Low-calorie, high risk? The hidden side of diet soda drinks

A new study has found that even moderate consumption of artificially sweetened and sugary drinks is associated with a higher risk of developing liver disease. In fact the former presented a higher risk than the later, “even at modest intake levels such as a single can per day,” said Lihe Liu, lead author of the study.

“These findings challenge the common perception that [low- or non-sugar-sweetened] drinks are harmless and highlight the need to reconsider their role in diet and liver health,” he added. Liu presented the findings at the 2025 United European Gastroenterology Week conference in Berlin this week.

Just 9 ounces a day increases fatty liver disease risk

It’s been known for some time now that heavy consumption of alcoholic drinks can wreak serious damage to your liver, causing fat to build up inside it leading to cirrhosis, the formation of severe scarring of the organ’s tissue. However, consuming on a daily basis less than a 12oz-can of an artificially sweetened or sugary drink can elevate the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD.

Just under 9 ounces per day of a sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) increases the risk of developing MASLD by 50%, while for low- or non-sugar-sweetened beverages (LNSSBs) that risk jumps to 60%, according to the study.

“SSBs have long been under scrutiny, while their ‘diet’ alternatives are often seen as the healthier choice. Both, however, are widely consumed and their effects on liver health have not been well understood,” said Liu.

He advises that “the safest approach is to limit both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks.” And if you need to hydrate your body, “water remains the best choice as it removes the metabolic burden and prevents fat accumulation in the liver.”

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