“Diet Sodas: What Is The Downside ?”
The average American drinks about two cans of soda a day, which serves as their biggest source of dietary calories. So, it seems that the natural alternative would be diet sodas, right? Well, maybe not so fast. Even our youth have doubled their intake of diet sodas over the past few years. Diet sodas are being associated with a 50% increase in stroke risk, according to a study presented early in 2011 at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference. What? Are the food police saying we should not drink Diet Coke? Actually, the studies are too small to draw reliable conclusions. But, remember that these diet drinks contain chemically laboratory-crafted concoctions that trick your brain into perceiving the sensation of “sweet.” Harvard Medical School conducted an 11-year-long study of more than 3,000 women and found that diet cola is associated with a two-fold increased risk of kidney decline. A 2008 University of Minnesota study of nearly 10,000 adults found that just one diet soda a day is linked to a 34% higher risk of metabolic syndrome, which puts you at risk for heart disease. Many studies now indicate that diet sodas are linked to increased belly fat and increased waist size.
