Sugary-sweet pop, or soda, yields useless, empty calories and zero nutritional value, so many people opt for diet pop instead. While this may seem like a healthier choice, that isn’t the case. Here’s the scoop on your carbonated beverage.

It’s Sweetened With Dangerous Chemicals

Diet soda may not have sugar, but that doesn’t mean what it does have is any better for you. Many consider it worse. Aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose – the artificial sweeteners used in diet pop – have long been associated with a range of health risks, including:

• An increased risk of stroke
• An increased risk of heart attack
• An increased risk of type 2 diabetes
• Increased total cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Depression
• Dehydration
• A possible link to urinary and bladder cancers
• Headaches and migraines when drinking beverages with aspartame, in particular

All sodas, not just the diet versions, have been linked to decreased bone density. For those with a family history of osteoporosis, this could mean more injuries and bone breaks.

Diet Soda Makes You Gain Weight

Compared to conventional soda, diet pop contains aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose, making it sweeter. Two things happen to your body as a result of this extreme sweetness. First, it dulls your taste buds, making natural sugars seem not as sweet as fructose in fruit. And since these artificial sweeteners are hundreds of times stronger than their natural counterparts, they make the body crave more sugar. Those who consume diet soda are more likely to become obese.

Second, it triggers an insulin response, just like sugar, and throws your body into fat storage mode. So while the can may claim to be diet, you can’t believe everything you read.

When it comes to diet pop, be your own health hero and give up the habit.

Partha’s Rx

• If you need a calorie-free drink, opt for water.
• Add slices of fruit to make the water tastier.
• If you must have a soda, treat yourself to a regular pop once in a while.
• Beware when drinking cocktails that are mixed with soda – diet pop may get you drunk quicker.
• When given a choice, opt for real sugar over artificial sweeteners. It’s easier for your body to process.