If it’s a choice between regular and diet soda, you should pick the diet soda every time. No matter how bad for you diet soda is, the alternative is much worse.
But not all diet sodas are created equal.
So what’s the best and worst diet soda for you?
The Absolute Worst: Diet Mountain Dew. It's a cesspool of all of the worst things that go into diet sodas. It has every sweetener imaginable, has way more caffeine, and BVO, which the FDA refers to as “not generally recognized as safe.” It’s been shown to leave residues in your body fat, especially in the brain and liver.
Middle option: Sprite Zero. Most diet sodas contain aspartame, so if you’re looking at a diet soda, look at the amount of aspartame, just as you would with the amount of sugar. Diet and Caffeine-free Coke are the worst culprits, with 125 mg of aspartame per 8 oz, where Sprite Zero, at 50 mg, has the least. Most diet sodas also have that caramel color that’s in Diet Pepsi (see below), as well. And of course, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, look out for that as well.
Best option: Diet Pepsi. Pepsi just removed aspartame from their diet soda, so it’s probably the best choice for diet sodas these days. However, though aspartame is a go-to red flag for a lot of people, it’s possible that Splenda and ace-K, two other artificial sweeteners, are just as bad for you. The caramel coloring used in Diet Pepsi may also be a risk factor, as it can form a cancer-causing agent called 4-MI in the process of making it. Diet Coke with Splenda carries about the same amount of risk.
Of course, if you really want a less harmful carbonated beverage, you can try alternatives like flavored carbonated water, or drinks like Zevia Cola, which is made with stevia and monk fruit. There are so many tasty options that are healthier than soda these days, so don’t settle for all those chemicals.
What kind of diet soda do you drink?
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