A group of researchers from different nations revealed the truth behind the sugar-free soft drinks hoax. As most people believe that they will become fitter and healthier by consuming beverages labeled as sugar-free rather than the regular sodas, experts discovered that the former type is more dangerous and more capable of causing obesity among consumers.
Artificially-sweetened soft drinks have become popular alternatives to beverages with full-sugar content. Most people are thinking that by cutting off sugar from their drinks they can already trim down their weight. However, researchers from the Imperial College, Brazil and London claimed that there is no solid evidence to support the claim of producing companies that their sugar-free soft drinks can prevent obesity as well as the obesity-related diseases such as diabetes type 2.
As noted by The Guardian, Imperial's School of Public Health's Christopher Millett said in a statement, "A common perception, which may be influenced by industry marketing, is that because 'diet' drinks have no sugar, they must be healthier and aid weight loss when used as a substitute for full sugar versions." He then debunked the idea revealing the truth behind the sugar-free soft drinks hoax saying, "However we found no solid evidence to support this."
Sugar-sweetened beverages can provide many calories but only a few nutrients are actually delivered. Consumption of these drinks caused high case rates of obesity as well as Type 2 diabetes. This then led to the emergence of non-sugar drinks and artificially sweetened beverages. These drinks reportedly have low calorie and energy content, but researchers argue that this is more likely to cause consumers to crave for more food leading to the same illnesses as well as other related health troubles.
As noted by The Independent, Professor and Dietician Tom Sanders of King's College London claimed otherwise saying that the study is based on opinion rather than a review of evidence. "There is no evidence to show that artificial sweeteners cause weight gain as the authors imply," he said.
He has, however, stressed that sugar-free drinks are not healthy either. The sugar-free soft drinks hoax, he said, should not be taken as a part of a healthy diet for losing weight saying, "The conclusion that reduced sugar or sugar free drinks should not be promoted or seen as part of a healthy diet seems unwarranted and likely to add to public confusion."
