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The Daily Insight

Does diet soda give you a belly

Author

Andrew Campbell

Published Mar 22, 2026

A potential culprit for that protruding belly can be diet soda or beverages with artificial sweeteners. One recent study shows a link between the high consumption of diet drinks and the increase of belly fat in older adults.

What does diet Coke do to stomach?

Drinking excessive amounts of diet soda can sometimes affect the lining of the stomach. “Over time, it can get irritated from the carbonation,” Valdez says. Heavy soda drinkers frequently develop indigestion, bloating and heartburn. Plus, carbonated drinks are a known trigger of acid reflux.

Does diet soda still make you gain weight?

Experimental studies do not support the claim that diet soda causes weight gain. In fact, these studies have found that replacing sugar-sweetened drinks with diet soda can result in weight loss ( 18 , 19 ).

What happens if you drink diet soda everyday?

A growing body of evidence suggests that diet soda consumption correlates with an increased risk of a wide range of medical conditions, notably: heart conditions, such as heart attack and high blood pressure. metabolic issues, including diabetes and obesity. brain conditions, such as dementia and stroke.

Can I lose weight if I stop drinking diet Coke?

But you might lose more weight giving it up. A recent study found that older adults who drank diet soda continued to pack on belly fat. Research also found that each daily diet soda increases your chance of becoming obese in the next decade by 65%.

What are the side effects of diet soda?

  • Could disrupt gut health. …
  • Erodes tooth enamel. …
  • May cause headaches. …
  • Could decrease bone density. …
  • May affect heart health. …
  • Might be associated with sugar cravings. …
  • Might be related to weight gain. …
  • May be linked to type 2 diabetes.

How many diet sodas a day is safe?

But, like many foods containing artificial additives, there is a safe daily limit. An average adult should consume no more than 40 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram of body weight per day. To exceed the limit, most people would need to drink at least 14 cans of diet drinks a day.

Is it bad to drink 2 liters of diet soda a day?

Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn‘t likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals currently used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there’s no credible evidence that these ingredients cause cancer.

Can you gain weight drinking Coke Zero?

No. Coke Zero Sugar is a zero-sugar, zero-calorie cola. Sugar alternatives are used in place of sugar in many foods and drinks to provide people with a reduced, low, or no sugar and calorie option.

How can I lose my stomach fat?
  1. Eat plenty of soluble fiber. …
  2. Avoid foods that contain trans fats. …
  3. Don’t drink too much alcohol. …
  4. Eat a high protein diet. …
  5. Reduce your stress levels. …
  6. Don’t eat a lot of sugary foods. …
  7. Do aerobic exercise (cardio) …
  8. Cut back on carbs — especially refined carbs.
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What happens when you only drink water?

What are the risks of a water diet? When your main (or only) intake is water, your body loses crucial nutrients it needs. The short-term result is that you will lose a lot of weight, most of which will be water not fat, says Upton.

What happens when you quit drinking diet soda cold turkey?

Several negative side effects are associated with soda dependency, and they can manifest themselves when you aren’t able to access any soda or have chosen to quit — especially if you quit cold turkey. Withdrawal symptoms include irritability, fatigue, headaches, and even feelings of depression ( 21 , 22 ).

What can I drink instead of diet soda?

  • Arnold Palmer Lite. …
  • Tea – iced or hot. …
  • Freshly-squeezed lemonade. …
  • Sparkling water. …
  • Kombucha. …
  • Sparkling water with a splash of juice. …
  • Maple water. …
  • Fruit and herb infusions.

What does aspartame do to the body?

Dozens of studies have linked aspartame — the world’s most widely used artificial sweetener — to serious health problems, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, seizures, stroke and dementia, as well as negative effects such as intestinal dysbiosis, mood disorders, headaches and migraines.

Which is Better diet Coke or Coke Zero?

There are very few differences between Diet Coke and Coke Zero. As such, there is no concrete, measurable reason to suggest that one is superior to the other. Nutritionally, there are no significant differences. Their ingredient and caffeine contents are similar as well, so neither is healthier than the other.

Why is McDonald's Diet Coke so good?

Most fast food joints get their Coca-Cola syrup sent to them in plastic bags (yuck). But McDonald’s is all about the stainless steel containers, which keeps the soda fresher for longer. … They’re intentionally thick AF, which allows for the Diet Coke to hit every one of your taste buds.

Does soda count as water intake?

Yes. Sparkling soft drinks, including reduced and no sugar, no calorie options, contain between 85% and 99% water, which means they can help quench thirst and count towards your recommended daily fluid intake.

What causes belly pouch?

There are many reasons why people gain belly fat, including poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. Improving nutrition, increasing activity, and making other lifestyle changes can all help. Belly fat refers to fat around the abdomen.

How can I reduce my tummy in 7 days?

  1. Include aerobic exercises in your daily routine. …
  2. Reduce refined carbs. …
  3. Add fatty fish to your diet. …
  4. Start the day with a high protein breakfast. …
  5. Drink enough water. …
  6. Reduce your salt intake. …
  7. Consume soluble fiber.

How long does it take to lose belly?

You have to burn about 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound. This is because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound of fat. To lose 1 pound a week, you have to eliminate 500 calories from your diet every day. At that pace, you could lose about 4 pounds in a month.

How much water should you drink a day to lose belly fat?

Health experts suggest drinking about eight glasses of water (about 2 liters) per day but it can differ with every individual. If you are a gym regular and sweating out during workouts, your body would require more water.

What happens if you only eat one meal a day?

Eating one meal a day can increase your blood pressure and cholesterol . This occurred in a group of healthy adults who switched to one meal a day to participate in a study. If you already have concerns in either area, eating just once a day might not be safe. Eating one meal late can cause your blood sugar to spike.

How long does it take the body to detox from soda?

Six hours after caffeine is consumed, half of it is still in your body. It can take up to 10 hours to completely clear caffeine from your bloodstream.

Will I lose weight if I stop drinking soda?

If you regularly consume one 12 oz. can per day, you will be cutting 150 calories from your diet once you stop drinking soda. A pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories, which means you can lose a pound every three and a half weeks by cutting out sodas.

Does aspartame make you fat?

Some research indicates that even acceptable daily intakes of aspartame, as regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), might make you hungrier and lead to weight gain.

What is the healthiest drink besides water?

  1. Green tea. …
  2. Mint tea. …
  3. Black coffee. …
  4. Fat-free milk. …
  5. Soy milk or almond milk. …
  6. Hot chocolate. …
  7. Orange or lemon juice. …
  8. Homemade smoothies.

Is Gatorade better for you than soda?

A 20-ounce serving of Gatorade’s Thirst Quencher contains 36 grams of sugar. While that’s a bit less sugar per ounce than your average soda, it’s not exactly healthy. In fact, Berkeley researchers say the sugar in sports drinks may be contributing to the child obesity epidemic by increasing caloric intake.

What's the healthiest soft drink?

1. Water. Hydrating, inexpensive and sugar-free: water is the best choice for drinking over the day. If you want to give it some flavour without adding sugar, try adding ice cubes and fresh mint or strips of cucumber.

Is aspartame made from poop?

coli feces used. The European patent for aspartame is now available online, and it confirms the artificial sweetener is made from the waste products of genetically modified E. coli bacteria.

Can aspartame hurt your stomach?

Gastrointestinal Symptoms. People often experience an upset stomach, diarrhea (possibly bloody), abdominal pain and painful swallowing when using aspartame as a sweetener. Skin and Allergies. Hives and intense itching, lip or mouth swelling and worsening of asthma all can occur due to aspartame.

Is aspartame worse than sugar?

Effects on body weight Aspartame contains 4 calories per gram (g), which is a similar amount to sugar, but aspartame is around 200 times sweeter than sugar. This means that only a tiny amount of aspartame is necessary to sweeten foods and drinks. For this reason, people often use it in weight loss diets.