Diet soda could be better for liver than fruit juice, says expert

Liver health expert Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, known as Liverdoc, has ranked diet soda above fruit juice on a list of beverages ordered by their impact on liver metabolic health. The hierarchy runs from most beneficial to most damaging: water, black coffee, fresh-cut fruits, diet soda, fresh juice, packaged juice or sugar-sweetened sodas or energy drinks, and alcohol.

Dr Philips said the ranking reflects sugar content and metabolic load, not overall health. Whole fruit contains fibre that slows sugar absorption, but juicing removes fibre and concentrates sugar. Diet soda has little or no sugar and few calories, making it a lower-sugar choice than fruit juice, though it should not replace water or whole fruit. Packaged juice, sugary sodas, and energy drinks sit near the bottom alongside alcohol, which is directly linked to liver injury when consumed excessively.

The expert stressed that water, black coffee, and whole fruit remain the top choices for liver health. The ranking does not endorse diet soda as a healthy drink, but suggests it may have a lower metabolic impact when the only alternatives are sugary beverages.