Reader Question: How Bad is Diet Coke?

Can you drink water instead of Diet Coke?

Are you a diet soda drinker?  If so, you’re not alone.  A North Memorial Healthy Weight Loss reader recently asked the following question:

I drink water, but I also drink 24 ounces per day of diet soda.  How bad is Diet Coke? 

Diet Coke is one of the most popular diet drinks available.  Many people drink it even though they are not on a diet.  So, what are the pros and cons of drinking the soft drink?

Drinking Diet Coke: Pros

If you are trying to lose weight, drinking diet soda is a better choice than full calorie soda and flavored drinks.  For many people, it provides a satisfying treat during the day and doesn’t add any calories to their total caloric intake.

Drinking Diet Coke: Cons

The downside to drinking Diet Coke can include financial factors as well as nutritional factors.  Many people don’t realize that the cost of drinking soda every day can add up to hundreds of dollars every year.

But there are nutritional considerations as well.  Some studies have found that dieters tend to make poor food choices when they drink soda instead of water.  Another consideration is that soda consumption often displaces water consumption.  That means when that we drink diet soda, we often don’t drink enough water, which we need to stay healthy and hydrated.

And lastly, the caffeine in Diet Coke may affect your ability to sleep at night.  A good night’s sleep is important for good health and may even improve your ability to lose weight.

So, is drinking Diet Coke bad for you?  As with many decisions, there are pros and cons.  My advice is to keep your consumption limited and see if you can make your own flavored water to drink instead of diet soda to satisfy your craving for taste.

Do you have a question about diet, exercise or weight loss?  Post it in the comments section below, or find us on Facebook and post it there.  Then, stay tuned for your answer!


One thought on “Reader Question: How Bad is Diet Coke?


Leave a Reply


You are commenting using your account. Log Out /  Change )

Google photo


Twitter picture


Facebook photo


Connecting to %s