Diet soda or regular soda?

The Mind Pump Podcast hosts have discussed the comparison between diet soda and regular soda, focusing particularly on the effects of artificial sweeteners. Sal Di Stefano points out that it is tougher for clients to stop drinking sugar-free sodas than regular sodas due to the strong impact artificial sweeteners have on the brain. He also notes that despite the low calorie content in diet sodas, they tend to increase cravings for sugar and make it harder to manage overall intake. In contrast, regulating consumption of regular sodas is relatively straightforward because they contain actual sugar, which has a clear caloric consequence that people tend to consider 1.

Adam Schafer shares a personal experience where switching from diet soda (Diet Coke) to a regular soda with natural sugar (Hanson's Natural Soda) helped reduce his cravings and made management of his soda intake easier. This switch also led to a noticeable decrease in inflammation and water retention 2.

For individuals trying to manage their diet or sugar intake, choosing regular sodas with natural sugars might be more beneficial than opting for diet sodas, which might lead to increased cravings and no real benefits in terms of weight management or health.