to store more fat, especially around the midsection.

The Sweet Taste Doesn’t Satisfy Cravings, It Encourages Them

Downing a diet soft drink might seem like it’s a consequence free way to manage cravings for sweet foods. But, it actually does the opposite! Eating foods that taste sweet increases your desire for more sweet food, making those cravings worse over time.

And, you’ll probably feel more hungry too. Artificial sweeteners don’t impact your brain and digestive system the same way that real food does. Instead, they amp up your appetite so you’re much more likely to eventually give into those sugary cravings with a high calorie treat.

Artificial Sweeteners Cause Health Problems

Consuming artificial sweeteners has been linked to a number of significant health problems. Headaches, diabetes, emotional disorders, depression, high cholesterol, pre-term birth, heart disease and metabolic syndrome are just some of the conditions that have been linked to drinking diet soft drinks.

The Takeaway…

Avoid diet soft drinks! Whether you’re concerned about your general health or losing weight, it’s never a good idea to fill your body with the load of artificial sweeteners and colouring that’s packaged into a bottle of diet soft drink.

Water is always the healthiest drink you can choose. If you don’t like the taste, invest in a quality water filter, refrigerate it or flavour it naturally with sliced citrus fruit and/or herbs.