Diet Soda Doesn't Boost Diabetes Risk After All

A new Harvard study debunks the idea that diet sodas and other artificially sweetened drinks carry an increased risk of diabetes. Researchers followed a big group of men for 20 years, and discovered that while those who drank regular soda and other sugary drinks were significantly more likely to develop the disease, those who stuck to diet drinks were not.

“There are multiple alternatives to regular soda,” one study author tells Reuters. “Diet soda is perhaps not the best alternative, but moderate consumption is not going to have appreciable harmful effects.” Previous studies have suggested a link between diet soda and diabetes. But the authors of this study believe that’s because many people drinking diet soda are doing so because they’re overweight, or even because they have diabetes already. (More diabetes stories.)