A new study suggests that diet sodas lead to heart disease and vascular events. Could it be the sodium content? Most diet sodas contain 35mg of sodium in 8 oz, so in a 12 oz can of soda that’s 52.5 mg. Diet soda drinkers drink about 5 0r 6 cans a day. That would add up to ~300 mg sodium daily. A healthy amount is 3,000mg total. So the sodium amount is not that high, but definitely something to watch. Also the caramel color of some diet drinks may lead to vascular events like a stroke. Overall diet drinks are a poor choice for hydration. Most people drink them for the taste and caffeine pick-me-up. The artificial sweeteners in diet sodas can actually have an opposite effect of weight loss by increasing sugar cravings.
I have always been a proponent of water and herbal teas, which are a great way to hydrate the body naturally. Some even contain a small amount of caffeine. Quench your thirst with wonderful herbal teas like chai, green tea, and chamomile. Give the body what it really thirst for. Don’t sabotage your weight loss efforts by drinking beverages that will make you crave more sugar. Add a small amount of natural sweeteners to herbal teas like stevia, agave, or honey.
Sunflower Health & Wellness 
One thing that I have always been curious about is the relative hydration qualities of different teas. Will fruit/herbal teas hydrate better than caffeinated varieties? I’ve always been told that the only “equal” to water is non-caffeinated tea; is this true?
I also read recently that putting slices of lemon in your water is a good way to quench thirst as well as promote weight loss, as the lemon contains pectin, which is supposed to help squash cravings for sweets. I haven’t managed to give up chocolate yet, but I do enjoy lemon, cucumber, or lime in my water!
Too much caffeine can have a diuretic effect meaning you lose water. So the herbal non-caffeinated teas are better. Some teas like green tea have a small amt of caffeine as compared to coffee and they are good to drink as well. With a little bit of caffeine you get a bonus of a great tasting tea and an energy boost.
Lemon is a great way to liven up water. Definitely if you are drinking water and not eating you save calories.
All the best in health & wellness