It comes as no surprise that pop (or "soda"?) can wreak havoc on our health. Just 16 ounces of Mountain Dew contains over 60 grams of sugar! For reference on how much sugar that is, it's equivalent to eating around 5 tablespoons of table sugar.As an alternative, many people turn to "Diet" soda.  The purpose being to decrease the known effects of consuming too much sugar: metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, among many others. But do artificial sweeteners actually achieve this goal? This week, we take a look at the difference between regular soda and diet soda. Is one really better than the other? We also share some of our favorite alternative to soda, for those who are trying to kick aspartame altogether!Have any questions or comments about this episode? We'd love to hear from you in the "Comment" section!Learn more on our websiteVisit our InstagramResources:The Relationship of Sugar to Population-Level Diabetes Prevalence: An Econometric Analysis of Repeated Cross-Sectional DataNonnutritive sweeteners and cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studiesNon-nutritive sweeteners possess a bacteriostatic effect and alter gut microbiota in miceSugar- and artificially-sweetened beverages and the risks of incident stroke and dementia: A prospective cohort studyNeurophysiological symptoms and aspartame: What is the connection?How to Make Homemade SodaDisclaimer: This podcast is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The products, information, services and other content provided on and through this podcast, including information that may be provided in the show notes (directly or via linking to third-party sites), are provided for informational purposes only. Please consult with your physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or health-related diagnosis or treatment options.