Drinking soda can be a hard habit to break. That's why so many people were thrilled to hear that Coca-Cola had released a healthy alternative to their soda beverages, Coke Zero. But, health experts say that this seemingly healthy drink still isn't a good choice for you. In fact, it can even be worse for you than Regular Coke! Here's why you should stop drinking Coke Zero for good!
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1. It can cause weight gain
According to Livestrong, research suggests that drinking sweet-tasting soft drinks like Coke Zero can affect your weight, and even cause you to pack on the pounds without realizing it!
2. It tricks your brain
Drinks like Coke Zero have been proven to increase your appetite for other sweet foods and throw off your body’s ability to accurately estimate the number of calories you've consumed, according to Harvard’s School of Public Health.
3. The caffeine content can have effects on the body
Most people forget that soda--even Coke Zero--contains caffeine. Make sure that you're not overconsuming your caffeine for the day as it can cause restlessness, irritability and difficulty sleeping.
4. It has no nutritional benefits
Coke Zero may be free of calories, fat, carbohydrates, cholesterol or sugars, but it's still not providing your body with any nutrients or vitamins. This is why parents should avoid giving the soft drink to their children, who need to make sure that they're getting nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and protein from their drink choices.
5. There are still preservatives in Coke Zero
Ingredients like caramel color, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, natural flavors, and potassium citrate are still used to make Coke Zero's sweet taste and signature brown color.
6. There are artificial sweeteners in there, too!
Coke Zero is sweetened using a combination of aspartame and acesulfame K (ACE-K). Though it has less aspartame than Diet Coke, you should still be mindful of this sweetener as it's been linked to diseases and ailments like cancer, seizures, depression, ADHD, weight gain, lupus and Alzheimer's disease.
7. ACE-K isn't good for you either
Though this artificial sweetener is safe for human consumption, there is evidence to support that it may interfere with your appetite, cause weight gain and future problems with your blood sugar regulation.
8. The caramel color isn't doing you any favors
Caramel color has been added to California's list of chemicals that are known to cause cancer, and there have even been petitions created to urge the FDA to ban the types of caramel color that are cancerous.