Leaving you flat

Death in a can? Diet soda linked to strokes, heart attacks

Is diet soda dangerous? A new study suggests so.
A 1906 Coca-Cola ad
Zero calories? Is it worth it?

There has never been a more compelling reason to break your diet.

There have long been reports that the sugar substitutes used in diet sodas have links to cancer. But now reports are claiming that diet sodas are also linked to stroke and heart disease.

Like anything, it's consuming diet drink products in excess that can cause health risks, but a new study indicates that daily drinkers of diet sodas subject themselves to increased risk for vascular disease.

The study, a collaboration between Columbia University and the University of Miami, spanned nine years and followed 2,500 New Yorkers who each drank diet soda every day, according to a Today Show report.

It found that those who drank diet soft drinks on a daily basis had a 61 percent higher risk of "vascular events," including heart attacks and strokes. The study did not look at what types of diet sodas were consumed or at how much was consumed per day. It is a preliminary report.

The American Beverage Association has come out in stern opposition to the study, suggesting the link cannot be pinned to diet soda consumption uniquely (it's a coincidence!)

So should you damn your diet drinks for good? Dr. Miriam Nelson of Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition says a diet drink once or twice a week is fine, but three or four a day makes her worry.

NBC's chief medical editor, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, cautions against artificial sweeteners in general, saying their overuse has even given us a still-bigger sweet tooth — but even she indulges in a few diet drinks.

Tell us, does it make you think twice about going low (or no) cal?

Watch the Today Show report below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

unspecified

cheers to that

Texas bourbon named one of 2024's top 10 whiskies

Still Austin Whiskey Co. Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey

Still Austin Whiskey Co./Facebook

Now if only we could snag a bottle...as a Christmas gift, of course.

Three cheers for Still Austin Whiskey Co.! The distillery's Bottled in Bond Red Corn Bourbon Whiskey was recognized as one of Whisky Advocate'sTop 20 Most Exciting Whiskies of 2024.

Every year, Whisky Advocate's expert panelists rank hundreds of whiskies based on their quality, availability, value for the price, and "X-factor," meaning an excitement-inducing component like a unique flavor or an innovative idea. An international panel also reviews contenders through several blind taste tests without knowing each whisky's producer, origin, age, or price.

The magazine ranked Still Austin's five-year Red Corn Bourbon No. 7 on the list with a prestigious score of 94 points. The Red Corn whiskey, which was released in June 2024, has mash bill consisting of 36 percent Jimmy Red corn, 34 percent white corn, 25 percent rye, and 5 percent barley.

According to panelist Shane English, tasting notes start big and bold with cracked pepper, dusty leather, and cocktail cherries, before moving on to a palate of chile pepper, caramel, and buttery cornbread.

"Each sip is electric — the pepper gives this whiskey a zing balanced by poundcake and glazed doughnuts," English said. "Charred oak fades to chocolate, coffee, and pecan pie on the finish."

Still Austin had the only Texas product on the list, which was fitting given the brand's recent boasting that it could match any Kentucky Bourbon. As a game day stunt when the Texas Longhorns played the Kentucky Wildcats in November, Still Austin refilled empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles with its own Cask Strength Bourbon for just $1.

When the brand isn't playfully antagonizing Kentucky fans, its Red Corn Bourbon sells for a retail price of $85 per 750-milliliter bottle, falling nearly in the middle of the price category out of all 20 bourbons on the list, with eight others priced for less.

For additional context, none of the top five bourbons fall under a $100 price tag. In fact, the most expensive bottle on the 2024 list is the Angel's Envy 2023 Cask Strength Port Wine Barrel Finished Bourbon, which ranked No. 12 and retails for $230 per bottle.

"Our top 20 whiskies represent a curated collection that deserves your attention. Each whisky on the list stands out for its superb taste, representing the pinnacle of a year filled with remarkable tastings," said executive editor David Fleming in a release. "This list features whiskies offering exceptional value, leaders in their respective styles, and superbly made expressions that are well worth seeking out."

Whiskey Advocate's 2024 Whiskey of the Year is Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Cask Strength Scotch Single Malt, which earned 95 points and retails for $165 a bottle.

whiskey bourbon distilleries awards lists