“Ew, this is not diet,” Samantha Stemp (’25) said. The seemingly unassuming debate of diet vs. regular soda has grown to be hefty and even controversial among high school students in recent years. A significant amount of students have strong opinions regarding which is better, whether they believe it’s a question of taste or health benefits.

Despite the fact that both types of soda have their scientific pros and cons, the topic’s prevalence in the media has influenced teen opinion as well. In fact, recently, sipping an ice cold can of Diet Coke grew associated with the coquette aesthetic that took high schoolers by storm. Because of this, although many students’ preferences stem from genuine research and experience, others’ have also stemmed from pure social media influence.

“I prefer Diet soda not only because of its low sugar content and the taste in general,” Stemp said. “I really prefer the taste of the Diet version, and even though it does contain some artificial sweeteners that could be bad for you, I think it’s better than the almost 40 grams of sugar in a can of Coke.” 

Others openly haven’t thoroughly explored the advantages and/or disadvantages of each type of soda and have chosen their preference based on what is popular online. With social media influence becoming more and more dominant over the years, it has simultaneously become less and less difficult to encourage one to share your opinion. This is reflected in the surge in popularity of Diet Coke due to it being preached by influencers on TikTok, Instagram, etc.

“I prefer diet soda because as a varsity athlete I’m always looking for healthier options regarding what I consume,” Lydia Mikhin (’25) said. “I saw online that if you’re going to have soda, diet is better so I gave it a chance and now it’s my favorite.”

Many others, however, prefer a traditional, ice cold can of sugar-filled soda. When surveyed, in fact, nearly 40% of those who responded  indicated that they favored regular soda, primarily for taste-related reasons. Given that there are evidently advantages and disadvantages to both types of soda, it is ultimately up to each individual and their personal values when determining their preference.