Once and for All: Diet Soda or Water - Which Is More Effective for Weight Loss?

A research team investigated whether drinking diet beverages containing artificial sweeteners contributes to weight loss, comparing them to water.

In a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, 240 studies conducted on humans and 90 additional studies on animals were examined. The research explored artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, and stevia. The study did not limit the calorie intake of participants in the diet process, solely incorporating artificial sweeteners. There were studies that compared artificial sweeteners to regular sugar, and others that compared drinks sweetened with artificial sweeteners to water.

The results showed that when artificial sweeteners in the diet were replaced with sugar, children and adults succeeded in losing weight. Additionally, when sweetened drinks were replaced with diet drinks (i.e., artificial sweeteners), and then with water, they lost even more weight. Researchers estimate that artificial sweeteners may not cause an increased feeling of hunger or a strong desire for sugar.

It is important to know that artificial sweeteners have been previously linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. According to research published in the medical journal NATURE, it was found that sucralose, saccharin, and aspartame disrupt blood sugar balance. According to the researchers, the way artificial sweeteners alter sugar balance can lead to diabetes, due to the negative effects that artificial sweeteners have on good bacteria in the gut.

These findings raise suspicions regarding the question of what is more dangerous - consuming diet products containing artificial sweetenersor regular sugar. In relation to dieting,the current research found the answer.