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"  Despite cans touting &amp;quot;zero calories&amp;quot; on their labels, researchers found that diet soda may in fact be the reason you are packing on the pounds. According to a study at Purdue University, artificial sweeteners may negatively affect metabolism, thus disrupting how the body processes regular sugars. The study, published in Trends in Endocrinology &amp;amp;amp; Metabolism, states, &amp;quot;accumulating evidence suggests that frequent consumers of these sugar substitutes may also be at increased risk of excessive weight gain, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.&amp;quot; In essence, the research found that drinking diet soda leads to an outcome that is exactly what drinkers are trying to avoid by choosing the diet version. More From Delish: Research Says Soda Habit As Bad For Teeth as Crack Cocaine and Meth Susie Swithers, author of the study, professor of psychological sciences, and a behavioral neuroscientist, posed this question to USA Today, &amp;quot;Are diet sodas worse for you than regular sodas? I think that&amp;#039;s the wrong question. It&amp;#039;s, &amp;#039;What good are sodas for you in the first place?&amp;#039;&amp;quot; The American Beverage Association emailed a statement to USA Today: &amp;quot;This is an opinion piece, not a scientific study. Low-calorie sweeteners are some of the most studied and reviewed ingredients in the food supply today. They are a safe and an effective tool in weight loss and weight management, according to decades of scientific research and regulatory agencies around the globe.&amp;quot; More From Delish: Woman Suffers Heart Problems After Drinking Only Soda for 16 Years In her research, Swithers says she found that rats that consumed artificial sweeteners overate. &amp;quot;The take-home message is for people to be much mindful of how much sweetener, whether artificial or sugar, they&amp;#039;re actually consuming,&amp;quot; Swithers told USA Today. Are you now more concerned about drinking diet soda? Find more great food content on Delish:   Search for the perfect recipe from our homepage Find out the latest food news Get a recipe book to save your favorite dishes Sign up for our free newsletters Check us out on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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