From diet saviour to saboteur…the truth about Diet Coke (and how it could be BAD for your health)

IT gives you all the pleasure of Coke, with none of the calories.

When Diet Coke hit the shelves 35 years ago, it quickly became the world's most popular low-calorie drink.

It's true, the refreshing drink does contain just ONE calorie, making it a much better alternative than it "full-fat" cousin Coke, that packs a fattening 139 calories per 330ml can.

And when it comes to sugar levels, there's no comparison either.

Diet Coke has none...nada, while one can of regular Coke adds a whopping 35g of sugar - that's around seven teaspoons - to your daily diet.

But, in recent years, the scientific microscope has firmly focused on sugar and links with obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

And amid the concern over sugar, sweeteners haven't escaped scot-free.

A growing body of scientific evidence is causing alarm bells to begin to ring among the Diet Coke-drinking faithful.

But what is the truth?

Here we speak to a nutritionist, and examine the science behind the warnings.

Happy 35th Birthday!

Diet Coke first hit the shelves in the US in 1982, and a year later made its way across the Atlantic to Europe.

It was the first product since the original Coca-Cola, unveiled in 1886, to include the trademarked name.

Within just a few years, by 1986 Diet Coke was crowned the world's top low-calorie drink.

Two decades later, and between 2001 and 2006 came a flurry of Diet Coke varieties, from vanilla, to lime and cherry vanilla.

These low-calorie brands account for a staggering 43 per cent of all Coca-Cola's sales - no doubt then that the tipples are hitting the mark.

There's no doubt the infamous marketing ploy introduced in 1994 to use hot men to advertise the drink helped boost sales even more!

The first hunky advert was so successful that there have been three more that have followed, the most recent hitting our screens in 2013 and starring actor Andrew Cooper.

So while Diet Coke is arguably better if you're calorie counting, and is no doubt better for your teeth than regular Coke, how does it fair against other drinks for dieters?

WHAT OUR NUTRITIONIST SAYS...

The biggest concern experts have when it comes to Diet Coke - and all other diet drinks for that matter - is the artificial sweeteners used to make them taste great.

Several studies have linked these sweeteners to an increased risk of diabetes, heart attack, stroke, weight gain and even difficulty getting pregnant.

Amanda Ursell, The Sun's nutritionist, said while the studies warning against artificial sweeteners should be taken seriously, the ingredient is still approved by the European Food Standards Agency which means it is safe for consumption.

And if you really must have a fizzy drink, diet is always going to be better than a full-sugar alternative.

She said: "At the moment the perceived wisdom from Public Health England is that it is better for people to swap from sugary drinks to diet drinks because of the impact of the sugar.

"There is tooth decay, which is rampant in teenagers, and then there's the fact that many, many teenagers in this country are overweight and majority of their sugar is coming from sugary drinks.

But Diet Coke, as with anything else, you should drink in moderation

Amanda UrsellThe Sun's nutritionist

"My bottom line is, if you have a a choice between a drink that has eight or nine teaspoons of sugar or one that hasn't, I would go for the one that hasn't even if it is Diet Coke.

"On the basis of the science that is available at this time if you gave me a choice between Coke and Diet Coke I would chose Diet Coke."

But that doesn't give you free rein to drink as much as you like, Amanda warned.

She added: "One sugary drink puts you over the recommended dietary intake 30g of sugar and around teenage health that is a major problem.

"But Diet Coke, as with anything else, you should drink in moderation."

WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS...

1. Obesity

You'd be forgiven for thinking Diet Coke is a healthier option, given it does contain the word 'diet' in the name.

But, several studies in recent years have warned that the perception it is healthier could be wrong.

Diet Coke, like many other diet drinks, contains high levels of artificial sweeteners, which are not immune to controversy.

Experts from Imperial College London's School of Public Health warned diet drinks may even CAUSE weight gain.

That's because they stimulate people's sweet tooth and cause them to eat more.

Another theory is that artificial sweeteners, used to give Diet Coke it's sweet taste, alter the gut's bugs and make it harder for our bodies to process sugar - which means we store it as fat.

The research, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, reviewed more than a dozen studies looking at diet beverages and weight loss.

FIZZY FACTS There IS a difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero Sugar - and it's a chemical you've probably never heard of

It concluded they are no more helpful at helping people stay slim than sugary versions and that instead of switching to diet drinks, adults should drink water.

On the subject of weight gain, another study claimed that those who drink diet drinks tend to eat more during the day because they are tricked into thinking they are entitled to more calories.

That's a slippery slope to go down.

2. Diabetes

Diet Coke has also been linked to an increased risk of diabetes - that's even though it has NO sugar in at all.

Experts warned that just a couple of glasses of any fizzy drink a day, including diet varieties – such as Diet Coke – more than doubles their risk of the disease.

One theory is sweetened beverages can affect how the body uses insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that control the amount of sugar in your blood.

When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it's broken down to produce energy.

People with diabetes are unable to break down glucose into energy.

So if diet drinks affect how insulin works in the body, it could put you are greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

3. Infertility

And if you think the bad news ends here, think again.

Diet drinks have even been linked to a reduced risk of becoming pregnant for women undergoing IVF.

Again, this is down to artificial sweeteners.

Those who sip on low-calorie pop or put sweeteners in coffee produced poorer eggs and embryos, a Brazilian study found.

4. Heart attack and stroke

It even increases your risk of heart attack and stroke - so much for it being a health alternative to full fat Coke!

A study from the University of Miami asked more than 2,000 people 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.

And in April 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.

The Sun Online has contacted Coca-Cola for comment.

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