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| - Last Updated on November 10, 2023 by Neelam Singh
Quick take
A social media post says regular coke is equivalent to cause diabetes and diet coke is equivalent to cause you cancer. We fact checked it and found the claim to be half true.
The claim
The claim is made in the Twitter post about regular Coke causing diabetes and diet Coke causing cancer.
Fact check
What are soft drinks?
Soft drinks are non-alcoholic beverages that typically contain fruit acids, sweetening agents, and natural or artificial flavorings and colorings. In the 19th century, carbonated water, known as soda water, was created to mimic effervescent spa or mineral water. Carbonated water, enriched with carbon dioxide, offers a pleasant, slightly acidic taste and acts as a preservative. Sweetening agents, such as sugars like sucrose and glucose, are commonly used, while artificial sweeteners, although lacking in food value, are sometimes employed due to their heightened sweetness compared to sugars.
How much sugar do soft drinks contain?
Soft drinks can vary in their sugar content depending on the brand and type. Regular soft drinks typically contain a significant amount of sugar, with an average can containing around 39 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to about 9.75 teaspoons. However, it’s important to note that different brands and serving sizes can have varying sugar levels. Additionally, diet or sugar-free soft drinks use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar, resulting in lower or negligible sugar content. It’s always recommended to check the nutritional information on the specific soft drink packaging for accurate sugar content.
How sugar drinks are affecting our body?
Soft drinks often contain high levels of sugar and acidity, which have been associated with negative health effects. Each gram of sugar provides 4 calories, but soft drinks offer little nutritional benefit. Studies have shown that consuming sugary and acidic soft drinks can increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental caries, and dental erosion in children and adolescents. Obesity rates have been on the rise globally, with sugar-containing soft drinks being implicated as a major contributor. Overweight and obesity can lead to various health problems, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The incidence of type 2 diabetes has increased alongside the consumption of soft drinks. High consumption of soft drinks is also associated with a poorer overall diet, lower intake of important nutrients like calcium and dietary fibre, and reduced bone mineral density in girls. Energy drinks, with their high caffeine content, are popular but can have adverse effects on health when consumed excessively. Excessive caffeine intake has been linked to anxiety, restlessness, headaches, and other health issues. Prolonged exposure to high caffeine levels can lead to chronic toxicity with severe symptoms.
Dr Utsav Sahu Consultant Physician and Diabetologist says Soft drinks, both regular and diet, can negatively impact the health of individuals with diabetes in a number of ways. Regular soft drinks are high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to spike. Regular soft drinks also contain high fructose corn syrup, a type of sugar that is particularly harmful to people with diabetes. Diet soft drinks, seen as healthier alternatives, contain artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose. There is some evidence that artificial sweeteners can disrupt blood sugar control and increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They also contain phosphoric acid can leach calcium from the bones, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis.
What is diet soda?
Diet soda refers to a type of carbonated beverage that is artificially sweetened and does not contain regular sugar or calories. It is primarily marketed as a low-calorie or zero-calorie alternative to regular soda. The artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas provide sweetness without adding significant calories, making them popular among individuals who are trying to reduce their sugar intake or manage their weight. Diet sodas are available in various flavours and brands, and they are often consumed as a substitute for sugary beverages.
Is there any relation between artificial sweetener and cancer?
The answer is debatable. A study involving 10 articles and over 32,000 samples found that consuming artificial sweeteners is not strongly linked to cancer. The analysis considered different types of cancer, age groups, and gender. Overall, there was no significant association between artificial sweetener use and cancer risk. Subgroup analyses showed no connection to digestive, genitourinary, or gynaecological cancers. For different age groups, both adults and the elderly showed no increased risk. Among women, there was a lower risk of urinary system cancer, but no significant effect was found in men. In conclusion, the study suggests that artificial sweeteners do not significantly increase the risk of cancer.
In 2022, the NutriNet-Santé cohort study found that adults who consumed higher quantities of aspartame had a slightly increased risk of developing cancer overall (1.15 times higher risk), breast cancer (1.22 times higher risk), and obesity-related cancers (1.15 times higher risk) compared to those who did not consume aspartame. Non-sugar sweeteners and cancer: Toxicological and epidemiological evidence:– A paper was published in 2023 where they have concluded that Extensive research has been conducted on artificial sweeteners to investigate their potential harmful effects on genetic material and their ability to cause cancer. However, consistent evidence supporting these claims has not been found. Many previous studies had flaws in their experimental design, leading to unreliable results. Recent studies provide reassuring findings that there is no evidence of genotoxic or carcinogenic effects from artificial sweeteners. This aligns with the conclusions of various regulatory bodies that have evaluated artificial sweetener over the years.
When considering the epidemiological evidence, it can be concluded that there is no consistent association between consuming artificial sweetener and an increased risk of cancer. In some studies, there were indications of potential risks for certain cancers like bladder, pancreas, and hematopoietic cancers, but these findings were not consistently observed in other studies. This suggests that these findings may have been due to chance, multiple testing, or selective reporting of positive results.
The variations in the study results can be attributed to several factors. These include differences in artificial sweetener consumption patterns across different populations and variations in study designs. Additionally, the way exposure to artificial sweetener was assessed likely contributed to the heterogeneity of results. Some studies examined the consumption of any artificial sweetener, while others focused on specific substances. Some studies assessed artificial sweetener consumption over a period of time, while others relied on questionnaires administered at the start of the study with cancer outcomes recorded many years later. The groups used for comparison also differed, such as current users versus non-users, ever use versus never use, or categories based on levels or duration of consumption versus no consumption. Furthermore, some studies provided separate estimates for males and females, while others combined both sexes. All these factors contributed to the apparent differences in study findings.
Based on the toxicological and epidemiological data summarised in this review, there is no consistent evidence to suggest that artificial sweeteners pose a cancer risk.
“The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced that it will review the report from the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the potential carcinogenicity of the artificial sweetener aspartame.”
General Physician Dr Nirmala Rajagopalan informed, “To choose a better beverage, check the ingredients on the can or bottle. Soft drinks have empty calories without nutrition. Excessive consumption is linked to diabetes, obesity, acidity, dental problems, increased cancer risk, and poor gut health. ‘Sugar-free’ or ‘zero sugar’ labels can be misleading as they often contain artificial sweeteners that are equally harmful. Instead, opt for homemade lime juice, iced tea, or whole-food smoothies. Avoid drinks with empty calories that disrupt metabolism.”
Dr Pratyusha Nerella, Senior Consultant Physician and Diabetes & Lifestyle Medicine Specialist said Though there are many ways soft drinks can affect our health, I want to emphasise here about their addiction potential and affect on mental health.
The combination of sugar and caffeine in soft drinks can activate the brain’s reward system. The reward system in the brain involves the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reinforcement of certain behaviours. The brain recognizes this pleasurable sensation and associates it with the consumption of soft drinks.
THIP Media has already factchecked a claim related to artificial sweeteners.
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