Deadly Diet Cola

Think you're doing your body a favor by chugging a diet soda instead of regular? Think again. According to a recent paper, that Splenda'd soft drink may be as harmful to your metabolic state as fried foods, red meat, and white flour.

Researchers found a correlation between ingestion of diet soda with "metabolic syndrome" - a deadly collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes that include abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and elevated blood pressure.

In their research, they discovered some pretty shocking percentages. One third of the study group who ate the most fried food increased their risk for metabolic syndrome by 24% compared to the third who ate the least. The risk for those who drank one can of diet soda a day was 34% higher than those who drank none. Given a choice between the fries and the coke, give me the fries any day.

According to one of the researchers, the direct association has not been pinpointed. It could be a chemical in the cola itself, or may have to do with the lifestyle of cola drinkers in general. In either case, it sounds like we're all better off being one of those "non-cola" people.

Check out the article in the Times here.