Do diet sodas make you crave sugar and is it bad for diabetes?

- Research on this topic has yielded mixed results. Some studies suggest that diet sodas may indeed increase sugar cravings, while others have found no such effect.

Is diet soda bad for diabetes?

- Diet sodas are often marketed as a healthier alternative to sugary drinks for people with diabetes. While they do not contain sugar, some studies have suggested that they may still have negative effects on blood sugar control and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Research findings:

- A 2017 study published in the journal _Appetite_ found that diet soda consumption was associated with increased sugar cravings and consumption in individuals with overweight and obesity. The study participants who consumed diet sodas consumed significantly more sugar than those who did not drink diet sodas.

- A 2018 study published in the journal _Obesity_ found that consuming diet soda was associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The study followed over 100,000 participants for an average of 11.5 years and found that those who drank diet soda had a 36% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who did not drink diet soda.

- Another 2019 study published in the journal _JAMA Internal Medicine_ found that consumption of diet soda was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The study followed over 10,000 adults with type 2 diabetes for an average of 15 years and found that those who drank diet soda had a 46% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 50% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who did not drink diet soda.

It's important to note that these studies were observational and cannot establish a causal relationship between diet soda consumption and the outcomes observed. More research is needed to fully understand the effects of diet soda on sugar cravings, blood sugar control, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.