I drink diet soda every day. Can this be harmful?

Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

It's not known if drinking diet soda every day is harmful. The evidence on diet soda's health effects isn't clear.

A diet soda is the low- or no-calorie version of a drink where sugar is replaced with a nonsugar sweetener.

People may choose diet soda to help manage blood sugar levels, lower the risk of tooth decay or manage weight. But it doesn't appear that sugar substitutes can help people lose or maintain weight over a long time.

What is known is that diet soda typically doesn't have ingredients that your body needs. Other choices that give your body a health boost are water, sparkling water, seltzer, skim milk, and unsweetened tea or coffee.

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Nov. 05, 2024 See more Expert Answers

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  11. Carbohydrates
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  14. Coconut water: Is it super hydrating?
  15. Coffee and health
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  20. Don't get tricked by these 3 heart-health myths
  21. High-protein diets
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  23. Is there a special diet for Crohn's disease?
  24. Juicing
  25. Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  26. Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health
  27. Omega-3 in fish
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  29. Phenylalanine
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  33. Trans fat
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