For those who are trying to maintain a healthy weight, diet sodas may fool you. The word “diet” doesn’t mean that it is good for you.

According to a registered licensed dietitian named Marissa Puleo:

“Artificial sweeteners found in diet sodas have been found to increase sugar cravings because it’s not a natural source of sugar and the brain continues to seek the real deal. This can lead to increased eating and drinking because your body isn’t satisfied.”

There were other studies showing that diet soda increases a person’s desire for fattening foods and can actually interfere with the natural bacteria in our guts, making us less tolerant of glucose.

Though diet soda has become popular at these present times, several studies have been showing its negative effects on the body.

Dr. Ankur Vyas, a fellow in cardiovascular disease at the University of Iowa Health Care Hospitals and Clinics conducted a study regarding the effects of diet sodas in a person’s cardiovascular health.

According to him:

“This is one of the largest studies on this topic, and our findings are consistent with some previous data, especially those linking diet drinks to the metabolic syndrome.”

For the study, 60,000 postmenopausal women were observed over the course of nine years. For three months, their consumption of fruit drinks and 12-ounce diet soda were tracked. Then, they were divided into four groups: 2 or more drinks a day, 1-4 drinks per week, 5-7 drinks per week, and 0-3 drinks per month. The health records of the participants were examined 8.7 years later.

Dr. Vyas found that:

“People who drank two or more cans of diet soda a day were 30% more likely to have a cardiovascular event (e.g. heart attack) and 50% more likely to die of a heart-related disease than someone who drank none.”

Other Reasons Why You Should Avoid Diet Sodas:

Dangers Of Artificial Sweeteners

Most diet sodas contain sweeteners such as sucralose (Splenda), saccharin, and aspartame, which all cause several health problems such as multiple sclerosis, lupus,, glucose intolerance, tumors, mood disorders, migraines, seizures, and declining mental function.

Weight Gain

Diet soda is one of the worst beverages you can drink because of its high sugar content, making it a contributor to an increased risk of obesity.

Increased The Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

According to a study, drinking one or more servings of sugary soda may increase a woman’s risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis by 63 percent.

Risk of Fatty Liver Disease

Soda contains high-fructose corn syrup, which has several negative health consequences including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Damages The Teeth

Diet sodas increase the risk of cavities due to its acid level and high sugar content.

Accelerates Bone Loss

The phosphate acid in soda is thought to interfere with the absorption of calcium, which can lead to a loss of bone mineral density.

Increases Cancer Risk

Sodas, such as cola, contain caramel coloring which is made with ammonium compounds. During the manufacturing process, sugars, ammonium compounds, and sulfites form 4-methylimidazole and 2-methylimidazole which according to can induce cancer growth including liver and lung cancer.

Risk of Diabetes

Studies have found that one or more servings of sugar-sweetened soft drinks daily increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.