Diet soda better or worse than the real thing?

by Brian White (Subscribe to Brian White's posts)
Apr 16th 2007 5:28PM

Are you a fan of diet soda? Many folks I know switched to diet versions of their favorite soft drinks years ago to get away from the sugar and calories of normal soft drinks. While diet sodas can be looked at as healthier than normal soft drinks, I still avoid them like the plague. Why? Chemicals and other non-nutritional items.

Have you looked at the sodium content of some diet soft drinks? How about aspartame content (a fake but dangerous sweetener)?

Always do what you feel is right, but in the case of diet soft drinks, the additives, fake colors, chemicals and other things sound like bad news to me. Do they to you?

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Comments (4)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Deane 4-16-2007 @ 6:42PM

I don't drink any of the diet drinks because of all the additives in the drinks. I also avoid the clear flavored fruit drinks that advertise 0 carbs, 0 calories, 0 sugar, etc.
I feel there are enough things added to food and drink today without putting anything extra in your body.
We also can our own fruits and veggies, also can or freeze meats.

S Cassidy 4-16-2007 @ 7:59PM

I drink diet soda when I drink soda, and only have "the real thing" maybe once or twice a year.........mostly I drink water, and my drug of choice "coffee", and we don't even have a sugar bowl in our house,,,,,,,,,,,this is a matter of
moderation in all things.................am sure if you are a soda adict it might have some bearing..............Sugar got a bad rap long time back, it does not make you hyper active, if you are not ill with sugar disease related illnesses, but, it will make you fat, and rot your teeth.......
Nothing takes the place of "water", and my only reason for not drinking the "cola" drinks is that it is dehydrating.

Desiree 4-17-2007 @ 1:19PM

In my opinion, sugar is way better for you than High frutose corn syrup. Sugar itself does not have very many calories and is fine in moderation. I wish companies would switch soda drinks to a more natural sugar. I could justify having a natural sugar drink once a week.

BP 4-20-2007 @ 9:50PM

Please, everyone, stay away from diet sodas. There are studies that show that aspartame, or Nutra Sweet, is chemically altered by your stomach acid into formaldehyde - you know, that stuff they pickle the frogs in before you dissect them in science class. Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol, or whatever they're using in Splenda are newer, and haven't been extensively tested. Good old fashioned sugar, in moderation, is way better for you than any diet chemical stew, even if it does have a few calories.

A better option? Organic juice, diluted with sparkling water - it's low cal, tastes great, and won't pickle your insides.