Need a New Year’s Resolution This Year?
Here Are Some Reasons to Consider Giving Up Those Diet Cokes
We figure since Halloween candy starts showing up in stores in August and Christmas trees appear the day after Halloween, why not start making New Year’s resolutions on Black Friday?
Or you can simply send this to a loved one you want to nudge toward a healthier year.
I know what you’re thinking: we can’t have any fun anymore.
As someone who once consumed 6–8 cans of Diet Coke a day, I know exactly how rewarding those cold, fizzy, white cans of artificial elixir can feel. I also know how hard it is to quit what many people jokingly call “fridge cigarettes.”
For years, I’d start my morning with coffee at home and then begin my daily rotation of cold “DCs” at my desk. Pure pleasure, pure enjoyment, and what I thought was pure productivity.
Eventually, even on my days off, I couldn’t start my morning (after coffee!) without a Diet Coke. It felt like something deeper than caffeine.
For me, quitting wasn’t a choice. It happened after a hospitalization and surgery to treat a severe case of diverticulitis, an inflammation of pouches (diverticula) in the colon wall.¹
Did Diet Coke cause it?
We don’t know. But there are studies showing that aspartame alters gut bacteria, which could theoretically influence conditions involving inflammation and gut imbalance.² Good gut bacteria help support colon health and may reduce inflammation, important factors in diverticulitis risk.³
Another consideration: people with diverticulitis often present dehydrated, and if you’re replacing water with Diet Coke all day, you may not be getting enough hydration. Caffeine also has a mild diuretic effect.⁴
NOTE: No major studies have established a direct causal link between diet soda and diverticulitis.
Not-So-Fun Facts
About 1 in 5 Americans drinks at least one diet soda a day. With a U.S. population of ~335 million, that’s roughly 65–70 million people.⁵
Diet Coke makes up about 25% of the diet soda market, meaning around 16–18 million Americans drink Diet Coke every day.⁶
Questions and Misconceptions
Why Do I Feel Addicted to My Diet Cokes?
Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame are far sweeter than sugar and can strongly activate dopamine pathways related to reward and cravings.⁷
Caffeine dependence can also develop, triggering headaches, irritability, and fatigue when you cut back.⁸
I Drink Diet Coke. Why Am I Not Losing Weight?
Artificial sweeteners can confuse appetite signaling, increase cravings, and disrupt insulin and metabolic responses.⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹
Many people also unconsciously compensate by eating more sweets or snacks.¹²
What Health Risks Does Diet Coke Pose?
Heart risks: Artificially sweetened drinks have been linked to higher risk of stroke, heart disease, and hypertension.¹³ ¹⁴
Metabolic syndrome: Daily diet soda intake has been associated with higher risk of abdominal fat, high blood pressure, and other metabolic issues.¹⁵ ¹⁶
Brain concerns: Some research ties diet soda to increased dementia and stroke risk.¹⁷ ¹⁸
Teeth & bones: Diet Coke’s acidity can erode enamel, and cola intake is associated with reduced bone density.¹⁹ ²⁰
Headaches: Caffeine and aspartame may trigger migraines in some people.²¹
Cancer concern: WHO classified aspartame as a “possible carcinogen” in 2023.²²
Summary: Healthier Choices
Given possible risks spanning the heart, brain, metabolism, teeth, and more, experts recommend reducing diet soda intake and choosing healthier alternatives.
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Footnotes / Sources
1. Mayo Clinic – Diverticulitis overview
2. Palmnäs, M. et al., PLOS One (2014)
3. NIH – Gut flora & inflammation
4. Maughan, R., Journal of Human Nutrition (2003)
5. CDC NHANES
6. Statista Market Share Report
7. Yale Journal of Biology & Medicine
8. American Academy of Sleep Medicine
9. Swithers, S., Trends in Endocrinology (2013)
10. Imamura, F., Diabetes Care (2015)
11. Suez, J., Nature (2014)
12. Psychology of Eating Behavior
13. American Heart Association / Stroke Journal
14. Women’s Health Initiative
15. Dhingra, R., Circulation (2007)
16. NIH – Artificial sweeteners & metabolic response
17. Pase, M., Stroke (2017)
18. Yale Rudd Center
19. American Dental Association
20. Tucker, K., AJCN (2006)
21. American Migraine Foundation
22. WHO/IARC Aspartame Classification Report (2023)
