Drinks like Diet Coke don’t help you lose weight – and could actually INCREASE risk of heart disease, WHO warns
BEVERAGES with sweeteners like Diet Coke won’t help you lose weight, experts warn.
The World Health Organization today published guidelines advising against consuming artificially sweetened beverages if you want to lose pounds.
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Chemicals in the drinks could also increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to the international agency.
Francesco Branca of the WHO said: “Replacing free sugar with sugar-free sweeteners does not contribute to weight control in the long term.”
“People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugar intake, such as eating foods with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened foods and drinks.
“Sugar-free sweeteners are not essential nutritional factors and have no nutritional value.
“People should eliminate sweetness from their diets early in life to improve their health.”
WHO researchers examined data from 283 studies conducted in adults, children, pregnant women or mixed populations.
In the short-term, sweeteners like aspartame and stevia result in only modest weight loss “when their use results in a reduction in overall energy intake,” it said.
However, the WHO also said that long-term use could lead to “undesirable effects” such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death.
The authors said further research is needed.
dr Aston University’s Duane Mellor said, “Sugar-free sweeteners don’t always create the energy deficit that one might expect for weight management.”
“However, it’s probably best not to stick with sugar to avoid sweeteners – the answer is to try to reduce sugar intake.
“For some, using small amounts of sweeteners in foods and beverages could be a way to reduce sugar intake overall.
“Sweeteners can still serve as a transition or stepping stone to help people reduce their sugar intake.”
This comes after an expert broke down every minute what happens to your body when you drink a Diet Coke.
In the first ten minutes, the drink’s acidity can attack your teeth — and after 60 minutes, you may be feeling thirstier than before.
A doctor has also discovered why drinking Diet Coke as a mixer helps you get drunk faster than normal.
