No Sugar Drinks: The Truth About Zero Calorie Beverages

Zero calorie. Zero sugar. Diet drinks. They sound perfect for anyone trying to cut sugar from their diet.

But are they actually healthy?

Let me be clear upfront. I am not here to bash these drinks or tell you they are terrible for you. They are in my home. I drink them. And I am willing to bet that you do too.

My goal is to educate you about what actually gets put in these drinks and how they affect your body in both positive and negative ways.

What Are Artificial Sweeteners?

Food companies are smart. They realize that if they take away the sugar from a drink it will not be as appealing to those of us who like drinking something sweet.

To make up for the loss of sugar companies add artificial sweeteners to their products.

Some common ones you might recognize:

Sucralose - Also known as Splenda

Saccharin - Also known as Sweet N Low

Aspartame - Found in many diet sodas

Stevia - A natural alternative

Here is the crazy part. Some of these sweeteners have up to 37000 times the sweetness of regular sugar.

The Hidden Label Problem

What is frustrating is that the FDA does not require companies to put the amounts of these products on labels.

The bottles will say "zero sugar" which is technically true. But if you read the list of ingredients you will often see sucralose or sorbitol hidden in there.

Here is an example. A popular sparkling water brand says:

Sounds healthy right? But when you look at the ingredients list you see sucralose. The drink is sweet because of artificial sweeteners not because it is "natural."

Positive Effects On Your Body

Better For Your Teeth

One really nice benefit of artificial sweeteners is that bacteria in your mouth cannot feed off them.

This is especially true for sorbitol which you will often see in sugar-free gum. It gives gum that sweet taste while decreasing the risk of cavities.

However keep in mind that many artificially sweetened drinks are carbonated. The acid can still wear down your enamel even without sugar.

So artificial sweeteners are better for teeth than sugar but not as good as water.

Negative Effects On Your Body

Gut Health Issues

Artificial sweeteners have a direct impact on the healthy bacteria living in your gut. They actually change the whole composition of bacteria throughout your digestive system.

This can cause symptoms like:

Bloating - Many people report increased bloating.

Flatulence - Gas is a common complaint.

Diarrhea - Some sweeteners are known to cause digestive issues.

For anyone with underlying GI issues like inflammatory bowel disease or gluten sensitivity artificial sweeteners can aggravate all of your symptoms.

Other Known Negative Effects

Alcohol intoxication - Artificial sweeteners quicken how fast you get drunk. Combining zero calorie drinks with alcohol is not recommended.

Migraines - Some people experience headaches. If you have been having migraines these drinks might be a trigger.

Heart health concerns - Some studies have shown that artificial sweeteners may be associated with higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. More research is needed but it is concerning.

Do They Actually Help You Lose Weight?

This is the big question everyone wants answered.

The honest answer is we do not know for sure.

Studies show mixed results. Some show people losing weight. Some show weight unchanged. Some show people actually gaining weight.

My overall impression is that zero sugar drinks seem healthier than sugary drinks. But they are definitely not as good as drinking water or other non-sweetened beverages.

The Best No Sugar Drink Options

If you want to cut sugar from your drinks here are the truly healthy options:

Water - Still the best choice. Add lemon or cucumber for flavor.

Sparkling water - Plain sparkling water without sweeteners is fine.

Unsweetened tea - Green tea, black tea, herbal tea.

Black coffee - No sugar or sweetened creamers.

Infused water - Add fruits or herbs for natural flavor without sugar.

Try our [Cucumber Mint Water](/food/cucumber-mint-water) or [Turmeric Golden Milk](/food/turmeric-golden-milk) for delicious sugar-free drink options.

Who Should Use Zero Sugar Drinks?

Zero sugar drinks can be a good choice for people in certain situations.

If you are used to drinking large amounts of sugary drinks this is a great alternative to help wean off sugar.

If you occasionally want something sweet having a diet drink once in a while is not going to hurt you.

But if you are trying to make the absolute healthiest choices I would stay away from these drinks altogether.

The Bottom Line

As long as the FDA lets companies freely advertise these drinks as zero calorie zero sugar and a healthy option you have to do your due diligence.

Look at the food labels. Recognize if they have added artificial sweeteners.

These products are far from being the worst thing you can drink. But there are hidden products and hidden sweeteners that can have impacts on your health.

The best drink for your health is still plain water. Everything else is a compromise.

Track What You Drink

The Sukali app is not just for food. You can also scan your drinks to see exactly what is in them.

Many drinks marketed as healthy contain hidden sugars or artificial sweeteners. When you can see exactly what you are consuming making healthy choices becomes simple.

Download Sukali and start tracking today.