Can it be said that diet soda is 'healthier' than regular soda?

Question

embarrassingly enough, my sister and i have had a heated argument about this. she wants me to admit that 'on a general scale diet soda is healthier' but my argument is that you cant say that one is healthier than the other because they each carry factors that could affect peoples health, so they are both equally unhealthy. Aspartame for example, is said to make you crave carbs, but regular soda is packed with sugar which can lead to weight gain..
i know its pathetic but our biggest arguments are always over the smallest things..its really irritating, and really there is no answer to either side because no one can prove it, there are jsut too many factors and too many ways it affects different people..

Answer 1

It's not pathetic at all! It's a very good question. Given the choice, I would definitely go for regular soda. I know both are terrible and that regular soda has all the HFCS and whatnot, but the strange chemicals listed in Diet Coke's ingredients scare me more. Who knows what the long term effects of ingesting that stuff will be?

Answer 2

Diet soda can be dangerous to your health, but too much sugar is too. Regular soda contains at least 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar. Diet soda makers are trying new substitutes such as Splendor. The reason being is that
Aspartame is now being given poor ratings as they think it causes muscle deterioration, headaches, and also linked to Alzheimer's. This Equal ( aspartame is found in so many foods) it is going to be a very serious problem I am afraid. This is a seriously dangerous alternative to just drinking plain tap water. I would suggest neither soda's are good, but if need be, use the real sugar filled stuff. At least the chemicals won't cause the consequences that they are now saying about chemical sugars. Diet soda would be the worst choice if I were drinking. Also the aluminum cans if allowed t in too high a temp. if filled with aspartame turns to formaldehyde. Read up on it and you will see. This is also been found that high aluminum concentrates are found in Alzheimer's patients This could be from making coffee in those old aluminum pots, and also cooking with aluminum foil. My vote is against diet soda.

Answer 3

Aspartame is not good for you as it can overload the amount of phenylalanine in the brain which is responsible for mental retardation in individuals with low levels of the enzyme that converts this to other neurotransmitters.
In normal people it can also cause cognitive problems but not to the degree of significant mental impairment.

Regular soda is bad as it has this also but more sugar.

Both are bad really except that diet has more of this sweetener (acesulfame k is also similar in function to aspartame).

In terms of calories diet is better but its the side effects that get you.

I would suggest drinking the normal ones as the calories in a soda are very small compared to say a meal. There is lots of sugar in normal fizzy drinks but its quick burn sugar and so if you sip the drink you shouldnt spike in your insulin levels too much.
Guzzling down a diet drink will overload you brain pathways for phenylalanine turn over and lower your iq, temporarily at least. This causes brain cell death as the phenylalanine can cause your brain to overload with glutamate and this is a neurotransmitter produced to induce brain cell death.
But its healthy in small amount, like when you have a healthy moderate proteinatious meal.

Answer 4

Yep, you are right, both are OK as long as you dont everdo it. The explosion of corn sweeteners in our food supply the last generation has caused an exponential increase in juvenile diabetes so anyone saying diet drinks are more unhealthy is only looking at part of the equation. I htink one or two sodas a day isnt going to make much difference, like they say "moderation in all things" Tell your sis you will buy her whatever she wants if she just leaves you alone so you can enjoy some time together.

Answer 5

Aspartame is horrible for you. I doubt we'll ever hear the real effects because it's in so many thing. Both have acid and hard on your teeth and stomach. Regular soda, of course, has more calories. I never drink anything diet. Water is better.

Answer 6

From my understanding diet soda is a little healthier than regular soda, but the stuff in the diet soda's sometimes make you thirstier than you were before so then you go and get another diet soda, and so on thus outweighing the benefits of it

Answer 7

No diet has more sodium and aspartame is rumored to be carcinogenic. You can basically pick your poison sugar or salt. Maybe cancer.
Let's note that our kidneys were made to process water. So if healthy is what you want a no soda rule would be best.

Answer 8

Man health professionals who decry the evils of sugar, insist that artifical sweeteners found in diet soda are even worse because they "trick" the pancreas. Overall I'd say it's a toss-up- both are carbonated, both unhealthy but in different ways.

Answer 9

Diet soda causes a lot of health problems if thats all you drink. The best thing for you to drink is water. Heck I bet in 20 years they'll even be able to can it...lol

Answer 10

Y'all ARE pathetic! Choices of beverages, whether sugared or diet, is purely up to the individual, b/c each person has health needs they need to take into account when choosing a soft drink. What's healthiest for her (diet) may not be healthiest for you (sugared).

You and your sister sound like you'll argue w/ a fence post. Agree to disagree, or realize it's a very personal choice, and find something you can talk about w/o fighting.

Geez.