The Shocking Truth About Diet Sodas: Stay Away from These Unhealthy Beverages!

Many people are determined to lose weight and stay fit, but they still can’t resist drinking soda. This is why many soda manufacturers have created so-called “low-calorie” drinks to cater to health enthusiasts.

But before you become enticed to purchase these types of soda, here’s one thing you should do: check the label.

You might be surprised that instead of sugar, there are other more damaging ingredients added to the drink, like high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and artificial sweeteners.

Take Pepsi Next, for example: Its advertising claims that it has 60 percent less sugar, and that it offers the same taste but fewer calories.

However, a closer look at its ingredients reveals that it contains not only four teaspoons of high fructose corn syrup, but also the artificial sweeteners sucralose, acesulfame potassium, and aspartame – all of which can severely damage your health.

Artificial Sweeteners Should NOT Be in Your Diet!

Many health experts are now recommending artificial sweeteners to people who want to cut back their fructose intake, claiming that these sweeteners are a “practical and healthful” alternative to sugar.

But many emerging studies claim that artificial sweeteners may not be as beneficial as they seem. According to research, artificial sweeteners can:

• Increase your carb cravings
• Stimulate your appetite
• Promote fat storage and weight gain. In fact, Pepsi Next and other diet sodas, which are the most well-known source of artificial sweeteners, may actually double your risk of obesity!

In addition, the artificial sweetener aspartame – more popularly called Equal or NutraSweet in the market – is found to be carcinogenic.

It also causes more adverse reactions than other foods and food additives combined. Some of the adverse effects linked to aspartame include:

• Headaches and migraines
• Muscle spasms
• Tachycardia or heart palpitations
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Insomnia
• Seizures
• Vision problems
• Tinnitus and hearing loss
• Memory loss
• Fatigue
• Breathing difficulties
• Joint pain

On the other hand, the artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium or acesulfame-K has been associated with kidney problems, while sucralose, also known as Splenda, is said to affect and destroy your healthy gut flora.

All these facts clearly show why artificial sweeteners are damaging to your health.

Don’t Despair – There Are Other Healthy Sugar Alternatives You Can Try

It is a good idea to lower your fructose consumption to ensure that you stay optimally healthy. However, consuming diet soda and other processed foods that contain artificial sweeteners is not the answer.

The good news is that there are safe sugar fructose alternatives and you can try. Stevia is one good option. Stevia is a very sweet herb that comes from the leaf of the South American stevia plant.

When in its natural form, stevia is very safe – just a small amount can sweeten your food or drink.

However, make sure you stick to the real stevia and not the stevia-based sweeteners like PureVia and Truvia – these are highly processed and only contain the active ingredient in the stevia plant.

If ingested in excessive amounts, they may have unforeseen biochemical ramifications.

Another sweetener you should try is Lo han or luo han guo, a sweet African herb. Compared to stevia, though, it is more expensive and harder to find.

Pure glucose (dextrose) is also a safe alternative you can try. You can buy it for a dollar per pound. Pure glucose can be directly utilized by every cell in your body, and is far safer than fructose.

Keep in mind that even if these natural sweeteners are safe, you must still consume them in moderation.

If you have health problems like high cholesterol, diabetes, and insulin issues, you must consult your physician before using these sweeteners.

Don’t be fooled by diet sodas, sports drinks, and other foods and drinks that contain chemical additives. They will only wreak havoc on your health.

If you want a little sweetness in your life while staying fit, try these natural sweeteners instead.