Despite cans touting "zero calories" on their labels, researchers found that diet soda may in fact be the reason you are packing on the pounds. According to a study at Purdue University, artificial sweeteners may negatively affect metabolism, thus disrupting how the body processes regular sugars.
The study, published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, states, "accumulating evidence suggests that frequent consumers of these sugar substitutes may also be at increased risk of excessive weight gain, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease." In essence, the research found that drinking diet soda leads to an outcome that is exactly what drinkers are trying to avoid by choosing the diet version.
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Susie Swithers, author of the study, professor of psychological sciences, and a behavioral neuroscientist, posed this question to USA Today, "Are diet sodas worse for you than regular sodas? I think that's the wrong question. It's, 'What good are sodas for you in the first place?'"
The American Beverage Association emailed a statement to USA Today: "This is an opinion piece, not a scientific study. Low-calorie sweeteners are some of the most studied and reviewed ingredients in the food supply today. They are a safe and an effective tool in weight loss and weight management, according to decades of scientific research and regulatory agencies around the globe."
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In her research, Swithers says she found that rats that consumed artificial sweeteners overate. "The take-home message is for people to be much mindful of how much sweetener, whether artificial or sugar, they're actually consuming," Swithers told USA Today.
Are you now more concerned about drinking diet soda?
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