Is lemon-lime diet soda healthier than regular soda?
Diet lemon-lime soda has no sugar and no calories, so it is the better pick for cutting sugar, but it is not a health drink. WHO recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners to control body weight or lower disease risk. The healthiest drink is water; diet soda is a lesser evil than regular, not a benefit.
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In this article
Is diet lemon-lime soda healthier than regular?
On sugar and calories, yes. A diet lemon-lime soda such as Sprite Zero Sugar lists 0 calories and 0 g sugar per 12 fl oz can. Regular Sprite lists 140 calories and 38 g of sugar per 12 fl oz can, sweetened with high fructose corn syrup; other brands differ, so check the label. If the choice is only between the two, diet soda avoids the sugar.
What does WHO say about sweeteners?
In 2023 WHO issued a conditional recommendation against using non-sugar sweeteners (such as aspartame, sucralose and stevia) to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases. It applies to everyone except people with pre-existing diabetes. WHO suggests cutting free sugars by eating foods with naturally occurring sugars, such as fruit, or choosing unsweetened foods and drinks, and reducing the sweetness of the diet overall. It is not a safety ruling on any single sweetener.
Regular vs diet at a glance
| Regular | Diet / zero sugar | |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Yes, a lot | None |
| Calories | Yes | None |
| Sweeteners | Sugar or corn syrup | Aspartame and acesulfame potassium (Sprite Zero Sugar) |
| Caffeine | Most lemon-lime sodas have none | Sprite Zero Sugar has none |
What is the catch?
- Teeth: regular soda adds sugar, and the NHS says sugars can damage teeth. Ask a dentist about sipping any soft drink all day.
- Sweet taste: WHO advises reducing the sweetness of the diet overall, which a sweetened diet soda does not do.
- PKU: drinks with aspartame carry a phenylalanine warning for people with phenylketonuria.
What should you drink instead?
Water, sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or lime, or unsweetened tea. If you like lemon-lime flavor, a plain sparkling water with citrus is the closest match without sweeteners. Treat soda of any kind as an occasional drink.
This is general information, not medical advice.
People also ask
Is diet soda better than regular soda?
It has no sugar or calories, so it is better if you are trying to cut sugar. It is still not a health drink, and water is the better everyday choice.
What does WHO say about artificial sweeteners?
WHO conditionally recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners to control weight or reduce disease risk, for everyone except people with pre-existing diabetes.
Does Sprite Zero Sugar have caffeine?
No. Coca-Cola lists Sprite Zero Sugar as caffeine free, with 0 calories and 0 g sugar per 12 fl oz can.
Sources
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