Is Drinking Diet Soda a Health Risk? Say It Isn't So!

Just when we thought diet news couldn't get worse, now researchers are saying that even diet sodas can be bad for our health. Is nothing sacred?

According to a new study, drinking as little as one can of soda a day -- either regular or diet -- increases the risk of metabolic syndrome by 48% Metabolic syndrome is a key predecessor of heart disease and diabetes and includes excessive abdominal fat, high blood-glucose levels, high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides and low levels of high-density lipoprotein, the "good" cholesterol.

Previously only regular soda was thought to contribute to heart disease and diabetes. This is the first study to implicate diet soda. Researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine who conducted the study had no idea why diet soda would pose the same risk as regular, sugared soda.

Study leader Dr. Ramachandran Vasan said it is unlikely that an ingredient in diet soda is to blame. He suggested that the consumption of sweet sodas may change dietary patterns or may be simply indicate general poor eating habits.

Naturally, the soda industry was incensed by the new findings. Susan Neely, president of the American Beverage Associations, said, "...it is scientifically implausible to suggest that diet soft drinks -- a beverage that is 99 percent water -- cause weight gain or elevated blood pressure."

Just to be safe, guess I'll start stocking up on green tea.