New Health Scare in Answering: Why is Diet Soda Bad for You
Study upon study has already proven the negative health effects of diet soda, including the ironic fact that these artificially sweetened drinks can actually lead to weight gain, not weight loss. Other ill health effects have also been linked to diet soda, especially the kind sweetened with the chemical aspartame.
Now, new research adds why is diet soda bad for you: Diet soda drinkers have a dramatically higher risk of a heart attack and stroke.
The website Healthier Talk reports on the study:
Researchers tracked 2,564 New York City seniors for a decade and found that 31 percent of those who drank diet soda every day suffered a heart attack or stroke versus 22 percent of those drank little to no diet soda.
That’s an increase in risk of 49% according to the data published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Aspartame: A Chemical to Avoid!
One of the most popular artificial sweeteners used in diet soda is aspartame (known by the brand name NutraSweet), which has been linked to numerous serious adverse effects, including…
• High blood pressure
• Heart palpitations
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Sleep disorders
According to the respected integrative practitioner, Dr. Joseph Mercola, “Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods. It hides behind brand names such as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure, but its makers cannot mask the fact that it accounts for 75% of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA.”
Of course, other artificial sweeteners are also undesirable, as are sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Health experts say that good choices for refreshing beverages include:
• Plain water (or sparkling water if you strongly desire the “fizz”)
• Unsweetened iced tea
• Kombucha tea (a fermented beverage with impressive health benefits)
• Coconut water
