Diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners that are generally considered safe for low consumption. Although diet soda is a good option to reduce calories, it has no nutritional value. It is devoid of vitamins and minerals.
The recommended diet soda limit for a healthy adult is 1 can or max 2 cans per day. It is relatively safe if you take 4-5 cans per week with some healthy diet habits and exercise.
Are Diet Sodas Bad For Weight Loss?
Diet sodas are not bad for weight loss if consumed in moderation. It is safe to take 1 can of diet soda per day while overconsumption increases the craving for high-calorie and sugary foods. Zero calories diet soda can help with managing weight control and you can lose up to 1 pound in a month by saving 140-160 calories per can.
A USC study has concluded that non-nutritive sweeteners boost appetite stimulation when it is consumed on a habitual basis. It increases sugar craving and results in high-calorie food intake.
Related: Can You Drink Ensure for Weight Loss?
How Much Diet Sodas is Too Much?
Excessive diet soda consumption can increase belly fat by tricking the insulin receptors into consuming calories and affecting metabolism. Studies have proven that drinking diet soda 3 times a day is likely to put up weight and obesity-related disorders.
A 12 oz can of diet soda contains 140 empty calories. You need to do an intense workout to burn out those calories.
People who are overweight are likely to consume 90-200 excessive calories of food per day after regular intake of diet sodas that include 150-200 calories of sweet snacks.
Almost 85% of people who regularly consume diet drinks turn out to be obese or overweight. It is possible to increase the chance of obesity by 65% for those who drink it regularly for 10 years.
Diet Soda Alternatives For Weight Loss
You can replace diet soda with drinks that are low in sugar like unsweetened iced tea or coffee, or low-fat milk. It contains beneficial antioxidants and calcium. Flavored water with fruit or veggies infused in it is another popular choice alternative.
Sparkling water is a healthy option that satisfies you with its bubbly texture and gives you a feeling of drinking carbonated soda.
Similarly, Green tea, Fresh juices, Soy milk, and Kombucha are other low-calorie nutritional drinks that can be included in your daily diet.
Let us see how much sugar content and calories are contained in a cup serving of these items.
DRINK (1 CUP) | SUGAR | CALORIES |
Tomato Juice | 6g | 42 |
Soy Milk | 10 mg | 131 |
Kombucha | 12g | 30 |
Carrot Juice | 9g | 93 |
Iced Tea | 22g | 2 |
How You Can Quit Diet Soda
The addiction to diet soda can be gradually reduced by increasing the time gap from once a day to weekly once a drink. You can switch soda to healthier drinks like ice tea, fruit juices, coconut water, or sparkling water.
Another technique to try is diluting the diet soda with equal portions of water.
With proper exercise, meditation, sleep, and healthy food you can overcome the soda addiction. You can also try making some homemade energy drinks or vegan shakes instead. It helps to gain sustained energy.
These healthy habits will help to overcome the withdrawal symptoms like appetite change, depression, headache, and restlessness.
How Diet Soda Can Make You Crave Sugar
Aspartame is widely used in diet sodas which can contribute to increased sugar craving and gain pounds. For example, in Diet Coke, there is 180 mg of aspartame in it and each gram contains 4 calories of amino acid content.
The Sucralose content in these drinks stimulates hunger and forces the body to take extra calories when it is consumed prior to a meal.
The other ingredients like Acesulfame-K, Saccharin, and Neotame also possess weight gain risks for people who are obese or have higher BMI.
DIET SODAS | SACCHARIN (mg) | ASPARTAME (mg) | ACESULFAME K (mg) | SUCRALOSE (mg) |
Diet Coke | 0 | 125 | 0 | 0 |
Diet Pepsi | 0 | 118 | 0 | 0 |
Diet Dr Pepper | 0 | 123 | 0 | 0 |
Diet Mountain Dew | 0 | 57 | 18 | 18 |
Fresca | 0 | 50 | 34 | 0 |
The ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) of Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, and sucralose that are commonly present in diet sodas are mentioned below.
SWEETENERS | ADI MILLIGRAMS PER KG PER DAY |
Acesulfame K | < 15 mg |
Aspartame | < 50 mg |
Neotame | < 0.3 mg |
Saccharin | < 15 mg |
Sucralose | < 5 mg |
Caramel Color | < 200 mg |
Austin is the author of loveatfirstfit.com and a personal trainer with extensive knowledge in nutrition. Austin is passionate about helping others to find a suitable healthy lifestyle and feel good about themselves. Austin’s goal is to help people push their limits and achieve their physical performance.