Now ask yourself: Would you rather treat yourself to an ice cream treat or down a bottle of your favorite sugary soda?
But maybe you’ve realized how unhealthy soda is, and you opt for the diet alternative. A recent study shows a 43% higher risk of heart attack or stroke in people who had one diet soda a day, as compared to those who didn’t have any.
The study followed more than 2,500 adults in their diet soda habits for 10 years. Out of those, almost 600 people had a heart attack or died of other cardiovascular causes.
However, many of the people in the study also had unhealthy eating habits. So researchers have determined that diet sodas are a factor, but might not be the sole cause.
“What we saw was an association,” lead researcher, Hannah Gardener told Reuters. “These people may tend to have more unhealthy habits.”
The study says that further research is needed before they can solidify the health problems associated with diet sodas.
In the meantime, those at Men’s Health suggest to grab some good old fashioned H2O. It has been shown to improve mood.
