Summary feedback
In our opinion, ‘Diet Coke’ is not a healthy choice and has health implications.
Diet Coke has zero calories, no sugar and no carbohydrates when compared to a regular can of Coca Cola, but there are certain ingredients in Diet Coke which, in our opinion,makes it unsafe for consumption.
Diet Coke contains artificial sweeteners like Aspartame, which some studies link to increase in appetite and therefore indirectly promoting obesity. In addition, there is a lot of controversy over the safety of aspartame, because of which companies like PepsiCo have already announced that they will stop using aspartame in products like Diet Pepsi.
The foodnetindia rating for this product :-
foodnetindia safety rating : 2 – (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unsafe to very safe)
A 350 ml can of Diet Coke contains 47 mg of Caffeine which may not sound like a lot, but if you drink many cans a day, it can result in symptoms like shaking, dizziness, abnormal heart rate etc.
Diet Coke contains phosphates which are released into the blood stream and interfere with the calcium in the body, drinking large amounts of it draws out the calcium from the bones which may cause brittle bones and also cause damage to teeth.
Aspartame, the artificial sweetener used in Diet Coke has been shown by some studies to cause obesity indirectly. It is a controversial food additive with many concerns raised about its safety. In addition, anyone with phenylketonuria disorder in which the body can’t process the amino acid phenylalanine must avoid aspartame.
foodnetindia wholesomeness rating : 1– (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unbalanced nutrition profile to excellent nutrition profile)
Diet Coke is empty of nutritional value and its caffeine content may cause dehydration as caffeine is a diuretic. So in order to hydrate oneself, it is better to drink water instead of Diet coke.
Ingredients of concern in Diet Coke
Sweeteners 950,951
Caffeine
Added flavours (Natural flavouring substances)
Artificial Sweetener
Acesulfame potassium 950
Acesulfame potassium is an artificial sweetener. As with other artificial sweeteners, concern exists over the safety of acesulfame potassium. However, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its general use. Critics say acesulfame potassium has not been studied adequately and may be carcinogenic, although these claims have been dismissed by the FDA and equivalent authorities in the European Union.
Acesulfame K has been shown to stimulate dose-dependent insulin secretion in rats in lab tests.
Aspartame 951
Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. The function(s) performed by the food additive when used in cooking.
In 1997, due to public concerns, the UK government introduced a new regulation obliging food makers who use sweeteners to state clearly next to the name of their product the phrase “with sweeteners”.
Aspartame breakdown products include phenylalanine, aspartame must be avoided by people with the genetic condition phenylketonuria.
Aspartame has been the subject of several controversies since its initial approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
There have been controversies in other countries as well. In 2007, the Indonesian government considered banning aspartame. In the Philippines, the small political party Alliance for Rural Concerns introduced House Bill 4747 in 2008 with the aim of having aspartame banned from the food supply. In the U.S. state of New Mexico a bill to ban aspartame was introduced in 2007, and subsequently rejected. A similar 2008 Hawaiian bill stalled in committee for lack of evidence. In March 2009, the California OEHHA identified aspartame as a chemical for consultation by its Carcinogen Identification Committee. So far no conclusions or updates have been published on the OEHHA website.
Caffeine
A 350 ml can of Diet coke may contain 47 mg of Caffeine, Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class.[9] It is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug, but – unlike many other psychoactive substances – is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world. There are several known mechanisms of action to explain the effects of caffeine. The most prominent is that it reversibly blocks the action of adenosine on its receptor and consequently prevents the onset of drowsiness induced by adenosine. Caffeine also stimulates certain portions of the autonomic nervous system.
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline purine, a methylxanthine alkaloid, and is closely related chemically to the adenine and guanine contained in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). It is found in the seeds, nuts, or leaves of a number of plants native to South America and East Asia and confers on them several survival and reproductive benefits. The most well known source of caffeine is the coffee bean, a misnomer for the seed of Coffea plants. Beverages containing caffeine are ingested to relieve or prevent drowsiness and to improve performance. To make these beverages, caffeine is extracted by steeping the plant product in water, a process called infusion. Caffeine containing beverages are very popular; in 2005, 90% of North American adults consumed caffeine daily.
Caffeine can increase blood pressure and cause vasoconstriction.Long term consumption at sufficiently high doses has been associated with chronic arterial stiffness.Coffee and caffeine can affect gastrointestinal motility and gastric acid secretion.
Caffeine increases basal metabolic rate in adults. In postmenopausal women, high caffeine consumption can accelerate bone loss.
Other ingredients that are in the product but not a major source of concern in our opinion are:
Carbonated water
Acidity regulator-Phosphoric acid IN 338
Preservative 211
Permitted Natural Colour 150d
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