INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC: What’s Inside Diet Coke

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Q & A WITH CHEMISTRY TEACHER DEBORAH HAIRE

Compiled By Steven Chen
<stevenchen@hilite.org>

Why is sugar harmful?
Sugar suppresses the immune system.

How do soft drinks deplete calcium?
The acid causes the calcium to leech from the bones into the blood system.

What about artificial sugars?
The sad part about those is the fact that the body can’t tell the difference between artificial sweeteners and real sugar so it continues to secrete insulin into the bloodstream. This causes confusion for the pancreas, which secretes the insulin.

What are substitutes to soft drinks?
Good old fashioned water. But of course people won’t do that. If you want a soft drink, then drink a vitamin-enriched water product.

How much sugar would you recommend?
I’d say very little sugar if any. As far as young people go, moderation is the key. But as you age, sugar is detrimental to one’s overall health and may lead to cancer, arthritis, dementia, and type-2 diabetes.

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NUTRITION FACTS OF DIET COKE

Serving size: 8 fl oz.
Calories: 1.0
Carbohydrates: 0.1 grams
Sodium: 28 mg
Potassium: 12 mg
Phosphorous: 18 mg
Caffeine: 31 mg
Aspartame: 125 mg

COCA-COLA / SOURCE