Diet products are full of artificial sweeteners and artificial flavors which are intended to mimic the taste of real sugar without the added calories. But research is showing that by consuming diet sodas and sugar-free treats you may actually be doing your body a disservice.

A study which can be found in the Journal of Obesity and posted on WebMD found that artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame may manipulate the body to actually crave more sweets than they would without consuming artificial sweeteners.

According to WebMD, the study was conducted on rats. There were two study groups: one group of rats consumed liquids which were sweetened with artificial sweetener and the second group consumed sugary liquids for 10 days. At the completion of the study the rats were given a sugary chocolate treat and were allowed to eat as much of it as they liked. The researchers found the study group who consumed artificial sweeteners actually consumed more calories and a great portion of the treat than the group who consumed sugary liquids.

So what does this mean for you the diet soda drinkers out there? Well, it could suggest that by consuming artificial sweeteners you may be more inclined to crave more sugar than if you consumed a sugary drink.

The study is not suggesting that the regular sugary versions of your favorite drink are a better alternative, but instead that the diet versions may not be that beneficial after all. So do yourself a favor - if you’re thirsty drink water or green tea.