Is Diet Soda Safe to Drink?

by Christiane Northrup, M.D.


Reviewed March 2017

Diet sodas, are any of you addicted to diet colas?  I know you are.  I know you’re out there.  There’s a certain buzz that people get from a diet soda, a cola, in particular, that they don’t get from any other drink. And guess what? It’s addictive, because people will sort of like run over others to get to their diet cola. Here’s why that food is so addictive. It is a combination of aspartame, which is an excitotoxin that actually kills brain cells, but before they die, there’s this sort of heightened jolt to the brain, aspartame and caffeine. And caffeine, of course, is a neurotoxin, but it’s okay in small doses. But the combination of aspartame and caffeine is particularly addictive in certain kinds of brains. So I really know that you need to stay away from diet sodas.

Let me give you a diet soda that’s good, however. There’s a new one out called Zevia, Z-E-V-I-A, and it’s sweetened with Truvia, which is an extract of stevia. Stevia is a plant, it’s all natural. You can grow stevia in your garden and use it in iced tea. But Zevia is a truly healthy alternative to diet sodas, and they have a cola that’s really, really good, and also a lemon-lime drink that’s really, really good. So as you are weaning yourself from your usual diet cola with aspartame and caffeine, please understand that you can substitute with something else.

Aspartame has been associated with increase in migraine headaches, seizures, weight gain, all kinds of things. It is not your friend. Now, let’s say that you want to get off it cold turkey, here’s what you do. Just drink water all day long, and within a day or two, you can detox diet cola. For now though, please take a look at labels, and if there’s aspartame in it, don’t eat it, or drink it.

Christiane Northrup, M.D.

Christiane Northrup, M.D., is a visionary pioneer and a leading authority in the field of women’s health and wellness. Recognizing the unity of body, mind, and spirit, she empowers women to trust their inner wisdom, their connection with Source, and their ability to truly flourish.


Recommended For You