Which of the following statements about diet sodas is accurate?
Ans: After 10 to 20 years, diet soda drinkers have worse health outcomes than regular soda drinkers.
Explanation
Diet soda will contain similar ingredients to its regular counterparts, with the primary exception being that they contain sugar substitutes. In fact, research suggests that diet soda drinkers have an increased likelihood of weight gain and increased waist measurements.
Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn’t likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals currently used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there’s no credible evidence that these ingredients cause cancer.
Diet soda is essentially a mixture of carbonated water, artificial or natural sweeteners, colors, flavors, and other food additives. It usually has very few to no calories and no significant nutrition. For example, one 12-ounce (354-mL) can of Diet Coke contains no calories, sugar, fat, or protein and 40 mg of sodium.
However, not all sodas that use artificial sweeteners are low in calories or sugar-free. Some use sugar and sweetener together. For example, one can of Coca-Cola Life, which contains the natural sweetener stevia, contains 90 calories and 24 grams of sugar.
While recipes differ from brand to brand, some common ingredients in diet soda include:
Carbonated water: While sparkling water can occur in nature, most sodas are made by dissolving carbon dioxide into water under pressure.
Sweetener: These include common artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, or an herbal sweetener like stevia, which are 200–13,000 times sweeter than regular sugar.
Acids: Certain acids, such as citric, malic, and phosphoric acid, are used to add tartness to soda drinks. They’re also linked to tooth enamel erosion.
Colors: The most commonly used colors are carotenoids, anthocyanins, and caramels.
Flavors: Many different kinds of natural juices or artificial flavors are used in diet soda, including fruits, berries, herbs, and cola.
Preservatives: These help diet sodas last longer on the supermarket shelf. A commonly used preservative is potassium benzoate.
Vitamins and minerals: Some diet soft drink manufacturers add vitamins and minerals to market their products as healthier no-calorie alternatives.
Caffeine: Just like regular soda, many diet sodas contain caffeine. A can of Diet Coke contains 46 mg of caffeine, while Diet Pepsi contains 35 mg..
