Warning issued to anyone who drinks diet cola as worrying side-effects are revealed

If you're a sucker for a can of fizz, it could be worth trying to kick the habit after you hear about this.

While we all know they have a lot of sugar, and they're not good for your teeth - but there could be something more sinister at play.

A lot of us opt for the diet version in an attempt in an attempt to be healthier and curb the sugar - but what if we told you this is just as bad, or worse?

While the sugar is successfully avoided, this is replaced with aspartame, a chemical that provides the sweet taste.

Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sucrose - and consuming it comes with a list of risks.

Ella Allred, technical nutritionist at NutriCentre, told MailOnline about the associated issues.

Diet cola has a long list of possible risks (Getty Stock Image)

She said: "As soon as you taste the sweetness of [diet cola], your body prepares for the sugar load and causes your pancreas to release insulin.

"The insulin surge decreases the pancreases sensitivity to insulin, putting you at risk of developing diabetes type 2. The insulin triggers your body to store fat around your middle, and increases your risk of developing heart disease."

She then explained how it can trigger cravings.

She said: "Blood insulin saturation is complete. But the problem is, there is no sugar in Diet Coke. But now you have a lot of insulin in your blood stream, pulling all of your blood available blood sugar into your cells leaving you with a massive sugar low.

"You then need sugar in your blood to maintain equilibrium. The sweet cravings kick in and may find you are reaching for another Diet Coke, which starts the cycle again."

Diet drinks may not be the better option (Getty Stock Image)

The aspartame reaches your brain, which is an uncomfortable thought.

Ella said: "Caffeine saturation of your blood is complete, switching off tiredness receptors. It's creating pseudo alertness, and pushing our bodies beyond their designed capabilities.

"The aspartame has reached your brain, where it is a neurotoxin, which in some people may trigger migraines and other neurological problems. Aspartame and caffeine both trigger your brains reward centres, making this combination highly addictive.

And to make matters worse, it's not actually hydrating.

"The dehydrating effect of the Coke is already having an impact on your cells hydration levels," Ella said. "Dehydration has the effect of causing tiredness and drowsiness, which will likely leave you reaching for another caffeine hit. And so the vicious cycle starts again. Each time worsening its effect, causing you to gain weight and pushing your body beyond its design."

Probably best to just have a glass of water instead.