Artificial sweeteners give foods a sweet taste with no sugar and little to no calories. But are they safe and appropriate for kids to consume? A dietitian weighs in. Drinking soda doesn’t just cause negative effects on your waist line. According to a new study, it can even cause early death. You kicked your regular soda habit, and now you’re sitting on cloud nine. But if that cloud is made of diet soda — a replacement for the real thing — you may have just created new problems. A recent study has dubbed diet soda and sugary juices the culprit of increased stroke risk., particularly in women. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. PolicyArtificial sweeteners have no calories, but are they better than sugar? Get The Short Answer from functional medicine specialist Mark Hyman, MD. For decades, saturated fat and cholesterol took the blame in our diets for heart disease. But reports that the sugar industry funded much of that research has put sugar in the spotlight. Discover the connection between sugar and heart disease. Mineral water, sparkling water, tonic water, club soda, flavored water. How do they stack up against tap water? And which is the most nutritious choice? How do you like to get your sweet on — with a little honey in your tea? Or do you crave rich desserts? We’ve polled our dietitians to learn which sweeteners are best, worst and why. As diabetes educators, we are frequently asked if sugar substitutes are safe and which ones are best. What makes you feel sick and overweight? We often blame dietary fat for these problems, but the real culprit is sugar, says Mark Hyman, MD. It’s hard to believe that 70 percent of Americans overall and 40 percent of children overweight.