- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, Katherine is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition education related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
Nutrition basics (29)
- Healthy chocolate — Dream or reality?
- Multigrain vs. whole grain: Which is healthier?
- Caffeine: Is it dehydrating or not?
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Healthy diets (10)
- Diverticulitis diet: Can certain foods trigger an attack?
- Butter vs. margarine: Which is better for my heart?
- Detox diets: Do they work?
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Healthy cooking (6)
- E. coli: How can I tell if food is contaminated?
- Canned pumpkin: Better than fresh?
- Food poisoning: How long can you safely keep leftovers?
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Healthy menus and shopping strategies (7)
- Vegetable juice: As good as whole vegetables?
- Calories in sushi: What are the low-cal options?
- Sodium nitrate in meat: Heart disease risk factor?
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Nutritional supplements (16)
- Vitamin water: Better than plain water?
- Ground flaxseed: Better than whole?
- Chocolate: Does it impair calcium absorption?
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Question
Diet soda: Is it bad for you?
I drink diet soda every day. Could this be harmful?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Drinking a reasonable amount of diet soda a day, such as a can or two, isn't likely to hurt you. The artificial sweeteners and other chemicals currently used in diet soda are safe for most people, and there's no credible evidence that these ingredients cause cancer. Some types of diet soda are even fortified with vitamins and minerals. But diet soda isn't a health drink or a silver bullet for weight loss. Although switching from regular soda to diet soda may save you calories, some studies suggest that drinking more than one soda a day — regular or diet — increases your risk of obesity and related health problems such as type 2 diabetes.
Healthier choices abound. Start your day with a small glass of 100 percent fruit juice. Drink skim milk with meals. Sip water throughout the day. For variety, try sparkling water or add a squirt of lemon or cranberry juice to your water. Save diet soda for an occasional treat.
Next questionMonosodium glutamate (MSG): Is it harmful?
- Artificial sweeteners and cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners. Accessed Oct. 16, 2009.
- Dhingra J, et al. Soft drink consumption and risk of developing cardiometabolic risk factors and the metabolic syndrome in middle-aged adults in the community. Circulation. 2007;116:480.
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