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Any truth about soft drinks giving me cancer?

Worried that you’ll end up with brain tumour? Multiple studies have failed to prove that there’s a risk of getting cancer due to additives and artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, used in zero-calorie sodas. Instead, you should worry about what’s growing in your belly. A 2005 University of Texas study revealed that people who drank at least one diet soda every day had a 23 per cent greater chance of becoming overweight than those who downed one regular soda, possibly because those going no-calorie unconsciously gave themselves permission to pig out at other times.

Then there’s the toll on your teeth. According to a report in General Dentistry, the phosphoric and citric acids in soda can significantly erode tooth enamel. It happens faster with regular soft drinks – teeth immersed in a popular soft drink for 48 hours lost 5.9 per cent of their enamel, compared with 1.6 per cent for teeth soaked in the diet version of the soft drink. Try using a straw so the liquid bypasses your choppers.