This Is How Diet Coke Could Be Impacting Your Health
Soda gets a bad rep. For a long time, we've demonized sugar and regular Coca-Cola. Then came its sugar-free counterparts, Diet Coke and Coke Zero. But then we began to question their ingredients, too. So we wanted to answer the question, Is your daily Diet Coke really that bad?
"Having one Diet Coke every day isn't the worst health practice—but it isn't the best either," said dietician nutritionist Lauren Manaker. "Will having one Diet Coke per day result in detrimental effects, especially if the rest of the day is filled with water drinking and balance diet eating? Unlikely."
Diet Coke launched in 1982, and was aimed at baby boomers, who, according to Coca-Cola, "were getting 20 years older and 20 pounds heavier." And with sugar being labeled enemy number one, there's no wonder why Diet Coke became a big success.
"For those with a sweet tooth who are trying to limit their intake of added sugars, Diet Coke can help them get that satisfying taste without the added sugar," said Manaker.
What Makes Diet Coke Sweet?
What makes Diet Coke sweet without the sugar is the artificial sweetener aspartame. This ingredient is what drives much of the discussion around whether or not the soda is healthy or safe.
Aspartame has been used in the U.S. since the 1980s and can be found in
many products like soda, chewing gum, and even toothpaste. But over the years, there's been a lot of discussion about its potential health impacts.
Is Aspartame Bad For You?
Last year, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JEFCA) released an assessment on the health impacts of aspartame. While noting limited evidence, the IARC classified it as "possibly carcinogenic to humans." This news, of course, was very alarming to Diet Coke drinkers.
The JEFCA reaffirmed the established acceptable daily intake (ADI) of aspartame to be up to 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. For example, if a 12-ounce can of soda contains around 200 mg of aspartame, and a person weighs 70 kilograms (154 pounds), the ADI would be 2800 milligrams of aspartame per day—or 14 cans of soda.
While the FDA opposes the the IARC's classification, they have a similar ADI of 50 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram of body weight (about 75 packets of Equal). That amount per day is approved to be "safe for the general population when made under good manufacturing practices and used under the approved conditions of use."
But if you have a genetic disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU), the FDA said that aspartame should be avoided entirely or restricted.
What About Other Ingredients In Diet Coke?
Aside from aspartame, Manaker said that the phosphoric acid in Diet Coke could cause problems like dental erosion and calcium depletion, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis. She also said that regular drinkers might experience yellow or brown stains on their teeth.
And then, of course, there's the caffeine. Each can of Diet Coke contains 46 milligrams of caffeine. The FDA says that 400 mg of caffeine per day is "an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects." That translates to about four or five cups of coffee, and over eight Diet Cokes' worth of caffeine. But would we or a nutritionist say that drinking eight cans a day is healthy for most people? Probably not.
So, How Bad Is It to Drink a Diet Coke Every Day?
"That answer depends on many factors, like their health status and what else they are eating and drinking," said Manaker. If you're drinking a lot of Diet Coke every day because of its sweet taste, Manaker suggests exploring alternatives without potentially negative health effects, like seltzer.
"For a generally healthy person who consumes a balanced and healthy diet and leans on water for the majority of their hydration needs, a Diet Coke every day is unlikely to cause detrimental health effects, although people should consult with their healthcare provider to get personalized advice," she said.
Yes, drinking many cans of soda might not be the most nutritious, but at the end of the day, nothing is. Will I still be indulging in a Diet Coke every now and then? Absolutely.
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