Diet soda can damage your intestinal health

If you want to keep your stomach healthy, you’d better watch out for diet soda. According to Divya Nair, head of microbiology at the probiotic company Sungenomics, nutritional sweeteners found in diet soda such as polyol can have a negative impact on intestinal health.

“One study examined the effect of polyol on both healthy and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients,” Nair said. Gastrointestinal symptoms were observed in both healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome, including symptoms such as swelling, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea when consumed in healthy volunteers or patients with irritable bowel syndrome.