What’s better for you, sugar-laden Coca Cola or Diet Coke? We review the science and find they’re both AS bad as each other
IT'S no state secret, regularly downing a full-fat Coke is not the healthiest of life choices.
Armed with the info, chances are you will save a Coca Cola for treat day and opt for the diet stuff day-to-day.
But when it comes to potential health complications both full-sugar and diet versions of most fizzy drinks come with a helping of risks, according to the science.
And that's why health experts and dietitians recommend drinking plenty of water to quench your thirst, reserving a can of pop for the odd day when you deserve a little something naughty.
Countless studies have examined the health pros and cons of sugary and diet versions.
Researchers digging into the full-sugar varieties have found links with decreased brain function and memory, increased risk of diabetes and heart attack.
While their colleagues focusing on the diet alternatives have, perhaps more surprisingly, found similar concerns.
Diet fizzy drinks, which are artificially sweetened, have been linked to increased risk of heart attack and even excessive weight gain.
And most recently a US team found that those who drink just one can of diet pop a day - such as Diet Coke - were at three times the risk of suffering a stroke as well as developing dementia.
But if this isn't enough to make you put down the pop for good, here is a run down of Coca Cola versus Diet Coke, according to the scientific findings.
COCA COLA
In a standard 330ml can of regular "full-fat" Coke, there are 35g of sugar, which is around seven teaspoons.
To put that into perspective, that is the recommended daily intake of sugar for an adult in just one can.
The sugar that is taken into our body gets converted into fat and sits snugly on our waistlines if it is not burned off by adequate activity.
That alone should be enough to cause concern.
Obesity greatly increases your risk of potentially life-threatening conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some types of caner and stroke, according to the NHS.
But it is not just an expanding tummy you need to look out for.
A 2002 study published in the journal Neuroscience found that high levels of refined sugar, such as those found in Coke, actually deprived the brain of a chemical necessary for learning and memory.
Rats who were kept on a diet packed with sugary drinks showed a decreased ability in their hippocampus - part of the brain that controls memory and learning - after several months.
Another study, conducted in 2012, found just one can of fizzy drink increased the risk of heart attack by 20 per cent compared to those who drank no soda.
The study, published in the journal Circulation, looked at the drinks intake of more than 42,000 men and discovered there were almost 4,000 cases of heart disease over a 22-year period in men who drank more soda.
The researchers attributed this to an adverse change in fat in the body and inflammation caused by the drink, both of which can damage the heart.
Still need convincing?
In 2015 an infographic, based on research by health writer Wade Meredith, was released explaining how Coke contains so much sugar your body should vomit but the phosphoric acid cuts the flavour and helps keep it down.
Within 40 minutes of gulping the drink your blood sugar has spiked, your pupils have dilated, your blood pressure rises and your body produces more of the happy chemical dopamine, which is the same way heroin works on your system.
DIET COKE
You'd be forgiven for reaching for a cold can of Diet Coke thinking it is a healthier option, the clue is the name or so you thought.
But all may not be as it seems.
Diet Coke, like many other diet drinks, contains high levels of artificial sweeteners, which are not immune to controversy.
Diet Coke, specifically, contains aspartame.
Earlier this year a study claimed there was no evidence artificially-sweetened beverages such as Diet Coke are better for staying trim or slimming than sugar-filled versions.
They said diet drinks do not cut the risk of developing obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
Experts warn they may even cause weight gain, by stimulating people’s sweet tooth and causing them to eat more.
Sugar vs Aspartme
Sugar
Sugar is a natural ingredient that is cultivated from sugar cane.
They are carbohydrates that provide energy for the body and its most common form is glucose.
Some are also found naturally in foods like fruit, vegetables and milk.
The body does not distinguish between the different types of sugar and breaks them down in exactly the same way.
But just because it is naturally occurring doesn't mean it is without health risks.
Too much sugar can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Aspartme
Aspartme is an artificial sweetener used instead of sugar to make food taste sweeter.
It is low in calories and up to 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Aspartame is used all over the world as a sugar substitute in thousands of foods and drinks, including cereals, sugar-free chewing gum, low-calorie soft drinks and table-top sweeteners, according to the NHS.
But it has been subject to more scare stories than any other sweetener.
There have been reports it is linked to an increased chance of brain tumours, cancer, premature birth, liver damage and allergies.
However the European Food Safety Authority conducted a comprehensive review into the evidence in 2013 and concluded it was safe for human consumption.
Another theory is that sweeteners alter gut bugs, making it harder for the body to use sugar.
Artificial sweeteners have also been linked to increased levels of hunger by tricking the brain into thinking it is getting a sugary, high-calorie treat.
Speaking of weight gain, there is even a theory that those who drink diet drinks eat more during the day because they think they are entitled to more calories.
It has also been linked to an increased risk of diabetes - that's without the excess sugar in normal coke.
Experts warned that just a couple of glasses of sugary or diet pop – such as Diet Coke – a day more than doubles their risk of the disease.
One theory is sweetened beverages can affect how the body uses insulin.
Even more worrying is the effect it is thought to have on those trying for a baby.
Diet drinks may reduce a woman's chance of getting pregnant during IVF and it is all to do with the artificial sweeteners in the beverages.
Those who supped low-calorie pop or put sweeteners in coffee produced poorer eggs and embryos, a Brazilian study found.
The study concluded: “Patients should be advised about the adverse effect of sugar and mainly artificial sweeteners on the success of assisted reproduction.”
More on Diet Coke
And that isn't all!
A study from the University of Miami linked diet drinks to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke - results that have been similar in studies on full fat soft drinks - suggesting that diet drinks are in fact no better for us.
More than 2,000 people were asked to keep a diary of what they ate and drank for the study, which found those who drank diet soda were 48 per cent more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
Yesterday a US study revealed those who drank one can of diet soda a day were at three times the risk of a stroke and also likely to develop dementia.
The team from Boston University School of Medicine looked at ten years’ worth of data from more than 4,300 people.
So which do you think is better for you?
Based on the evidence above, it is fair to say that neither option is a good option.
The popular drinks have both been linked to increased risks of obesity which can lead to type two diabetes, some cancers, heart attack and stroke.
Separately they have also been linked to a greater risk of heart attack and stroke without obesity being factored in.
So, if you want to be health conscious next time you're feeling parched your best option is a glass of water.
As tempting as a cold can of coke might be, it just doesn't seem worth it for your health.
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