LogFAQs > #986936200

pedro45 posted...

I've never heard anyone besides marketing companies say diet or zero sugar is actually a healthy alternative.

The lack of sugar automatically makes them healthier than normal sodas, because diabetes is a thing. And 0 calories means it's not going to contribute to you getting fatter if you're drinking way too much soda in a day.

The real question is whether or not the artificial sweeteners themselves add entirely new risks. Most studies seem to suggest they don't (unless you have phenylketonuria and we're talking about aspartame), but paranoid people are always going to be afraid of any chemical name longer than 6-7 letters or so.

You could argue that they're not healthier than just drinking water, but that's an entirely different argument. And one that rarely holds much water (no pun intended), because most of the people drinking soda aren't going to switch. They're drinking for the flavor, not the hydration.