At this point, we all know how important hydration is. The problem is, water can be boring. Finding a drink that motivates you to drink can be difficult.
Diet versions of popular sodas are often viewed as the healthier option. Health agencies are looking into the health risks associated with artificial sweeteners. There are also studies on the dangers of sugary drinks and how drinking sugar rather than eating it impacts health.
New research used data from more than 103,000 people. It looked at how drinks sweetened with sugar and artificial sweeteners contribute to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
The researchers found that either kind of drink raised the risk of MASLD. Sugary drinks raised the risk by 50 percent. Artificially sweetened drinks raised the risk by 60 percent and also raised the risk of death from liver problems. Sugary drinks did not raise the risk of death.
The good news is that switching out the more dangerous drinks for water decreased the risk by 14.7 percent. In the study, they swapped 330 grams (11.6 ounces) of either beverage for water and saw a positive change.
“Our findings indicate that both sugary and artificially sweetened drinks may carry risks for liver health. Clinically, this highlights the need to guide people toward healthier beverage choices, with water remaining the safest and healthiest option,” said study author Lihe Liu, of Soochow Univ.
“The higher sugar content in [sugary beverages] can cause rapid spikes in blood glucose and insulin, promote weight gain and increase uric acid levels, all of which contribute to liver fat accumulation,” Liu said. “[Diet drinks], on the other hand, may affect liver health by altering the gut microbiome, disrupting the feeling of fullness, driving sweet cravings and even stimulating insulin secretion.”
Just one can a day impacted liver health in the study. While this isn’t the final word on artificial sweeteners, it does underscore what we have always said about enjoying things in moderation. It suggests people shouldn’t drink diet soda daily. But few things should be consumed daily.
If you are concerned about artificial sweeteners but also struggle with your blood sugar, we recommend mostly sticking to water and keeping sweeteners for occasional use. You can also use sugar sparingly if you account for the carbs in your day. If sweet drinks matter to you, adding a small sprinkle of natural sugar to iced tea or lemon water is unlikely to derail your progress as long as you make sure you balance it out with a fiber-rich snack. But we wouldn’t recommend that as a daily drink.
