You’ve decided not to drink full-sugar soft drinks, but is it any better to drink diet soda? Before you pour yourself another glass of Diet Coke, consider the recent health advice regarding artificially sweetened soft drinks.

Soda pop (both diet and full-sugar) eats away at the enamel on your teeth. Phosphoric acid is to blame, since it erodes enamel. Granted, sugar soda pop is even worse for you; the combination of sugar and acid accelerates the erosion of enamel considerably. However, diet sodas also hurt teeth.

You might be changing to diet soft drinks as a means to lose weight, but sadly, doctors are finding diet sodas to be obstacles to weight loss. Recent research has uncovered a correlation between drinking diet soda and being overweight. According to recent studies, the number of diet beverages you drink per day is related to your chances of being overweight.

How can diet sodas make you gain weight when they are calorie-free? Speculation behind these findings abound. Some doctors think the artificial sweeteners fool your body into thinking it needs that sugary taste all the time, creating cravings that lead to overindulgence with other foods. Others believe artificial sweeteners interfere with the metabolism process, inhibiting your body’s ability to respond appropriately to calories. No matter what the explanation, dieters are best off eliminating soda–both diet and full sugar–from their diets.

Breaking the soft drink habit can be tough, but sound health advice suggests you at least limit your consumption, if not stop completely. Some people find seltzer water to work as a good alternative. At least you’ll get the carbonation, even if you don’t get the intense flavor or sweetness. You can find seltzer waters in a variety of flavors, such as lime, lemon, raspberry, and orange.